INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Peña's Boxing on the southside of Des Moines proudly sent off two boxers, Cesar and Isabel Rivera, to the 2024 National Silver Gloves Tournament on Tuesday.
This brother and sister duo qualified last year too. The founder of the gym, Pepe Peña, has watched the Riveras grow up in his gym.
"It's very cool to have here, because... it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to get there," he said. "You just you just don't get there by just showing up to the gym."
Cesar won the event in 2020 and is hoping to reach those heights again. He and Isabela have been motivators for each other.
"We're kids you know, so we sometimes we just want to be lazy and do nothing and I push her to get up and work out and she pushes me to do the same," Cesar said.
Their blood relationship carries over to the gym.
"He's my older brother, but like, at the same time he's also like my best friend," Isabela said. "When I'm in a low mood, he [pushes] me up."
Cesar and Isabella will fight on Thursday. The event goes through Saturday in Independence, Mo. Live stream information will be available on the club's Facebook page.