An 18-year-old from Menifee who has already had 85 amateur boxing bouts in his young career will make his pro debut April 3.
Gael Antonio Villegas, a 2025 graduate of Paloma Valley High School, will have the biggest fight of his life that night in a multi-card event at Pechanga Casino. The 5-foot-8, 122-pounder will take on Alexander Nakamura of Hawaii, a 5-9 left-hander, in a super bantamweight fight presented by Pacquiao Promotions.
Villegas has been boxing since the age of 5, when he was first trained by his father, Vincent. He attended Menifee schools in his youth and developed his boxing skills at the Riverside County Boxing Club in Canyon Lake. He has also trained at the Legacy Gym in Murrieta and the Robert Garcia Boxing Academy in Moreno Valley.
His amateur boxing career has been very successful. In 85 amateur bouts, he has a 65-20 record.
“At first, safety was the main issue with me,” Gael Villegas said. “But after so many fights, it gets easier.”
Villegas said his strengths are his speed, footwork, and angles. He trains four hours a day, six days a week, to stay in top shape and continue to develop his skills.
Vincent Villegas said he met a boxing “match maker” in Nevada last year and told him about his son. By October, plans were made for a pro debut at Perchanga.
“He’s had fights all over California, New Mexico, Nevada, and Mexico,” said Vincent, who also boxed as an amateur for several years.
It is significant that Gael Vincent is on a card promoted by Manny Pacquiao, a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame. But no matter the circumstances of the promotion, Gael realizes that it always come down to one thing – preparation.
“First, I have to eat right,” he said. “I usually walk around about 135 to 138, so I’ve got to drop down for the fight. All good pros have a solid training routine.”
He wasn’t always so enthusiastic about the sport, however.
“It started when my dad started bringing me into the gym,” Gael recalled. “At first, I didn’t like it. I wanted to be outside playing with my friends. But as I got older, I began to like it. I learned that it takes a lot of discipline.”
When he isn’t training for a big fight, Gael spends his time as a barber. He gives haircuts out of his home. But for the next two weeks, he will be consumed with preparing for the fight of a lifetime.
