Immortalizing a champion

Local artist Stave Harpst has combined his love for boxing and teaching young athletes in his latest piece.

His piece, “Canto and Kids,” will be installed in a memorial ceremony Saturday at Villa Park in Pasadena.

The piece, which is 37 inches by 24 inches, is a bronze memorial wall relief to honor Canto “TNT” Robledo. It will also have three bronze tablets that tell the story of Canto mounted below. One of the bronze sections is in English, one is in Spanish and the third is in Braille.

Canto was a Pacific Coast bantamweight champion until he lost his eyesight at age 20 due to an injury suffered in the ring. Despite being blind, he became a boxing trainer and founded Crown Stables in Pasadena, where he trained both amateur and professional boxers.

The event will be sponsored by Pasadena Mexican American History Assn. and the memorial project is led by Joseph Robledo, Canto’s son.