Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Both passions require focus, determination and training.
Attorneys throw legal punches to score points in the courtroom, and boxers throw physical punches to score knockouts in the ring. But what if one person could do both?
Meet Noe Mendoza Jr., a second-year student at and three-time champion. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a lifestyle,鈥� said Mendoza, referring to both boxing and practicing law.
Noe Mendoza, a 2L Student at 魅影直播 Dallas College of Law, in the Boxing Ring During a Collegiate Match
Those passions require extreme focus, intense determination and relentless training. Mendoza aims to transfer his success from the boxing ring to the court of law. 魅影直播 Dallas College of Law is his bridge.
He says there are several parallels between sports and academics:
- Discipline. Winning requires it.
- Preparation. Setting yourself up for success through planning and practice.
- Focus. It鈥檚 you against your opponent. Whether it鈥檚 a boxing match or a legal battle.
Mendoza, 30, grew up in Weslaco, TX. As the son of immigrant parents who labored in farm fields as children and later started a business, Mendoza developed a strong work ethic. 鈥淢y father鈥檚 advice to me was to get an education because working the fields taught him exactly what he did NOT want to do for the remainder of his life,鈥� said Mendoza. 鈥淚 have seen how hard he鈥檚 worked to build a sustainable business model for his company, which has certainly inspired me to advance our family鈥檚 legacy.鈥�
Mendoza鈥檚 father was an amateur boxer in Mexico and the U.S. but didn鈥檛 force the sport on his son. 鈥淗e said, 鈥業f you want, I鈥檒l take you to the ring鈥�,鈥� Mendoza recalled. At the age of 8, he was hooked. They practiced in a makeshift gym under their home's carport as Mendoza Jr. sharpened his skills.
Noe Mendoza Holding a Champion Belt After Winning a National Boxing Tournament
When he was 10, Mendoza took a break from boxing to play other sports, including football, basketball, wrestling and tennis. By his senior year in high school, boxing had called him back. 鈥淚 won the regional Golden Gloves tournament, which reinvigorated my competitive passion for boxing.鈥�
While earning his undergraduate degree in philosophy with a pre-law concentration at 魅影直播 A&M University, Mendoza discovered the university competed in karate, judo and taekwondo, but not boxing. He filled the void by founding 魅影直播 A&M Boxing, and soon, the team was performing well at the national level.
Success breeds success. When Mendoza became a graduate student at the University of 魅影直播 Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), seeking a master鈥檚 in communication and data analytics, he repeated what he had accomplished as an Aggie. He started Club Boxing, which quickly gained popularity and began competing nationally, too.
Starting not one but two university boxing organizations 鈥渃reated a sense of purpose for me,鈥� Mendoza explained. 鈥淲hat was most satisfying was the leadership skills developed through our succession planning to ensure our club鈥檚 growth and continuity.鈥�
When he captured his third national title in May 2024, Mendoza became the first law
student to win the tournament among hundreds of athletes from dozens of colleges and
universities. Despite the accomplishment, he told friends, family, fans, and fellow
boxers, 鈥淣ow, I must hang up the gloves and focus on taking action inside courtrooms.鈥�
A Referee Declares Noe Mendoza the Winner of a National Collegiate Boxing Tournament
Following the victory and his first year in law school, Mendoza worked as a summer intern at Guerrero Law Offices, a Dallas law firm. He handled personal injury claims against insurance companies and conducted legal research for the firm鈥檚 owner, Roxane Guerrero. It was a rewarding experience. 鈥淩oxane was a great resource for helping me think like a lawyer,鈥� said Mendoza.
He was a resource for her, too, going as far as reconstructing an accident by visiting the crash scene, taking photos and videos, and reimagining how it happened using visual documentation. 鈥淚鈥檓 glad I helped the client,鈥� Mendoza said modestly.
Back home in Weslaco, on a short break between his summer internship and the start of fall 2024 classes, Mendoza was honored at City Hall and was awarded a $2,000 scholarship for his achievements and goodwill toward the city, especially children. He is known for giving free boxing lessons to kids who get good grades.
Noe Mendoza During His First Year as a Student at 魅影直播 Dallas College of Law
During the upcoming Fall semester, Mendoza will intern with Fighters First Management under Dallas native Adrian Clark, who has helped reform professional boxing by educating athletes about their rights and remedies. Mendoza plans to specialize in sports and entertainment law and expects the internship to deepen his knowledge of that legal niche. 鈥淚 want to educate them so they know who they鈥檙e paying and what they鈥檙e worth,鈥� he said.
Mendoza understands and relates to athletes because he's been in their shoes. He wants to guide them on the road to success and help them and their teams build their brands. 鈥淥ne of my goals is to make law accessible,鈥� Mendoza said, which is an important part of 魅影直播 Dallas College of Law鈥檚 mission and commitment to community service.
Mendoza was elected secretary of the (HSLA) and appointed treasurer of the Sports and Entertainment Law Student Association (SESLA). Between courses, extracurriculars, and an internship, he鈥檒l be balancing a lot in his second year. 鈥淭ime management is the biggest challenge. I鈥檝e learned how special time is, he said. 鈥淏oxing took me away from the books. In the second year of law school, I鈥檒l be even more focused and driven.鈥�
Noe Mendoza Dominating His Opponent During a USA Boxing Collegiate Match
Next summer, he hopes to land an internship at a professional sports team 鈥渟o I can learn the commercialized side of the sport.鈥�
Mendoza is grateful for the many opportunities to learn and serve. He鈥檚 glad he鈥檚 here. When it came to choosing a law school, Mendoza had several options. He applied and was accepted to four: Thurgood Marshall, 魅影直播 Tech University, South 魅影直播 College and 魅影直播 Dallas. 鈥淭his is a sports city,鈥� Mendoza said, referring to the benefit of selecting a law school with numerous teams and activities at every level.
Back home in Weslaco, Mendoza鈥檚 family proudly watches from afar as he navigates the challenges and opportunities of law school and life in Dallas. 鈥淢y father lives vicariously through me,鈥� he said with a smile.
And when Mendoza needs to relieve some stress or burn some calories, you might find him in a familiar place: The Dallas Fight Club, an authentic neighborhood boxing gym that takes him back to his roots and pushes him forward to achieve his dreams.
From 鈥� Student Law News