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Pick-up boxing in downtown Tijuana park a little bloody
Cops near Teniente Guerrero never interrupted the scene
The first fight was between El Güero and a guy with a backward cap.
“Come to my fight, this Sunday at five,” said ‘Tito.’ “Bring your camera, or at least film me with my phone.”
I met Tito last summer when he was searching for a kickboxing partner. “I’m looking for someone to train in Muay Thai, no experience required,” Tito posted on Reddit. I was the only one that showed up. Since then, I’ve been going on and off to CREA, a sports complex in Tijuana to train with him.
I arrived Sunday, April 7, at Parque Teniente Guerrero before 5 pm to find Tito with his Pomeranian dog Sammy and two friends from San Diego. Standing 6’2" and built like a lightweight boxer, Tito was ready to meet his opponent.
The next fight was a French guy named Tito (different Tito) vs. a guy with cornrows named Armando.
Little by little a crowd of amateur boxers started to show up to the park. Matchmaking began without organization. Find someone your size and ask if they want to fight.
“Juan Manuel Andrade de aquí de Tijuana,” said a blond young man to the camera after spitting out his mouthguard. “Oscar Frías representando la Tía Juana,” said his opponent to the camera. The first fight was between El Güero and a guy with a backward cap.
After a minute of exchanging blows, Tito’s opponent fell back and landed awkwardly.
The first rule from the book was disregarded in Fight Club Mexico. Every fight was published on their Instagram.
The fights consisted of two rounds of two minutes each. Besides announcing the rounds, the impromptu referee watched from a distance and rarely did anything to mediate the fight. The crowd formed a circle to improvise a ring. Dogs barked, people cheered, and Mexican folkloric music played in the background as the two men exchanged blows. It was an even match that ended in a draw. After the fight, the host interviewed them and gave them a hat emblazoned with the Fight Club logo.
The next fight was a French guy named Tito (different Tito) vs. a guy with cornrows named Armando. The French guy had more speed and experience and won the fight by crowd decision.
The following fight was between two kids ages 18 and 20. The fight was stopped in the first round because the 18 year old was beating the less experienced boxer, leaving him out of breath and with tearful eyes. Despite receiving a beating, the 20 year old's friends encouraged him to continue fighting. The referee did not allow it.
The guy with hearing aids found another opponent in better shape and received a beating.
It was finally my friend Tito’s turn to fight. His opponent was a similar size albeit a bit shorter. After a minute of exchanging blows, Tito’s opponent fell back and landed awkwardly. He dislocated his shoulder and could not continue the fight.
Tito was deemed the winner, but as his match was cut short, he wanted more. El Güero, who already fought, wanted more. They agreed to two rounds. It was an intense and even fight, but Güero connected more punches. With a bloodied nose and a fat lip, Tito accepted his defeat.
With a bloodied nose and a fat lip, Tito accepted his defeat.
“It was one of the best things I’ve done in life,” said Tito in his post-interview. Tito then encouraged me to fight with a younger guy with hearing aids who said he had no experience fighting but was in better shape than I was. I declined the fight. He found another opponent in better shape and received a beating. The fight extended to a third round and ended with a TKO.
The final fight I witnessed was between two teenage friends with no experience. They were both wearing jeans and I saw them drinking beers before the fight. They swung wild inaccurate punches. As the sun set, it was clear that the good fights were over and I left the park.
“March 16th [2024] was the first fight and blew up from there,” I reached out to Fight Club Mexico’s Instagram for more information. Someone going by the name of "Juan Wick" responded to my messages. “I just fight for fun. I didn’t think it would be this big but Mexicans love contact sports. I got real sick and couldn’t work so I started the fight club, cause I did not wanna be at home.”
“We have our first (legal) tournament this Friday, you should come.” I asked if they ever had trouble with the cops. “Yes, but it’s Mexico, we just pay them.”
“Yeah, bro, it blew up. I’m staying consistent and will have big legal events once a month and street fights every weekend if I can.” Fight Club’s Instagram account has over 144k followers.
“Unfortunately, Instagram is blocking my growth cause people are reporting us. All we do is in good fun, no malice at all, so it’s unfortunate people are hating on it.”
The account is filled with street fights both bare-knuckles and boxing gloves. It features the occasional video of a pretty girl inviting you to their next event. It encourages clean and friendly fights.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Pick-up boxing in downtown Tijuana park a little bloody
Cops near Teniente Guerrero never interrupted the scene
Pick-up boxing in downtown Tijuana park a little bloody
Cops near Teniente Guerrero never interrupted the scene
The first fight was between El Güero and a guy with a backward cap.
“Come to my fight, this Sunday at five,” said ‘Tito.’ “Bring your camera, or at least film me with my phone.”
I met Tito last summer when he was searching for a kickboxing partner. “I’m looking for someone to train in Muay Thai, no experience required,” Tito posted on Reddit. I was the only one that showed up. Since then, I’ve been going on and off to CREA, a sports complex in Tijuana to train with him.
I arrived Sunday, April 7, at Parque Teniente Guerrero before 5 pm to find Tito with his Pomeranian dog Sammy and two friends from San Diego. Standing 6’2" and built like a lightweight boxer, Tito was ready to meet his opponent.
The next fight was a French guy named Tito (different Tito) vs. a guy with cornrows named Armando.
Little by little a crowd of amateur boxers started to show up to the park. Matchmaking began without organization. Find someone your size and ask if they want to fight.
“Juan Manuel Andrade de aquí de Tijuana,” said a blond young man to the camera after spitting out his mouthguard. “Oscar Frías representando la Tía Juana,” said his opponent to the camera. The first fight was between El Güero and a guy with a backward cap.
After a minute of exchanging blows, Tito’s opponent fell back and landed awkwardly.
The first rule from the book was disregarded in Fight Club Mexico. Every fight was published on their Instagram.
The fights consisted of two rounds of two minutes each. Besides announcing the rounds, the impromptu referee watched from a distance and rarely did anything to mediate the fight. The crowd formed a circle to improvise a ring. Dogs barked, people cheered, and Mexican folkloric music played in the background as the two men exchanged blows. It was an even match that ended in a draw. After the fight, the host interviewed them and gave them a hat emblazoned with the Fight Club logo.
The next fight was a French guy named Tito (different Tito) vs. a guy with cornrows named Armando. The French guy had more speed and experience and won the fight by crowd decision.
The following fight was between two kids ages 18 and 20. The fight was stopped in the first round because the 18 year old was beating the less experienced boxer, leaving him out of breath and with tearful eyes. Despite receiving a beating, the 20 year old's friends encouraged him to continue fighting. The referee did not allow it.
The guy with hearing aids found another opponent in better shape and received a beating.
It was finally my friend Tito’s turn to fight. His opponent was a similar size albeit a bit shorter. After a minute of exchanging blows, Tito’s opponent fell back and landed awkwardly. He dislocated his shoulder and could not continue the fight.
Tito was deemed the winner, but as his match was cut short, he wanted more. El Güero, who already fought, wanted more. They agreed to two rounds. It was an intense and even fight, but Güero connected more punches. With a bloodied nose and a fat lip, Tito accepted his defeat.
With a bloodied nose and a fat lip, Tito accepted his defeat.
“It was one of the best things I’ve done in life,” said Tito in his post-interview. Tito then encouraged me to fight with a younger guy with hearing aids who said he had no experience fighting but was in better shape than I was. I declined the fight. He found another opponent in better shape and received a beating. The fight extended to a third round and ended with a TKO.
The final fight I witnessed was between two teenage friends with no experience. They were both wearing jeans and I saw them drinking beers before the fight. They swung wild inaccurate punches. As the sun set, it was clear that the good fights were over and I left the park.
“March 16th [2024] was the first fight and blew up from there,” I reached out to Fight Club Mexico’s Instagram for more information. Someone going by the name of "Juan Wick" responded to my messages. “I just fight for fun. I didn’t think it would be this big but Mexicans love contact sports. I got real sick and couldn’t work so I started the fight club, cause I did not wanna be at home.”
“We have our first (legal) tournament this Friday, you should come.” I asked if they ever had trouble with the cops. “Yes, but it’s Mexico, we just pay them.”
“Yeah, bro, it blew up. I’m staying consistent and will have big legal events once a month and street fights every weekend if I can.” Fight Club’s Instagram account has over 144k followers.
“Unfortunately, Instagram is blocking my growth cause people are reporting us. All we do is in good fun, no malice at all, so it’s unfortunate people are hating on it.”
The account is filled with street fights both bare-knuckles and boxing gloves. It features the occasional video of a pretty girl inviting you to their next event. It encourages clean and friendly fights.