Four years into his journey as a boxer and nine years removed from the prom date that brought him into the public consciousness, Albert Ochoa is set to take to the ring for his second bout as a pro, and first in the United States, this coming Thursday night at the Hangar at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa, California. Ochoa, having just celebrated his first Father’s Day as one himself, will take on Leon Miles Jr. in a four-round welterweight bout as part of SOCA Fights’ Fight Club OC event, which will be streamed internationally by TrillerTV+.
Ochoa (1-0, 1 KO) of Sacramento, California made his pro debut in February, scoring a first-round stoppage over Miguel Angel Ortiz in San Francisco del Rincón, Guanajuato, Mexico. Ochoa had been slated to meet an American opponent before Ortiz, an unknown commodity, stepped in on short notice to keep his debut bout intact.
“I had one day’s notice [on my new opponent] and I was terrified,” admits Ochoa candidly. “I was scared. The guy I fought had more fights and I didn’t have amateur experience, so I wanted to pull out too, but I had to believe in myself and the work that I put in. With a last minute opponent switch, a lot of fighters would pull out of a fight, because you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into, but I went in there and knocked him out.”
Ochoa, who came to prominence after reality TV star Kendall Jenner agreed to be his junior prom date in 2016, decided to turn professional after a run on the influencer boxing exhibition circuit and without any traditional amateur experience. As one could expect, Ochoa has heard from naysayers along the way, which ultimately made the taste of his first pro victory all the more sweet.
“I got goosebumps and was very emotional,” recalls Ochoa of hearing his name announced victoriously after the win. “So many people have doubted me and people doubt me in this sport still. Being from Sacramento, I have a big target on my back. I knew whether I won or lost, people were going to talk. In the end, I had to do what was best for me and I went in and got the job done. I was very happy and emotional, because this sport isn’t easy.”
Ochoa’s debut came after a brief camp with new trainer Stan Martyniouk, a former international level amateur with nearly 18 years of professional experience, dating back to his own pro debut in 2007. Martyniouk was pleased with what he saw out of his new charge in that first fight together.
“We went into the fight and I had to keep him calm a little bit, so as not to waste a lot of energy,” explains Martyniouk. “He had a little bit of the jitters, so we warmed up and he shook out a little bit. He went into the fight and executed the game plan very well. He got the victory and everything was good.”
Adding to the swirl of emotions Ochoa experienced on the night of his debut, his girlfriend Maricela Cornejo, who fought Cecilia Braekhus to a close decision in an attempt at an interim title last year, was in the home stretch of her pregnancy, as their son Ocean arrived just over a month later.
“When I knocked that guy out, I was extremely happy, because now I could enjoy the time with my baby boy,” recalls Ochoa. “So that’s all I was thinking about, was the after effects. I got this job done and now I can spend some time with them and relax with them and be there for Mari as well.”
Ochoa has managed to juggle his newfound responsibility as a father and as a professional fighter while preparing for his upcoming bout against Miles this Thursday.
“My baby now is three months and we dialed-in [for this upcoming fight] when he was three-weeks-old,” explains Ochoa. “So I’ve been in camp about nine to ten weeks. I’ve been 100 percent focused and motivated. It does suck to be away from him, being at the gym twice a day. We had a media workout in Sacramento and so many people came, but it does suck being away. I know it is going to pay off in the long run and beating this guy in L.A. is going to be great, but the after effect is what I am looking forward to and that is spending time with my son.”
In addition to being away from his newborn son, Ochoa has been training mostly out of the Salas Boxing Academy in his adopted hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada, while Martyniouk remained in the Bay Area. Despite the distance, Martyniouk has continued to be a guiding voice and will be in the Ochoa corner on Thursday night. Thus far, Ochoa has impressed Stan “The Man” with his improvement.
“It has been a bit different, because I have been talking to him about what I’ve seen mostly through videos,” explains Martyniouk. “We discuss what he’s been doing, what he needs to improve and work on. Ever since we started working together, either over the phone or when he comes and sees me, his timing has improved a lot. His power and his ring IQ, have all improved. He looks like a whole different fighter. We worked a lot on speed and while he’s been out there in Vegas, you can tell the difference in speed. He looks like a seasoned fighter now.”
“It’s been a long camp, but I’ve jumped so many levels,” says Ochoa. “My sparring competition has been higher. My IQ is higher and I’ve been boxing amazingly. I am keeping up with these pros coming up as well. So this camp has been my best camp, it really has. From my strength to my IQ, to letting my hands go in combination, I feel I have taken a big leap from the last fight until now.”
Ochoa will meet a familiar face on Thursday, taking on Miles, known on social media as “Suede The Plug.” Miles comes from the influencer boxing circuit as well, which is where he and Ochoa met before. Ochoa boxed his way to a decision win over Miles in an exhibition in December of 2023.
“I am sure he has grown as both a person and a fighter and I am definitely not taking him lightly,” says Ochoa of Miles. “I am training my butt off and doing everything I need to do to come out victorious. He was my toughest challenge. That influencer fight was fun for sure, but now I am going into the pros and it is a different game. Miles wanted to run it back and for [promoter] Roy [Englebrecht] to give me the opportunity, being from Sacramento, it is a blessing to be on that card. [Miles] is from L.A. and he’s a good fighter. We went the distance the last time we fought, but I just have to focus on myself and no matter who they put in front of me, I need to get the job done and that means winning.”
With all the motivation that comes with becoming a father for the first time and pursuing a passion, Ochoa is excited to show that all of his hard work has paid off as he goes for his second pro win on Thursday night in Costa Mesa.
“The event is about sold out already I believe,” says Ochoa. “I am excited and it is going to be fun. I expect fireworks. I am going to put on a great performance and in this fight, I am going to show why I became a boxer. I think it is going to be a good fight, a really fun one and I plan to show out.”
The few remaining tickets for the event, promoted by SOCA Fights, are available online at socafights.com
Photos courtesy Team Ochoa
Mario Ortega Jr. can be reached at ortegajr.mario@gmail.com
