Why Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. rocks a mustache

Update: Tulare's Richard Torrez Jr. improved his professional boxing record to 5-0 after beating James Bryant by knockout on Feb. 3 at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. The heavyweight southpaw won the match in 3 minutes and landed the fifth knockout of his pro career.

Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. has received raved reviews for his mustache, especially from fans on social media.

What’s the story behind the boxer’s facial hair?

It’s a tribute to a family friend, Michael Saroyan, who was known for his mustache at Torrez’s home gym – the Tulare Athletic Boxing Club in Tulare.

Saroyan died on June 27, 2022. He was 70.

Saroyan spent time at the Torrez family facility, helping tidy up the place after members finished training or working out. He even cleaned the bathrooms and swept the floors.

Saroyan’s obituary even mentioned his contributions to the club, “In recent years, Mike was involved with the Tulare Athletic Boxing Club and loved being around the young athletes there. Mike always had a heart for the kids and young people around him and had a special rapport with them.”

That type of dedication inspired Torrez, so to keep Saroyan’s memory alive, the Mission Oak High School grad grew out his mustache similar to his late friend, who also went by the nickname “Macho Mike.”

“It just kind of felt right,” Torrez said, honoring Saroyan. “It kind of felt like it was something I could do. I liked the mustache, but another thing, too, was because he was a cool dude. He didn’t ask for handouts or anything like that. All he wanted to do was to be a part of the journey, and now he kind of gets to be along for it.”

Torrez debuted the mustache, which he calls the “Macho Mike ‘stache,” in his second professional fight against Robert Zavala Jr. in July 2022. He landed a knockout just 58 seconds into that bout.

After that match, Saroyan’s wife called Torrez to let him know it was OK to shave the mustache, but Torrez liked it so much that he kept it.

Torrez (4-0) and his mustache will return to the ring on Friday night when he collides with 37-year-old James Bryant (6-2) at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. The six-round heavyweight unique feature, which Top Rank Boxing is promoting, will be televised live on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+. Coverage starts at 7 p.m.

On a four-match winning streak, Torrez, 23, rolls into his fifth career pro fight. All four of his victories have come via knockout.

In his latest bout in October, he defeated Ahmed Hefny by knockout in the third round at Madison Square Garden.

“It’s nice, you know, it lets you know that the training camp is going to plan,” Torrez said. “It lets you know that we’re on the right track. All this hard work and sacrifices aren’t for nothing.”

Bryant is known for his power as well. Four of his six pro wins came in knockout fashion.

“I know how he how fights,” Torrez said. “I know that he has an aggressive style. It’ll be an exciting fight to watch. Ultimately, I know that the fight will come down to how I perform, so I’m putting a lot of emphasis on fixing my flaws and trying to perfect my abilities.”

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Why Olympic silver medalist Richard Torrez Jr. rocks a mustache