Warzone Boxing Club hands ownership to Al Franco’s sons

Warzone Boxing Club is shifting ownership from founder Coach Al Franco to sons Michael and Daniel Franco, with the change announced June 25, 2026, in Upland, California. The move keeps day-to-day leadership at the Rialto and Upland gyms in family hands while Al Franco focuses on separate coaching work in Orange County.

Why it matters: - Warzone Boxing Club is keeping its leadership in the Franco family after nearly three decades of building one of the Inland Empire’s best-known boxing programs. - The transition is meant to preserve the gym’s coaching standards and member continuity while moving daily control to the next generation. - Coach Al Franco will keep training fighters through his separate Coach Al Franco Boxing business in Orange County.

What happened: - Warzone Boxing Club announced on June 25, 2026, that founder Coach Al Franco is stepping back from daily operations. - Michael “Coach Mike” Franco will continue leading the Rialto location. - Daniel “Twitch” Franco will continue leading the Upland location. - Coach Al Franco will no longer handle day-to-day management, staffing, membership decisions or business administration at Warzone. - Coach Al Franco will serve only as an advisor to his sons.

The details: - Warzone Boxing Club was founded in 1997 and has grown into a major boxing program in the Inland Empire. - The gym has trained beginners, youth athletes, adults, amateurs, professionals, law enforcement and veterans. - The program has produced multiple national, international and world amateur champions, along with professional titleholders. - Michael and Daniel Franco both grew up in the Warzone system and competed as amateur and professional fighters. - Michael Franco captured a version of the WBC title as a professional. - Daniel Franco won an IBF/USBA title during his career. - Both sons have also coached fighters, youth athletes, adults and private clients for years. - Warzone locations in Upland and Rialto will continue offering structured training for youth, adults, beginners, amateur boxers and professional fighters. - Current members will see full continuity under the new structure.

Between the lines: - The change formalizes a succession plan that had already been building inside the gym for years. - Keeping one son at each location suggests Warzone wants to protect the gym’s identity while scaling leadership across both sites. - Coach Al Franco’s separate coaching work keeps his influence in the sport without overlapping with the gym’s business decisions. - He is also working with Daniel “Chucky” Barrera, who has a 99–3 amateur record, was a four-time medalist and held the No. 1 U.S. amateur ranking for five straight years. - Coach Al Franco is developing Sergio Romero, who won the 2025 National PAL Championship in the open division and back-to-back Junior Olympic open titles in 2025 and 2026.

What’s next: - Michael Franco and Daniel Franco will run the Rialto and Upland gyms as Warzone enters its next chapter. - Coach Al Franco will stay available in an advisory role when needed. - Warzone says its mission remains focused on real boxing, experienced coaching and long-term athlete development.

The bottom line: - Warzone Boxing Club is changing ownership, but not its family leadership or training philosophy.