In a male dominated sport female fighters can often be overlooked. Here are some of public safety’s finest that will not allow that to happen. These women have shown courage, determination, boxing skills and have gone toe to toe and proven themselves to be warriors. Female fighters only know one way to fight and that is give it 100% from start to finish. When women fight on the card you can guarantee they will be in the running for “Fight of the Night” honors. These women have raised the bar and broke new ground for boxing.

One on One with the UCA Cruiserweight Champion Brian Stevens – Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department

It has been said once you become a champion you become a better fighter. Do you feel you are a better fighter physically or mentally now that you are a champion?

Becoming a champion definitely gave me confidence, which I think is very important in boxing. It gave me the validation I needed that I could compete with anyone. There is so much doubt that goes through your head before a fight, it can cause guys to lose a fight in the locker room. I know that I am the champion, and whoever is standing across from me knows it too. There is a reason why I am a champion, because I put in the blood and sweat that it takes to win, because I have a world class trainer, and because I have champion sparring partners. It gives me the validation to keep pushing when I’m tired and hurt, because I know that it works. The belt is proof.

Do you feel that you have to workout & train even harder now that you are the champion and everyone is gunning for you?

Every fight for me is a championship fight. There are no easy fights. I fight the number one contender and they want to know what it feels like to hold the belt. I can not let them want it more than me. Imagining someone training harder than me keeps me up at night. It makes me push, and make sure every day I work harder than whoever that person is.

If you could call anyone out to test your skills against who would it be? 

Guillermo Garcia, LAPD He has been calling me out for a while now, he’s the number one contender, and he’s gonna get what he’s asking for. I think he has a style similar to mine, except he is a southpaw, so I think it will make for an exciting action packed fight. Anytime you have LASD vs. LAPD there is a rivalry, but I also fought his trainer John Negrete, LAPD which I’m sure adds a little extra motivation in his corner.

In all of the divisions is there anyone you would not want to fight due to their style, power, height, speed, etc?

That would have to be the super cruiserweight champ Alan Rojas. He is strong, fast, and has the best trainer.

When will you be back in the ring?

Hopefully soon, I am working on the details with my trainer now.

UCA Championship Boxing returns to the Hanford Civic Auditorium April 9, 2016 for the Central California Battle of the Badges 3. Fighters interested in competing sign up now.

One on One with the UCA Super Heavyweight Champion Chris Lewis – Fresno Sheriff’s Department

It has been said once you become a champion you become a better fighter. Do you feel you are a better fighter physically or mentally now that you are a champion?

I do not believe that being a champion has anything to do with me becoming a better fighter. A belt is just an award that shows as a fighter you have accomplished something in the PAST. The minute my last championship fight was over it was old news because someone else is coming for it and I have to be ready for the next challenge. It is what you do to earn that belt and what you do after you have attained it that proves your metal as a competitor. I will say this though since I have become a champion I take my fights more personal. I put myself in a mindset that my opponent is trying to steal my wallet, I am offended and disgusted that someone would dare to try and strip me of it. It is my belt until I decide to relinquish it. If anything, I would say being a champion gives me more motivation. My trainers Pat Roberts, Jasper Tayaba, and Apolonio “T” Fernandez get all the credit for making me a better fighter physically and mentally. We have a road map of where we as a team are going, I absorb the lessons taught to me by my coaches so I can execute our plan. My trainers have put a lot of time and effort into molding me as a fighter. My coaches have a plethora of expertise when it comes to martial arts I just shut up and listen. Thus far everything they have coached me on has worked considering I have a 5-0 combined record in MMA, Muay Thai, and, Boxing. I feel it is disrespectful to my coaches for me to be lazy and not work hard when I step in the gym. The last thing I want to do is disappoint my coaches with bad performances or them having to pick me up off of the ground because I didn’t follow instructions. Pat makes it very clear that when we show up somewhere we have fun but above all we are there to Win!

Do you feel that you have to workout & train even harder now that you are the champion and everyone is gunning for you?

My parents James and Karen Lewis instilled work ethic in me. They made sure I knew that I had to work for everything I wanted and nothing good comes easy. I train 7 days a week. I usually hit the weights 3 days a week with my Girlfriend, “Swolemate”, and Chef Paula Gonzales. She pushes me in the gym and makes sure I am eating right year round to fuel me for my work schedule, workouts, and fights. My brother Donavon Lewis also hits the weights with me sometimes but he motivates me to work hard because if I lose he is going to let me know about it! I think the biggest reason I work hard is because   I’m not training for the guys gunning for me. I am training for the guys that I am gunning for. I have high aspirations for what I want to accomplish in the ring and cage. I do want to fight professionally and in those levels there are some real killers, I am training to face those guys and see if I can hold my own against them. Luckily for me I am not even the best fighter in my gym which is Buhawe Fighting Alliance. Jasper has a cult following when it comes to training fighters. If he says it you do it! It is that simple. He has trained every high level guy at AKA San Jose and If you go there you will see a huge picture of him on the wall in the main training room. Jasper and Ming Vang push my stablemates and I hard in the gym. I get to spar with Nathan Roberts, Jermaine McDermott, Granson Clark, Brandon “Money” Cash, John “The Icon” Elias, Mike “ El Palo Duro” Moreno, Lavar “Big” Johnson, Andrew Nguyen, Gerardo Serrano, Jesse “The Outlaw” James, Steven Bolinger, Thomas Dozier, Long Vang, Clifford Passmore, Murphy Sean, Marc Julian, Sandy Serrano, Alyssa why, Melisa Reyna, Natasha Galarza, Day Day Davis, and Jane Banks on a weekly basis. Not to mention I go to Thrive Training Center and work with some very talented boxers and coaches there. I go to Dethrone base camp and get work in with those guys some time as well. I have even been to AKA San Jose and sparred with Cain Velasquez. I am blessed with the amount of knowledge passed on to me by my coaches. I am blessed with the quality of fighters I get to spar with in my gym.

If you could call anyone out to test your skills against who would it be?

The UCA fighters I have already “called out” and tried to set up fights with were Bryan Williams, Mike Carnell, and Mike Gomez.  I wanted to have a match with Bryan Williams because he is THE heavyweight boxer in the Central Valley. Every time the subject of the heavyweight boxing scene is brought up, the first thing out of people’s mouths is “Do you know Bryan Williams?” I feel like when heavyweights in California are brought up I should be included in the conversation. I felt Bryan needed to pass the torch and the only way to make that happen was to have a bout with him. That being said Bryan has also helped me prepare for previous fights and has got me good sparring partners, he is an excellent coach. Coach B has also made it very clear that he will help me any way he can so I definitely appreciate that. I honestly can’t say enough about the kind of guy he is. I just thought it would be fun to get in there and mix it up with the UCA Masters Heavyweight Champ. I love and respect Coach B.

I wanted to have a match with Mike Carnell because we went to the same high school. I am a bit younger than him and I am actually pretty close to his twin younger brothers. For a long time there has been an ongoing debate at our barbershop about who would win in a boxing match and neither one of us is going to say another man is better without actually fighting.  Mike can’t fight for the UCA belt because he is not law enforcement even though he has fought in a few public safety events. Instead of an actual fight I visited his gym and got some good sparring with him recently. We got good work in and we both learned from the session. Mike is a great boxer but his passion is actually coaching. He is currently learning the ins and outs of coaching by assisting Coach B with his fighters. Mike has offered to assist me with training and he will spar with me whenever I need to get some rounds in. That goes to show what kind of guy he is. I have known Mike for a long time and thought it would be fun for all the mutual people we know to watch us in match. I appreciate Mike’s help and the coaching points he has given me.

The only real “Call Out” I have on this list is Mike Gomez. I was supposed to fight Mike Gomez for the title last October. A week before the fight I was hearing things from very good sources that he was bragging about sparring Ten 3 minute rounds and he was ready to go. Then 3 days before the fight he backed out because he had high blood pressure (because he was scared). I’m 260 pounds my blood pressure is high sometimes too. Especially considering Mike and I are both Correctional Officers, high blood pressure is part of the job. If it was me in that situation I would have told the Dr. to let me relax for a few minutes and recheck my blood pressure especially if I was able to spar Ten 3 minute rounds a few days prior. I wound up fighting Zeke Johnston after he only had 48 hour notice. Zeke wasn’t training and he definitely was not in a fight camp like Mike Gomez and I were supposed to be. Zeke is a hell of a guy and a hell of a fighter I appreciate him stepping in and he came to fight. The reason Mike Gomez is getting called out is when I watched Zeke and I fight on Zeke’s YouTube channel ZEKEFTBLL at 6:45 Mike called me a name. The video is titled Round 3 Johnston vs. Lewis if anyone is interested. I want him to prove that what he said about me is true. Supposedly, he is a black belt in Tae Bo or something like that. If he ever decides to step in the ring or cage with me I am going to make that belt change colors real quick.

In all of the divisions is there anyone you would not want to fight due to their style, power, height, speed, etc?

Yeah I will not mess with Shant Sheklanian and DJ Vargas alone. Shant is too fast, very technical, and he’s mean. Shant has no qualms about trying to take your head off. DJ’s foot work is ridiculous and he makes guys look stupid. The first time I saw DJ fight I thought I was watching Manny Pacquiao or Yuriorkis Gamboa. As far as the bigger guys in the UCA like the light heavy or heavy weight champ they should come up and can unify all the belts. Id cut down a bit to 245 to make it happen, Even though it’s just boxing and we do wear head gear. The 130 pound guys at my gym spar me all the time as well as the female fighters. Just saying

When will you be back in the ring?

Since the Hanford Battle of the Badges in April I have been busy. I was supposed to fight in June but that opponent has the Mike Gomez syndrome (he no showed). I fought for the 559 Fights MMA promotion in July; I won via first round submission. I am currently entered to fight in the 559 fights/CAMO heavyweight state tournament.  The tournament is 3 rounds, if I win my fight I advance to the next event.  My first fight in the tournament will take place Oct 11th at the Fresno fair. The second fight will be Nov 6th at the Visalia Holiday Inn. The championship fight will be Dec 19th at the Fresno Tower Theater. After December my Coaches Jasper or T will set something up for me. I’ll fight in the Hanford Battle of the Badges in April where I will prove once again that I am the Baddest Law enforcement Officer in the Nation in the square circle! Then maybe a Pro Debut who knows?

Brent Farris – Butte County Probation

UCA Gladiator Award Winner – Battle of the Badges
April 11, 2015 Hanford, CA

One who is greatly admired for bravery and courage.  A fighter that projects strength resolve, and humility. One who is tested and proven they are a true modern day gladiator.

One on One with the UCA Jr Welterweight Champion Shant Sheklanian – Madera Police Department

It has been said once you become a champion you become a better fighter. Do you feel you are a better fighter physically or mentally now that you are a champion?

I believe in my abilities with or without a belt. There is certainly something to be said about the confidence having a title brings to a fighter. I try not to dwell on that however. I only focus on the fight and what needs to be done to win.

Do you feel that you have to workout & train even harder now that you are the champion and everyone is gunning for you?.

No. I don’t have to train any differently. I train extremely hard and always put in 100% in training camp. I do what is necessary. I don’t take short cuts and I take this sport very seriously. Anyone that doesn’t is a fool. You don’t play boxing. I am a confident person and a confident champion. This confidence is not derived from the belt around my waist but by the blood and sweat I leave in the ring during training camp. I train out of the Thrive training center in Fresno with renowned trainers Bryan Williams and Trinidad Valdez. I am very fortunate to have these men in my corner. Being in this gym I have access to top undefeated professional boxers who I look to for guidance in our chosen sport. I am also very thankful to Robert Minerva for all the help he gives me in preparing me for my fights and inspiring me to be my best. Without these men, I would not be the champion of my division. All three have taken me to the top and I know they are willing to make me do whatever is necessary to stay on top.

 If you could call anyone out to test your skills against who would it be?

The person I want to fight in my next fight is the UCA # 1 ranked junior welterweight, Larry Cervantes, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept.

The UCA Super Heavyweight Champion Chris Lewis, Fresno Sheriffs Dept competed in his 2nd mma fight Sunday October 11, 2015 at the Fresno Fair. Lewis squared off with Kenosha Saunders from Joe Stevenson’s Cobra Kai. Lewis made quick work of Saunders forcing him to tap at 1:30 of the first round due to an arm-bar. Lewis brings his record to 6-0, Boxing, MMA and Muay Thai.

One on One with the UCA Welterweight Champion Brent Bugarin – Santa Clara Sheriff’s Department

It has been said once you become a champion you become a better fighter. Do you feel you are a better fighter physically or mentally now that you are a champion?

I believe that when you become a champion you do become a better fighter. In order to become a champion, not only do you have to learn more about the sport itself, but also more about who you are as an athlete– mentally, physical, spiritually. The lessons you learn and the sacrifices you have to endure throughout your road in becoming a champion is far greater than any other journey.

During this road in becoming a champion is where you are continuously learning. This process is what molds you as a fighter because you constantly build your repertoire. You fine tune your strengths, you learn new skills, you change your bad habits, and you improve your weaknesses. It is not always about the prize you get at the end of the road, but the experiences you learn throughout your journey to finally get there.

Do you feel that you have to workout & train even harder now that you are the champion and everyone is gunning for you?

Regardless of what anyone says, YES, you do have to work out and train harder now that you are a champion. Remember who you were BEFORE you became a champion? No one knew you or cared about you.  All you wanted to do was become that next champion, the guy on the poster, the guy who gets to fight the main event. So in order to be that guy, what did you have to do? Remember how that felt? Remember how hard you worked? How great did it feel to be named a champion?

For those champions, now you know how it feels to be a champion, but don’t forget all those other guys you DON’T know about or care about. Those guys are the ones that want to be the next champion, who want to be on the poster, who want to fight the main event– don’t forget that you used to be in their shoes; you were that guy. Just remember and understand that they are going through the same thing you put yourself through during your journey. The pressure is on the champion now not to lose because everyone wants to see the underdog succeed.

If you could call anyone out to test your skills against who would it be? Pro, UCA fighter or UCA champion

In the pros….. Mayweather. Not to test my skills, but to get PAID.

In the UCA, I would like to try out the 140 pound division. I felt more powerful and a lot faster as I began to lose weight during some previous training camps. I think the 140 pound division would be fun and interesting. I fought most of my previous fights between 143-145 pounds anyway, so losing a few more LBs wouldn’t hurt.

In all of the divisions is there anyone you would not want to fight due to their style, power, height, speed, etc?

Master’s Division: UCA Hall of Famer Tom Gaffney. His smile is intimidating and infectious.

The former UCA Light Heavyweight: Matthew Wurdinger, Santa Clara Police Dept. He and I went to the same academy during the same time. During the academy, we had a use of force training day and boxing was implemented in it. The training officers put me up with him knowing how much amateur level boxing skills he already had and at the time, I had none. It was one minute on offense, one minute on defense, and one minute freestyle. Let’s just say, I learned a lot about boxing from Matthew during that experience.

When will you be back in the ring?

To be conitnued……………

There are many different trails and many different paths you can take to get to the top of a mountain. The sport of mixed martial arts is my mountain and I know I will climb this mountain. Every fighter has the same goal of reaching the gold up at the top. But I feel like I go about it different than most. Most fighters these days want to get to the big show by fighting bums and padding their record so that they look good on paper. Most fighters zig zag their way all the way up the mountain avoiding all other TOP LEVEL CONTENDERS. They wanna fight “tomato cans.” Everyone wants to be a champion but they want to win a belt by fighting nobodies and take the “safe route.” What’s the point of being a champion if you really haven’t fought the BEST? If you believe in your own greatness then screw everything else, screw zigzagging, screw taking the easy route. I don’t fear other fighters cause I truly BELIEVE that when I step into the cage I’m GOING TO WIN. If you have to zig zag then you know in your heart that you’re not the best. My mind is my strongest weapon and I have never doubted myself when it comes to fighting so I say screw it, I’m climbing this bitch and I’m gonna throw every contender off the mountain on my way up. – Kyle Stewart

One on One with the UCA Heavyweight Champion Mike Frazier – Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department

It has been said once you become a champion you become a better fighter. Do you feel you are a better fighter physically or mentally now that you are a champion?

Despite not training and fighting for some time now, I still feel I am much better fighter. For several years, I trained with some of the best fighters in law enforcement and have one of the best coaches (Retired Sgt. Mike Young)

Do you feel that you have to workout & train even harder now that you are the champion and everyone is gunning for you?

This is a tough question. As it pertains to training, aside from spending time with my family and my demanding work schedule, I never had the opportunity to train as hard as I would like to. I usually train just enough to get the job done.

If you could call anyone out to test your skills against who would it be?

I would not call any fighters out, but if someone wanted a shot at beating the champ, it would be too hard to turn a fight down. Especially, if the fighter is an up and coming future or former UCA champ or on my department (LASD).

When will you be back in the ring?

That is only a question I could answer after I start training. Right now I am a bit rusty.

Benjamin Dobbs
U.S. Navy
Nickname: “Dobbs City”
Fighting weight: 190 lbs.

Walter Lavarro
Long Beach Police Department
Fighting weight: 140 lbs