Born April 7, 1973 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, to Milagros Flores and Ferdinand Rivera. Jose and his four other siblings were orphaned when their mom passed away when Jose was ten years old. At the age of sixteen Jose Antonio Rivera moved out on his own to Worcester Ma to pursue his dream of becoming a world champion boxer.

As an amateur fighter Jose A. Rivera won several tournaments including the 1990 Western Mass Golden Gloves, 1991 Western mass Golden gloves, 1991 New England Golden Gloves, 1991 New England Golden belt and a Bronze medal at the 1992 Nationals PAL championship.

Walberg (Actor); AJ and Rivera

As a pro boxer Jose A. Rivera had loftier goals and that was to become a world champion boxer. Jose won the Ma state welterweight championship, Ma state Jr middleweight championship, USBA Regional welterweight championship, NABA welterweight North American championship and in 1997 Jose accomplished his goal when he won the IBO welterweight world championship. Jose followed that in 2003 when he traveled to Berlin Germany to capture his second world title by winning the WBA welterweight world championship and then in 2006 Jose moved up in weight to win his third world championship when he won the WBA Jr middleweight world championship in his hometown of Worcester Ma.

Jose A. Rivera recently has retired from boxing and still works at the Worcester County Court house as a Court officer for the Commonwealth of Ma. Since the age of 18 Jose has been doing the speaking circuit in the New England area speaking to Schools, Companies, Jails and DYS facilities where they house juvenile delinquents, to spread his message of hope and saying YES to success. Jose is involved with a Pharmaceutical grade company that provides optimal nutrition for your health called USANA health Sciences. Jose is also doing some acting part time trying to jump start an acting career all while hoping to finish his autobiography about facing his life challenges and being able to overcome huge obstacles on his way to winning three world championships.