| Childhood Years Algoa Correctional Center Beginning of Boxing Career  |
Childhood Years Quincy R. Miner, better known as ~ Pretty Boy Vegas ~ was born on October 4, 1975 to Charles Sikes and Linda Jean Miner. Vegas lived with his dad until the age of 11 then he moved in with his mother and stepfather, sisters and brothers in St Louis Missouri. Some of Vegas’ earliest memories living with his siblings, 3 sisters and 6 brothers, was that they shared everything and they all loved each other. The brothers along with their friends and cousins wrestled and horse played every chance they got. One of Vegas’s favorite past times was slap boxing. Slap boxing is like boxing – except you slap your opponent with your hands. Another one of Vegas’s memories (not a favorite) as a young boy was when his brothers and cousins would pin his arms down with their knees and pound on his chest until they were tired of hammering on him. |
| That treatment was a big influence on Vegas’s decision to learn how to box at the age of 15 at 12th and Park Recreational Center at 1410 S 12th Street, St Louis, Missouri. His first trainers were Ken and Patrick. The most important skill these two trainers taught young Vegas was his jab. Vegas developed the best jab among his peers at the Recreational Center and to this day his jab is a force to be reckoned with. Vegas grew up in what he calls the ghetto. This area was where children walked to school in the morning and realized there were dead bodies close by because of the smell. He remembers many occasions like that as a young boy. With all the love that was shared in his family, there was still the influence of drug trafficking widespread in the area and, unfortunately, at the age of only 12, Vegas became involved with drug trafficking; he began to experience trouble with the laws of the land at a very early age. Around the time he began to learn how to box he was sent to Juvenile Jail for 6 months. His experiences in Juvenile Jail just created more unrest in Vegas and so after he was released he went back to the same type of activity. Vegas also became involved in modeling within the next few years of his life and at one point even had a role in a TV commercial for Dominoes Pizza thanks to his agent, Brenda O'Neil with Barbizon Modeling Agency. Perphaps he could have had a promising future in that industry, however he ended up being convicted with felony charges at the emergent age of 22. He served almost 9 years incarcerated, including Algoa Correctional Center in Jefferson City, Missouri. Algoa Correctional Center While he was serving his sentence, his mother passed away suddenly of heart failure. She was only 49. The state allowed Vegas to attend her funeral in handcuffs and shackles. His legs could only make his feet move inches at a time in the shackles but he made his way to see his mother one last time while 3 officers accompanied him. All three officers’ brandished shotguns. Right before his mother’s death, Vegas had come to a turning point in his life while serving time in prison. All the different properties he had owned were gone after being incarcerated, as were all his motorcycles and cars. He made a vow to himself that he would NEVER go back to prison again once his sentence would be completed. And to fulfill that commitment he determined to better himself in every way, especially in boxing. He had all ready been training himself to box while at Algoa, but he began to box and train with a new passion and unstoppable determination. His mother’s death really knocked the wind out of him, but ultimately he regrouped and continued his quest to improve his life and his boxing career. |
| Vegas does not look backwards at his prison sentence as wasted time. He is a witness to the fact that when young people are involved in drug activity they will eventually end up either in prison or dead. Out of the main (approximately) ten people he formally associated with before he went to prison - he is the ONLY one who is still alive today and he attributes that to the fact that he was locked up - otherwise he would most likely have shared the same fate as the others. Constant reminders of the dangerous way he lived accompanies him at all times due to the scars on his body from taking bullets several times, as well as being stabbed. Before leaving Algoa, Vegas' father's was killed, and another disabling blow was delivered to him only one week before his release from prison - his baby brother, Adorian, had been shot and killed. Today, Vegas is just so thankful to be alive and have a new chance at life. The future is wide open for him. One thing he truly appreciates is that he is now able to be around for his nieces and nephews - and of course the newest member in Vegas's immediate family - his grandson, Quincy R. Miner (the third). The moment Vegas met his new grandson; it was love at first sight. In the photo to the right we see baby Quincy all ready getting a lesson in boxing from Vegas. |
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Vegas has several goals he wants to attain now that he has a new start at life. His understanding of prison life has given him a desire to help others who are serving time or who have served time realize that a better life can be accomplished once they have served their debt to society. Another one of his goals is to help his uncle, Anthony Miner (falsely accused), finally realize justice. You can see Anthony Miner's entire story at the following website: justice4anthonyminer.com Beginning of Boxing Career Before being released from Algoa, Vegas spoke with a boxing recruiter dozens of times and made plans to meet him to discuss his boxing career. They never met, however. Instead, Vegas stayed at the Honor Center at 651 Mulberry, Kansas City, MO when he was released and began looking for gainful employment. One day while riding the Metro, Vegas stumbled upon a Boxing Club in the West Bottoms of KC MO. He wrote down their phone number and later talked with the owner who advised him to not meet with the previously mentioned recruiter. Two or three days later Vegas was sparring in that gym with Jimmy Matz. They went about three rounds and Vegas decided to stay on with the club. Vegas's first professional matches were fought while boxing with this club. His first match was with opponent Hector Guillen . Hector was 182 pounds and Vegas was 179 pounds. The match took place at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Jefferson City, Missouri on 10/26/2006. Vegas won by a unanimous decision in round 4 of 4. The next match was with opponent Steve Bailey on January 13th, 2007. Bailey weighed in at 174 and Vegas weighed in at 172. That fight took place at the St Joseph Armory in Missouri. Vegas won by unanimous decision in round 4 of 4. The third match was on January 25, 2007 where Vegas lost to Kevin Engelat the Ameristar Casino in St Charles, Missouri. After the first few professional fights, Vegas decided to search for another gym home. He found a gym called The Cave in Independence, Missouri - just 5 minutes from his *girlfriend's (Renee's) house and worked out there for a couple of months. The Caveman Crew is a talented group of fighters - but they fight MMA (cage fighting) instead of boxing. Vegas gained some new associations through the Caveman Crew, but needed a gym where his focus could be one hundred percent boxing. His next step was to buy some boxing equipment and set up a gym of his own. On 08/12/2007 his own gym the -Quincy Miner Training Camp - was established (as you can see by the graffiti on the wall behind him in one of the photos below). Vegas still needed other boxers to spar with so he visits local gyms in the Greater Kansas City area. A record of all of Vegas' fights and also any scheduled fights can be viewed on his BoxRec page at Quincy Miner BoxRec Stats *On May 12, 2009, Quincy R. Miner and Renee S. Miner were married at the Pilgrim Chapel in Kansas City, Mo. Quincy and Renee own the following website businesses regarding boxing and the beauty, cosmetology industry - if you have a friend who needs boxing lessons or is looking for a beauty school, or needs practice for their state board cosmetology exam - have them check out these sites: quincyrminer.com, OnlinePracticeExam.com, OnlineCosmetologyExam.com, Finallywhatyouneed.com, HottestBeautySchools.com and BeautySchoolShopper.com    Click Here to return to Home PageBoxing EquipmentBoxing Posters |
