Richard Ortiz is hoping to make the students at his continuation high school champions for a day. The inspiration for his work comes, in part, from continuing his son’s legacy, whom he credits for his whole boxing career.
Ortiz is a boxing personality who runs the podcast “The Fighter’s Voice.” He has also been a ring announcer and broadcaster, notably featured on DAZN telecasts for MarvNation. Ortiz has also become a fixture on the fight scene in Fresno, California. If a major fight occurs, he inevitably makes his presence felt.
Ortiz, like many in boxing, has a second job that pays the bills. He is a hall monitor at a continuation school. Being surrounded by at-risk youth daily and given his love of boxing and achievements in the ring, Ortiz hoped to combine his passion for boxing with inspiring high school students. Ortiz bought a replica WBC belt off the internet and thought that positive behavior could lead to holding the belt for the day: achievements like getting all As and not getting in fights led to a day of celebration and a student being given a title and a photo on the wall holding the belt. It might not seem like much, but it created a lot of excitement for the students Ortiz works with.
“I had this idea about kids becoming champions,” Ortiz told BoxingScene. “I wanted to recognize these kids as being more than just students or troubled, but rather students with potential that can become something, and let them know that for that one day, they were recognized as being a champion.”
It started with one student. Now, a wall is filled with students in Madera, California, where he works. Ortiz wrote to the WBC Cares and told them his story, and they acknowledged him and even created a post about it.
But, in 2014, Ortiz suffered. Richie Ortiz Jnr, his son, died that year. Like many fathers, Ortiz weathered depression, grief, and guilt. His son was only 22 years old and was taken from him in an instant. That gave birth to “Thumbs Up For Richie,” Ortiz’s saying in memory of his son, which he continues to use.
“Whenever I’m behind the microphone, it takes the pain, the hurt, and my suicidal thoughts, that’s my serenity,” Ortiz said. “I fought through it, so I’m the original Fighter’s Voice.”
The logo for Thumbs Up For Richie includes his son’s tombstone. Ortiz even let out a small tear as he said Manny Pacquiao once sent him a video paying tribute to his son. It is hard not to think that the spirit of his son is involved in his latest endeavor, which inspires young people to make good decisions.
“I knew I was making an impact, and I knew Richie was touching lives,” Ortiz said. “Now these are the lives of the students that he’s impacting their lives through me and this program.”
