Leija calls late cousin ‘protector’
During his 17-year pro career, “Jesse” James Leija fought some of the biggest names boxing had to offer, from Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley to Kostya Tszyu, Gabe Ruelas and Arturo Gatti.
He fought the great Azumah Nelson four times, defeating him in 1994 to become world champion.
Before every fight, at Madison Square Garden, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the Alamodome or a hotel ballroom in Houston, Johnny Leija quietly led his cousin’s team in prayer.
It was typical Johnny Leija — in the middle of it all without being the center of attention.
Selfless and humble, yet worldly and wise, the San Antonio native was the kind of unsung, behind-the-scenes-guy every fighter needs in his corner.
“Just his presence alone brought a sense of peacefulness and calm, a reassurance that everything was going to be OK,” James Leija recalled. “He was like a protector, a big brother to me.”
Johnny Leija died Aug. 9 at a hospital in Corpus Christi of pneumonia related to COVID-19. He was 59.
The owner of a successful San Antonio-based plumbing company, Lejia was in Corpus on business. He had been diagnosed with bronchitis, his daughter said, which prevented him from receiving the coronavirus vaccine.
He spent two weeks in the hospital, the last few days on a ventilator. Jamie Leija said her father devoted as much time as he could from his hospital bed, calling relatives, urging them to get the vaccine.
“It wasn’t a political issue with him,” Jamie Leija, 36, said. “He fully intended to get the vaccine. His health just wouldn’t allow it.”
In addition to his daughter, Johnny Leija is survived by a son, Johnny Jr., 35, and wife of 39 years, Sandie, his high school sweetheart.
News of Johnny Leija’s death was met with shock within the San Antonio boxing community.
A friend to everyone, Johnny Leija remained active in the sport even after his cousin retired in 2005. He helped train
and manage local fighters and developed into one of the area’s top cutmen. He learned his craft from the late Joe Souza, “Jesse” James Leija’s cutman, and Joe Villanueva.
He worked cuts for one of Houston trainer Ronnie Shields’ fighters on the televised Jermell Charlo-brian Castano card July 17 at the AT&T Center.
“I called him and said, ‘I need you,’ ” Shields recalled. “He said, ‘Sure. Just tell me when and where and I’ll be there.’ I can’t believe he’s gone. It’s so hard to believe. He seemed fine.”
James Leija said Johnny had just visited his gym on the North Side and told him he was going to Corpus Christi for a few days.
“That was the last time I saw him,” James Leija, 55, recalled. “We were talking and laughing. If you didn’t like Johnny Leija, something was wrong with you. He was just a good guy you always wanted to have around.”
He became part of James Leija’s tight inner circle that included James’ father, Jesse, Leo Zuniga, Souza and managers Lester Bedford and Michael Miller.
Johnny Leija wore a variety of hats in support of his cousin’s career. A devout Christian, he was the group’s spiritual leader. He helped physically, too, donning full body pads during training camp and going toe-totoe with James in the ring.
About 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, he would lean on the 5-6, 140-pound fighter, allowing Leija to punch his way out.
“I hated that drill, but Johnny loved it,” James Leija said. “It got me in shape.”
Said Bedford: “Johnny gave James a great comfort level. He never sought the spotlight. And
he never asked for a penny.”
A regional marketer and promoter of boxing in the Dallas-fort Worth area, Bedford said times got tough during the pandemic as all major sports, including boxing, shut down.
He said Johnny Leija called him, offering financial support.
“He was worried about me,” Bedford said. “He was one of the genuinely nicest, kindest people I’ve ever met or been around.”
Johnny Leija had a dry sense of humor and a big laugh. He was an avid outdoorsman, and was constantly giving back, friends say, going on mission trips with his church, helping to bring water to impoverished areas all over the world.
Another of Johnny Leija’s duties for Team Leija was using his booming voice to relay instructions from James’ father at ringside during James’ bouts. Jesse Leija died in 2019.
“I used to watch some of my old fight tapes just so I could hear my dad’s voice,” James Leija said. “Now I’ve been watching them so I can hear Johnny’s voice, too.”