Congratulations to Juan Alex Saucedo for completing his HiSET in December 2025! 

Five years ago, Alex had risen to the #2 place in the World Boxing Organization lightweight division with an amazing 30 to 1 winning record.  However, in an unexpected turn of events, everything changed when he suffered a traumatic brain injury during his final fight for the #1 world position.

Alex had begun boxing at age 9 shortly after immigrating to the U.S. with his family, and at age 17, he left high school to sign on as a professional boxer.  When his career suddenly ended in October 2020, he knew he needed to return to school.  In January 2021, he enrolled into the adult education program at the Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC), but he soon realized that he needed more time to heal in order to succeed.

In January of 2025, Alex re-enrolled and focused on improving his reading skills in English, his 2nd language.  In the fall of 2025, the "fighter that still lives within him" channeled the same determination that made him a world champion to the task of preparing for and passing his tests.  After attending night classes, watching instructional videos, and engaging in 4:00 AM study time before heading off to his construction job, he is now a completer and is all set to participate in our High School Equivalency Graduation on January 16, 2026.

In a raw and emotional Netflix documentary, Saucedo, released December 2024, we see Alex in the roller-coaster journey of his glorious boxing victories, his devastating accident and defeat, his gratitude for miraculously still being alive, his struggle and recovery from trauma, and his determination to move on with his life including his 1st day of OCCC Zoom class.  It is Alex's desire that his viewers will be inspired to reach out for help and adult education when needed.

We are so proud of Juan Alex Saucedo and have been honored to be a part of his story!  We look forward to seeing him begin new job training and advance in his career with Crossland Construction.

--Submitted by Susan Bernard, OCCC Coordinator of High School Equivalency (HSE)