AYALA ARREST JEOPARDIZES CAREER
San Antonio, Texas (INSIDE BOXING) The attempted comeback of 37 years old Tony Ayala, Jr. has apparently come to an end. Early Tuesday morning Ayala allegedly broke into a home where an 18 years old female acquaintance was staying and was shot in the left shoulder.
Nancy Gomez, a high school senior who was a regular workout partner of Ayala’s at a local gym and even occasionally had dinner with him, said she shot Ayala after he made a threatening move towards her.
Gomez was staying at the home with another woman and two children when Ayala entered the home through an unlocked back door at about 3:45 a.m., according to police. Gomez, armed with a handgun, confronted Ayala and after a brief conversation she asked Ayala to leave. He then made a move to take the gun away from her and she shot him.
Ayala was released from the hospital later that morning. He was then arrested and charged with burglary and attempted assault. He was released after posting a $100,000 bond on Tuesday evening from the Bexar County Jail in San Antonio.
John Hogan, the owner of the home who was not present when the assault occurred, said that Ayala had been at the house several months earlier when he had given Ms. Gomez a ride home from the gym after a workout. The other woman living at the residence is Hogan’s girlfriend who has two small children.
Deputy Chief Richard Gleinser said that Gomez will probably not be charged. "We feel she was right and justified in what she did", he said.
Known as "El Torito" or Little Bull, Ayala was a hometown favorite in his native San Antonio. He was the top junior middleweight contender at the age of 19. Compared with the likes of Marvin Hagler and Roberto Duran, Ayala had compiled a record of 22-0 with 19 KO’s before trouble changed his destiny.
On January 1, 1983, Ayala was drinking heavily and high on drugs. He broke into the apartment of a neighbor who he tied up and repeatedly raped
Previous armed robbery convictions sealed his fate and Ayala was sent to prison for 35 years.
Ayala was said to be a model prisoner who worked out regularly. He stayed in shape hoping to, one day resume his once successful boxing career. After serving 16 years of his original sentence, Ayala was released from New Jersey’s Raughway Prison in April, 1999.
Returning to San Antonio, Ayala slowly worked himself back into fighting shape. After 5 relatively easy fights he accepted a challenge from Yory Boy Campas this past July. A broken hand suffered in the second round allowed Campas to hand Ayala his first professional defeat.
Plans were in the making for him to fight again in November but they fell through when a competetive opponent could not be found.