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Angela Magana has been in the headlines a lot over the last several week’s thanks to her run-in with another fighter at the UFC athlete retreat but now, there is a better reason for her to make the news.
Around a month ago, give or take a week or so, Angela Magana was in Las Vegas attending the UFC athlete retreat with 400 or more of her work colleagues. The promotion brought the entire roster of fighters for the grand opening of a brand new facility which includes the new head office.
Now prior to this gathering of talent, Magana and Cris Cyborg had been in a war of words over social media. The words turned nasty when the two came face-to-face during the retreat. Cyborg punched Magana in the face and all hell broke lose. Police were involved and the case is currently on-going.
Magana has not been in action since July of 2015. So how did she suddenly get back into the frame? Where has she been? What has she been doing? Come with me and I will answer those very questions.
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These two things put together made for a very uncomfortable few months prior to the fight and an even longer period of recovery post fight.
“I was injured before the [Waterson] fight,” Magana told cagepages.com in an exclusive sit down. “I had a broken clavicle and dislocated ribs. I was broken going into that fight and the only reason I agreed to the fight when I was broken was cause I needed to make some money to pay off my Lawyer bills. So I fought injured to wipe off that debt. I thought I would be strong enough on my one side and control things but I couldn’t’ control s**t in that fight.”
The struggle of being pretty badly injured before a big fight was made worse by Magana’s ex who decided to choose that particular point of her life to drag them both into a custody battle. A battle which affected all involved.
The neighbourhood of La Perla is where Magana calls home, living and training. It is a very violent place known for its drug-related crime and gangs, a place that needed something new and fresh to help ease that violence.
A sea front property was given to Magana after an old drug lord was run out of the neighbourhood. A huge location perfect for a gym.
After meetings with government officials and other key figures in and around the area, La Perla Boxing was born. More than just a gym, Magana hopes it will get people off the streets, out of the violent activity and help bring something positive to their lives.
The classes will be free, there will be no costs for anyone. Here in Puerto Rico, nobody pays to learn how to box. If they want to box they can do it for free, in La Perla you don’t pay for lights or water so there will be no overhead costs running the gym. It will be run off donations, donations which keep coming in. People are donating bags, gloves, building equipment. It’s a beautiful thing.”
According to Magana the gym itself is growing at a very healthy rate and is probably about 4-months away from being complete. It will be a place of refuge, learning and teaching. Somewhere for the troubled youth to come and get away from the violence and turmoil that has been so prevalent throughout their childhood.
