People of Pantex: Andy Sotelo
For Pantex expediter Andy Sotelo, boxing saved his life. He knew while growing up in the small town of Fairview, Montana, that there were more ways to find trouble than not, but boxing gave him purpose and drive.
“Coach said ‘come and practice,’ so we did, and it kept us off the streets,” Sotelo said. “Also, my uncles used to box so I kind of wanted to follow their footsteps.”
Sotelo boxed competitively for 13 years starting in middle school before moving on to amateur level fighting as a 165-pound middleweight. Over his career he boxed in 130 matches, winning 100 of them.
Sotelo’s lucky number must be five as he is a five-time Golden Gloves champion, five-time state champion, and five-time regional champion. He went to nationals five times, placing as high as third in the nation.
“I've been knocked down a couple of times, but never knocked out,” he said. “And I still got my teeth.”
For Sotelo, boxing wasn’t just a fun sport he was good at; he loved the opportunities it gave him to travel and see more of the country. He once fought at the Olympic Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and in Canada four different times. He fought among those who would later make big names for themselves such as Floyd Mayweather Jr., Antonio Tarver, Jermain Taylor, and Jeff Lacey.
One of the biggest matches Sotelo fought was against Canada’s national champion in 1998 and was broadcast on national TV. A fight that he won.
“I sometimes regret not going pro,” he said. “But I know I’m where I’m supposed to be.”
As an expediter, Sotelo has handled material moves with a forklift for seven years after starting his Pantex career as a custodian. Before that, he ran his own cleaning business for the 13 years.
“It's very important we bring material down to the south end, or to the north end,” he said. “It's a pretty good job to have and working on your skills is huge.”
Like boxing, Sotelo says his job requires practice, focus, and having the right mindset to be prepared for anything, because every fight is different.
“In boxing, working on your skills is everything and that translates to my job,” he said.
Sotelo continues to be involved in boxing as exercise. He’s still got the speed and heart, but gets tired more quickly than he used to. He also continues his involvement as a mentor to younger hopefuls. He feels honored to show them the basics.
Both his son and daughter got into boxing for a while and his daughter was especially impressive. He’d like to get even more involved in working with young boxers to share some of the life advice that has helped him in his life.
“From inside the ring to outside of the ring, be confident, be positive,” Sotelo said. “Sometimes life is a struggle, you know, it’s just how you roll with the punches. Just make the best of it.”
Watch this video to watch Andy Sotelo, amateur boxer and proud Pantexan, in action.