Kanye Gee and Tim Longoria are now professional boxers under contracts with legendary boxer Termite Watkins.
Gee, 17, of Bay City, and Longoria, 24, of Palacios, signed professional contracts at an event Thursday, Jan. 6, that drew about 40 people at the Bay City Civic Center.
Watkins was at the Bay City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture event along with family, friends, County Judge Nate McDonald and Bay City ISD officials.
Longoria who is trained by his uncle, Lupe Longoria, at Soldiers of Christ
Boxing Club in Palacios.
He has been ranked in the top 10 of U.S. amateur fighters for seven years.
Gee has won seven Golden Gloves titles and trains with Mike Zavala and his father, Stevie Gee, the Bay City Christian Boxing Club.
Watkins, 65, had a professional boxing career of 61 wins in 68 fights, including 42 by knockout.
He battled Saoul Mamby for the WBC junior welterweight championship and lost a 15-round bout in Las Vegas in 1980 on a card with Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes.
Watkins said he promotes boxers in a partnership with Jeff Barnett, who owns Texas Flange.
“We’re taking a stand of these fellows,” Watkins remarked at last Thursday’s event.
“These two have the potential to be world champions,” Watkins said.
Gee and Longoria will have their first professional fights Thursday, Jan. 13, at Pasadena Convention Center, as part of the “Keep Your Guard Up” card.
Gee will fight at 130 pounds and Longoria at 115 pounds.
Watkins describes Gee as a boxer with speed and finesse, while the promoter said Longoria has speed and power.
“Jeff and I will open up doors for them,” Watkins remarked.
He said the fighters will need to fight six to eight fights a year to build their resumes.
Gee is a junior at Bay City High School, while Longoria works at Formosa Plastics.
Watkins found out about the fighter from Longoria’s trainer uncle.
“We want people to people to hear these names all of the time,” McDonald said at last week’s gathering.
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