Victory Boxing Club Staff
Servando Perales
Reverend Servando Perales:
By definition means, “To Serveâ€.
Servando Perales was born in 1971 in McAllen, TX. but grew up in South Omaha, NE. He was born to Francisca & Crecencio Perales . He has 3 brothers and 3 sisters. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Michelle Perales. He and his wife have been married for sixteen years. He is also the proud father of four boys and one precious daughter.
Servando began his boxing career at age nine to escape a tough and broken family life. During this time in his life he was following the footsteps and influence of an older brother, Juan Perales, into the boxing ring. The sport of boxing was a great relief from his worrisome life and he was good enough to win several youth boxing championships, including a National Silver Gloves Award. At age 16 he won his first Golden Gloves Title then again at the age of 18 but he began following a different path than boxing, one which led to a path of crime, drugs, and loneliness. It was these actions which finally landed him into a federal prison.
After spending 18 months in prison he was released, but not like so many others who return to crime, but as a new man. in 1996 he began to retrain for a professional boxing career. He decided to turn professional. In 1997, he was given his first professional fight. He trained and fought and moved to Vegas to try and achieve world championship status but it was too little too late so after falling short he began to hear the voice of God: Servando it’s not about you, he began to feel like God had a different and stronger calling on his life. He stated;. it’s about saving kids from the same streets you once terrorized I have a bigger fight for you.
Servando claims to have two heroes in his life; his mother and his wife. In his toughest times, each stood by him faithfully. He said,by the the grace of God my mother was able to raise seven children by herself and He also allowed us to pick up the pieces when our father abandoned us.†His second hero is his wife, Michelle who also remained faithful and loyal to him during his height of being a gang leader and addicted to methamphetamine. It is because of her loyalty and strong faith in him, Servando claims, his childhood sweetheart is also his best friend.â€
The now Reverend Servando Perales is on a new mission with the Victory Boxing Club and Community Center which began in 2005 from the garage of his home. Through the gift of boxing this small non profit organization was born out of faith, determination, and community support. The Board of Directors and community supporters, believe in this program and want to see it’s legacy continue.
To achieve this, two of their primary goals are to eliminate the expense of the building and to continue to pour Christian values into the kids in the community. Victory Boxing club is more than a boxing club; it is also a community center where they host a Leadership Academy, provide computer classes, a teen and game center, and soon cooking classes.
The Victory Boxing Club serves 45-50 kids each night. Since 2007, Victory Boxing is located at their newest location at 3009 R St, Omaha, NE 68107.
Omaha is being changed, one kid at a time. Servando states, we must get to the streets where the kids are to make a difference in their lives. We have to roll up our sleeves and come right alongside if plan to improve the lives of the kids in our community. His organization provides safety, strength, and hope for the at risk youth in this community.
Servando says, “I want to give the kids in my community a second chance. The same chance God and my community gave to me. I want ALL my kids to succeed not just in the boxing ring, but the Ring of Life.â€
Philippians 4:13.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.