CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Carlos Cruz Torres is celebrating a return to the ring and a big win in a professional match in San Antonio over the weekend.
He goes by the nickname "the Gladiator," but success almost didn't happen for the young man after a near death experience put his boxing career on hold.
It was an emotional and proud moment Torres had been fighting for.
The 25-year-old boxer earned a victory in a pro match by unanimous decision over the weekend.
It's something he's still soaking in today.
"I got in there and, you know, I almost held back tears before the fight. Like, man, 'God, I'm really here. Thank you,' " Torres said.
Overwhelming gratitude because just last year he didn't know if he would ever be able to step into the ring again after he suffered an unexpected hit to his health.
"In 2023, training, not feeling my best, I knew something was wrong," Torres said.
It was a medical emergency that he said almost cost him his life.
"I thought a spleen got ruptured," Torres said.
It ended up being a condition that flipped his life upside down, taking him out of the ring.
"Since then it's been a struggle with my health and with a lot of, you know, life happens, you got a lot of personal things going on. I fell into depression," he said.
But Torres was determined to get back to the sport he loved so much.
He turned to boxing coach Jordan Pinney at Elite Training in Ingleside.
"Jordan told me, 'Hey man, I'm willing to help you. You have to be consistent. You have to show me how, how hard you want it. And I know you're a hard worker, I've seen you before, I know what you could bring, so just stay consistent,' " said Torres.
Battling through all the odds, one punch at a time.
"Very proud, not just from the fight but his work ethic daily, his discipline, his structure, he comes in and trains early," Pinney said. "He gets here before class starts. His discipline and his diet when he's out from the gym, his performance; the win was already accomplished before we stepped into the ring."
Torres walked out before his fight dressed as one of his favorites, "the Undertaker," a reference to everything he's been through.
"They call the Undertaker the dead man," he said. "They always say, 'Oh he's back from the dead.' Well, we thought I was a dead man at one point and I returned, I'm back from the dead. The dead man is here."
Torres said he is grateful for the support from his family and entire boxing team that led him to his remarkable win.
"Because without them, I, I wouldn't be where I am today and I'm just very grateful, you know," he said. "I hope that people can see this story and no matter where they are in life, they can realize that man, you know, it's never too late as long as you believe in God and you work steadily towards your goal."
Torres is now focused on his next opportunity to fight, which could be as soon as next month.