Boxing in North Carolina is overshadowed by powerhouse sports such as football and basketball. However, the Tar Heel State has produced some notable boxers. Hall of Famers Floyd Patterson and Sugar Ray Leonard were born in North Carolina. Former heavyweight champion James “Bone Crusher” Smith, former heavyweight challenger Calvin Brock, and most recently Olympian Naomi Graham are all native North Carolinian pugilists.
Unbeknownst to most boxing fans, North Carolina does have a pool of talented young fighters. The Ayala brothers, lightweight prospect Christian, 24, and featherweight prospect Brandan, 19, are two gifted fighters with aspirations of becoming future world champions. Having recently turned professional, FightsATW chatted with the Ayala brothers about their transition to professional boxing and Christian’s upcoming match on May 17.
The Come Up
Although not native to North Carolina, the boxing brothers are well-known and respected within the North Carolina boxing circuit. “I was born in Philadelphia and raised most of my life in Springfield, MA. So, I could claim that I’m from there, but I moved down to North Carolina at the end of 2018, and I started boxing again,” said Christian Ayala, the older of the two brothers.
Trained by their father, Christian started boxing when he was 16, and Brandan started boxing when he was 9. Christian dabbled in other sports, but the discipline and brotherhood the boxers formed at the gym gravitated him to dedicate his attention solely to boxing. And for Brandon, watching his older brother train lit the spark in his 9-year-old heart to don a pair of boxing gloves.
“I actually saw him (Christian) doing it. I thought it was fun and exciting. At first, I didn’t really plan to start boxing in the amateurs. I just wanted to learn self-defense. But it looked fun, as did all the drills the boxers worked on. I just got pulled in there, and it was worth it. I don’t regret anything,” said Brandan, recounting how he had started boxing.
As amateurs, the brothers have a combined total of over 120 fights and have competed on the national level. While the brothers had respectable amateur careers, their styles were mainly suited for the pros and didn’t allow their amateur careers to mature to that of their contemporaries.
“It was hit or miss. I won one and lost the next one. I was figuring out my style, and it would’ve been cool if I had gone to the Olympics and done all those things, but at the end of the day, I knew that the goal was to go pro. So, I adapted to the professional style,” explained Christian.
Their amateur accolades do not indicate the kind of training and talent they possess. The Ayala brothers have trained with and fought against some very talented opponents. They have fought in Calvin Ford’s famous “Put up or Shut up Tournament.” In 2021, Brandan fought a very skilled match against Puerto Rico’s Bryan Santos in Christy Martin’s tournament, which was considered the best match of the day.
The Obstacles That Come With Turning Pro
It’s been a little over thirteen months since the Ayala brothers turned professional. During that time, Brandan fought twice and currently has a professional record of 2-0, 1 KO, and Christian’s is 1-0. In addition, the boys and their father, Juan, opened their own boxing gym, Adversity Boxing.
According to the brothers, transitioning to the professional ranks was fairly easy since they had been training and fighting that way through their amateur stint.
Christian is 5 feet 11 inches tall, which is exceptionally tall for a lightweight. So, it is no surprise that he is more comfortable fighting from the outside and controlling the distance between him and his opponent. However, Christian describes himself as an adaptable fighter who can adjust to whatever his opponent does.
Brandan also describes himself as an adaptable fighter who can adjust to aggressive and traditional boxers. “If I need to go lefty, I’ll go lefty because my father has been teaching us both ways. But my main style is orthodox, even though I am a lefty. So, my strong hand is my jab, like Oscar De La Hoya,” said Brandon, describing his boxing style.
For the Ayala brothers, the goal over the next few years is to continue racking up wins and elevating their rankings. However, that goal has already faced some obstacles. On the night the brothers were scheduled to make their professional debuts, none of their opponents made the contracted weight. Opponents not making weight or even not showing up to the fight has been the case on a few occasions, resulting in the Ayala brothers having only three fights between them in thirteen months.
In an event hosted by Carolina Gloves Promotions, Christian Ayala is scheduled to make his second professional outing on May 17 at the Concord Event Center in Concord, NC. He will fight Tino Singletary of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
“What’s expected is for me to finish that fighter off, not go into the fourth round and take him out maybe in the first and second round, and that’s what I plan to do,” said Christian about what fans should expect on May 17.
Brandan isn’t scheduled to fight on that card, but he hopes to return to the ring at least two more times this year.
As we ended the interview, Christian sent a message to anyone who may be attending or watching his fight on May 17. “Pop up, show out, and live stream; my Instagram is ChristianCLA777, and come show support and love if you love boxing. I have a Puerto Rican and Dominican background, so for those who are big on ethnic backgrounds, support your fellow. Let’s make it out! I’m doing my part, and hopefully, people will come to show love and support.”
Brandan’s message is, “It took me a while to learn discipline over motivation. Once I figured it out, it set me up for my whole career. Stay on point, follow your path, and be on your game, and you should be able to get what you desire.”
My Take
The Ayala brothers are talented fighters poised for successful professional careers. Christian is a tall and lanky fighter who can combine all the boxing tools to be a problem for most opponents. Brandan is highly skilled and should be a standout as he develops. However, for Christian and Brandan to rise to their talent level, they must start fighting and visiting gyms outside of North Carolina.
In gyms across Atlanta, Maryland, Philadelphia, and Florida, the talent level is high and should bring the best out of them during their development. The brothers are motivated by their fathers’ training and their Christian faith. Boxing is a family affair for the Ayalas; it’s the nucleus that holds everything else together. The Ayala brothers should achieve their boxing dreams with that kind of focus and support.
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