Las Vegan Augie Sanchez will be a boxing coach at Rio Olympics

A photographer walked into Barry’s Boxing Center looking for Augie Sanchez. The local newspaper needed portraits of Sanchez before he took off to Rio de Janeiro to coach the U.S. Olympic boxing team.

It was Sanchez’s moment in the spotlight for all the years he put in as a trainer. But Sanchez didn’t want to be the center of attention.

He insisted that his father-in-law, Pat Barry, be included in the pictures. The photographer approved.

Barry got on the right side of the punching bag, and the spotlight finally felt right for Sanchez as the photographer snapped away.

“He’s the reason why I’m in this position,” Sanchez said.

Barry, who has been helping youth boxers in Las Vegas for the past 35 years, was the one who encouraged Sanchez to turn to coaching after he stepped away from the ring in 2001.

“I kind of had a feeling I was going to coach after I retired,” Sanchez said. “It was his inspiration that made me pursue it. I sat back and watched his expertise for years. I used the techniques that he taught me and passed it on to the young kids.”

Sanchez was a promising featherweight known as “Kid Vegas.” He came up short on his Olympic bid in 1996, and his professional career didn’t pan out the way he wanted.

Now on the other side of the ropes, Sanchez is living his dream while helping the next generation of American boxers.

Sanchez, 38, was named an assistant coach for the U.S. men’s and women’s national team last month. Sanchez will join women’s head coach Billy Walsh and men’s associate coach Kay Koroma.

It was a long and at times awkward process before Sanchez finally got the nod. Sanchez and Barry were vying for the same position.

“Boxing has been a big part of Augie’s life,” Barry said. “He had such a fabulous career as a boxer, and to be able to transfer his knowledge, his skill level to the up-and-coming athletes in our country, I think they’re the fortunate ones, and Augie is very glad to be doing it.”

Sanchez met the Barry family when he was 9 at local competitions. Sanchez was fighting out of Golden Gloves Gym and often faced opponents from Barry’s gym. That’s when Sanchez first met Barry’s daughter and future wife, Dawn.

“I still got the video of when I was 9 and she was 7 at the Showboat (casino),” Sanchez said. “She was the ring card girl. We used to always talk and flirt. We got older and finally got serious. The Barry family is very important to me.”

Pat Barry and his wife, Dawn, welcomed Sanchez into their gym toward the end of his boxing career.

Sanchez watched Barry teach boxers how to expand their arsenals by fighting from the right and left side. Sanchez took what he learned from Barry and incorporated heavy speed drills into his philosophy.

“What I work on is versatility, not to be one-dimensional,” Sanchez said. “I never try to change a fighter. I enhance what they already know. That’s how I gained their trust. They know I’m here to help.”

There’s pressure on Sanchez to have a successful Olympics. The U.S. squad has struggled in the past few Summer Games, while nations in Europe have excelled.

The U.S qualified 10 fighters on the men’s side and two for the women’s competition. The Americans are led by Shakur Stevenson, the explosive bantamweight contender.

“USA hasn’t been the top country in a few Olympics, and there’s definitely a lot of pressure,” Sanchez said. “The best thing we could do is motivate these boxers and make sure they’re ready.

“I think we’ll have a big showing at the Olympics.”

Sanchez commands respect with his boxing knowledge, but having a win over Floyd Mayweather Jr. on the resume also helps. Sanchez is credited as the last man to beat Mayweather, winning an Olympic qualifier at the featherweight level in 1996. But it was a best-of-3 series then, and Mayweather won the next two matchups to get the Olympic bid.

Sanchez has had the support of his three children — Cecelia, Lily and Hunter — while he’s traveled the world for boxing competitions.

“It’s been tough to be away from them,” Sanchez said. “They’re funny. They prayed every night for daddy to be on the Olympic team and for me to be safe.”

Barry won’t be able to attend the Olympics because of his duties at the gym.

“I still have to be here to help the kids,” he said. “I’ll be supporting from home.”

Sanchez wouldn’t have it any other way.

Contact Gilbert Manzano at gmanzano@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0492. Follow him on Twitter: @gmanzano24