Danny Maguire
President and Board Member

In 1984, I first walked into the historic Newman’s Gym located at 312 Leavenworth Street in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district. It was a small functional gym that occupied the atrium of the defunct Cadillac Hotel. Established in 1921, Newman’s Boxing Gym had been home to a host of champions and contenders from its inception.

At fourteen years old, I began to hone my athleticism as a boxer under the tutelage of Johnny “Carnation” Vidal, a local boxing icon of five decades. He would train me throughout my teenage years, teaching me not only boxing but also life skills and discipline. Assisting Johnny was Amedeo “Al” Citrino, “The North Beach Kid” of the City’s North Beach neighborhood, a renowned fighter in the thirties and forties.

I boxed in exhibition “smokers” in parks, gyms and restaurants, and in 1986, at sixteen years of age, I entered the San Francisco Golden Gloves as a novice fighter. I won this tournament as a 178-pound, light heavyweight — and I would continue to play football, rugby and soccer as a teen, but boxing was my desire.

As I advanced my skills and training throughout the years, I eventually qualified to represent the California Region in the United States championships at Colorado Springs, CO, in the Golden Gloves regional, state and national tournaments and the Nevada PAL tournament. Through success and failure, I battled on — and after coming up short in the Golden Gloves state final of 1991 (to the soon-to-be Gold Medalist and world champion Montel Griffin), I decided to turn pro. At the age of twenty-one, maintaining as a light heavyweight, I made my professional debut on a world championship undercard.

I would go on to fight six more professional bouts, including two nationally televised events — one on ESPN and another on USA Tuesday Night Fights, a preliminary fighter’s dream. The fans of the sport gave me the nickname Danny “D’animal” Maguire for my exciting, fast-paced, brawling style. Al Citrino remained in my corner throughout my pro career, and I was guided by Andy Nance of Marin County for the duration of my endeavors in the ring.

Although it was short-lived, my entire journey as a boxer, from Newman’s Gym of San Francisco to King’s Gym of Oakland to boxing on the nationally televised stage, will forever endure. For these reasons I have committed myself to the preservation and promotion of this great sport — the sweet science. As current president of the NCVBA, from the fans to the former boxers, all the way to the men and women who turn on the arena lights, I salute and thank you for your support!!

Andy Nance
Vice President and Board Member

Retired Boxer who had a professional record of 24 wins, 1 loss,  2 draws record with 14 wins by KO. As an amateur he was a 4 times Golden Gloves Champion with an amateur record of 118 wins 17 losses. He’s now VP of the NCVBA.

Mike Lahey
Secretary/Treasurer and Board Member

Resides in San Francisco. Graduated from Saint Mary’s College.  Currently a strength conditioning/fitness coach. Extremely passionate to help fund and support boxing gyms that provide talented young men and woman an opportunity to work out and get better! Married to Patti with two children, Lauren and Michael.

Dennis Lawlor
Sargeant at Arms and Board Member

I was a 9-year professional boxer and fought and sparred in 6 countries. Fought at Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas in 1996. Trained youth boxers since 1997. First assistant at Jewish Community Center. Then at “Fire in the Ring” Boxing Gym in San Francisco since 2007. Nearly 30 years of coaching youth boxing.

Trudy Fisher
Board Member

Trudy Fisher is a professional photographer who watched her first boxing match twenty years ago through the lens of a Canon F1. The intricate choreography of the sport drew her in, but it was the fight crowd itself that she fell in love with. She is the first woman ever appointed to the executive board of NCVBA.

Chris Morales
Board Member

Former amateur and collegiate boxer and now is a USA boxing official and professional boxing manager. He was born and raised in San Francisco and attended St. Ignatius high school and U.C. Berkeley. He is an attorney practicing criminal defense and personal injury. Chris lives in the Haight Ashbury with his son Lorenzo who is a college student.

Tony Galofre (AKA, “The Colombian Kid”)
Board Member

Former amateur boxer who got his start at Napa’s “Newsboy” Joe Gavras Boxing Gym.

Former US Navy Military Personnel/Videographer/World Traveler/Boxing and Film Aficionado.

Mark Cianci
Board Member

Born and Raised in San Francisco, California. Graduated from John O'Connell Technical High School. Trainer at Boxing gyms - Boys Club Amateur level.

An avid Harley Davidson Motorcycle rider. Nephew of the great San Francisco Boxer Trainer, Frank Maldonado.

Joe “Spider” Burke
Board Member

“Spider” Joe Burke started boxing at the Olympic Club in 1951 at the age of 19 and has had a toe in the boxing world ever since. In addition to his own amateur career, he has trained fighters for over 50 years notably at Newman’s Gym and then at King’s Gym in Oakland. Spider has been a promoter, sparring partner and mentor to countless greats around the Bay Area and his love of boxing knows no end. At NCVBA, Spider was Secretary Treasurer from 1995 to 2025.