One of boxing’s top prospects makes his 2024 debut as he headlines the 360 Promotions card on Saturday night, streaming live on UFC Fight Pass from the Commerce Casino in Commerce, CA. Undefeated featherweight Omar Trinidad (14-0-1, 11 KOs) will face Jose Perez (11-2-2, 5 KOs) in a ten-round fight for the WBC Continental Americas featherweight title. Although both men are from California, this fight is close to Boyle Heights—the neighborhood in Los Angeles where Trinidad was raised—so it may mean just a little more to him than to his opponent.
When you look up Boyle Heights on the internet, you’ll see headlines like “high violent crime rate and an average property crime rate for Los Angeles,” which gives you an idea of what Trinidad dealt with growing up. “It was a pretty crazy experience, but I love it here,” said Trinidad. “I’ve been here since I was eight, so it was growing up, the streets, the everyday struggle, and going to public school. Other than that, I had a great experience and love the people in my neighborhood.” It wasn’t all bad, though: having both parents and his three other siblings with him in the household made a difference.
Although Trinidad dabbled in boxing as a teen, he wasn’t fully committed to it. After high school, he tried going to college, but that didn’t work out. Having been raised in a neighborhood full of hard working people, the next step was obvious to him: find a job and help his parents with the rent.During this period, he didn’t know what he wanted to do, so he lived a “normal life.”
One day, a thought popped into his mind that he was destined for more, leading him to return to the sweet science. “It took a while to make that commitment. I remember going to my job and knowing I was destined for more,” said Trinidad.
“I mentioned it to my pops and told him I wanted to return to boxing. I also told him I would work part-time, but he told me no and to gather some cash and go full-on. He said he would give me three years to lock in, and if nothing were to happen in a year or two, then I would go back to my 9-5. Luckily, things worked out, and we got signed to 360 Promotions,” Trinidad told FightsATW.
Trinidad turned Pro in 2018 at the age of 22 and never looked back. Last year, he fought four times, his last fight being at the Hulu Theater inside Madison Square Garden in NYC. “I knew I would be fighting at the Madison Square Garden at some point but didn’t know it would be this soon in my career. It was a dream come true and my first time in New York City,” said Trinidad.
As a parting gift from the staff at MSG, they gave Trinidad the customary NY Knicks jersey with his name on it, which caught him off guard. “It was dope. I didn’t expect it. I was laced up and ready to go when they knocked on the door and gave me a Knicks jersey. I was just grateful to be in the Madison Square Garden receiving this great gift.”
Now Trinidad will be headlining on Saturday night against Perez in front of many of his family and friends at the Commerce Casino. Although he mentioned a few distractions here and there, Trinidad assured me he’s been locked in during training camp and is more motivated than ever to put on a good show.
After his fight on Saturday night, Trinidad hopes to leave a lasting impression on those in attendance and his peers in the featherweight division. “Last year, I was under the radar. Hopefully, this fight gets me on the radar of the people and the fighters at 126 (pounds). I want to make a statement that I am here to stay.”
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