Local sports fans will get a chance to see one of the hardest-punching pound-for-pound amateur boxers in the country perform this weekend at the Lewis and Clark Fairgrounds.

And it just so happens he’ll be fighting in his own back yard.

Helena’s Duran Junior Caferro will meet Frank Patka of Bend, Ore., in what is being billed as “World War III.” Patka is a three-time Oregon state champion, and it’s the third fight between the two accomplished fighters.

The matchup is under the auspices of the H-Town Boxing Club, and will be the feature attraction of 15-plus bouts tonight at the Exhibition Hall.

“This is my third fight with Frank; I beat him the first two,” Duran Junior said. “The thing about Frank is, he comes to fight. The spectators will see a lot of action — he and I will go toe-to-toe the whole five rounds.”

Caferro, 20, is an eight-time national champion. His latest title came in August, when he captured the 132-pound crown at the Ringside National tournament in Kansas City, Mo.

“Duran Junior is the best fighter to come out of Montana in 20 years, since Todd Foster,” said his father and trainer, Duran (pronounced DUR-uhn) Caferro, Sr. “And I’ve talked to plenty of the old-time trainers who think he’s better than Foster. They all agree that he hits harder than Todd did.”

Senior said he knows firsthand of what he speaks.

“I have to spar with him. I take those blows, and I guarantee you, this kid can punch. In fact, I make him do a bunch of pushups before we spar so they don’t hurt as bad.”

Junior first started boxing at the age of 8. He has amassed a 139-40 record to go along with his national crowns. He qualified for the 2008 Olympic Trials, and last May, placed runner-up at the National Golden Gloves championships in Grand Rapids, Mich. There he dropped a controversial split decision in the finals.

“That was a hard loss,” Senior said. “I thought he won, and I wasn’t alone. TV announcer Sean O’Grady, and Jim Campbell, the U.S. Olympic coach, both told us they thought Duran won, too.”

The elder Caferro explained that his son is not a naturally gifted fighter, but has worked hard to achieve his elite status.

“I know, because he’s got my genes, and I’m not naturally gifted,” joked Senior, who was a boxer during his youth in Whitefish. He described how neither he or his son possess great hand speed.

“Everything he’s been able to accomplish in the ring has came about because of hard work, dedication and sacrifice,” Senior said. “When Junior started out, he was uncoordinated and awkward.

“But he has spent virtually every day of the last 12 years in the gym, working on his skills. His footwork, his timing, his punching power has all been developed through will power and determination,” he added.

The younger Caferro eats, breaths and lives boxing. He even missed his graduation ceremony from Helena High so he could attend the Olympic Trials.

Slow hands are not the only trait Junior has inherited from his father, according to Mary Caferro, the fighter’s aunt and the trainer’s sister. Mary, a Montana House representative of District 80 in Helena since 2004, said both men have a reputation for their work ethic, integrity, commitment to the sport and overall class.

“Duran Senior provides an excellent athletic program for at-risk and economically disadvantaged youth,” she said. “It’s a great place for the kids to go after school. He has coached the boxing club for 18 years as a volunteer, giving of his time and his own resources. He spends five nights a week in the gym, three hours a night, 10 months a year and part time in the summer.

“Oftentimes, Duran picks up kids from school and takes them home after workouts,” she continued. “He drives one of the kids 12 miles home after boxing. Over the years, he’s taken many of the fighters across Montana, the region and the country. A while back, he drove one of the girls all the way to Arizona, because

she couldn’t get a bout any closer.”

Junior credits his father with more than just the boxing lessons.

“I learned about work ethic and discipline from my dad,” he said. “He taught me that working hard and staying in the gym are the keys to success. He always preached about getting a good night’s sleep, eating right and living right.”

Mary said if finances are a barrier for a club member to travel, Senior provides opportunities for them to raise the funds. If someone is trying to raise money and training hard, and still comes up short, he pays their way out of his own pocket so they can still participate.

“Yes, her name was Rachel Nieman,” Senior acknowledged when asked about the trip to Arizona. “She had trained hard all year, and we couldn’t get a fight for her. She was doing what she was supposed to do in the gym, so I had to hold up my end of the bargain.

“As for the 12-mile trips I’m doing now, it’s a rough road, and I think my car is ready for new shocks. But I would rather do that than not have a kid involved in a sport like boxing.”

The H-Town club’s motto is “Building Champions n In and Out of the Ring.” Senior monitors their report cards, and keeps close track of their overall behavior.

“We expect the kids to get good grades, stay out of trouble and be good citizens, eat healthy, and stay away from cigarettes and alcohol. Each member signs a code of conduct contract, and if they break the contract, there is a price to pay,” the coach explained. “It’s not zero tolerance, but they do learn about consequences.”

Senior and Mary Caferro both emphasized that Junior is a champion away from the ring, also.

A member of the Northern Cheyenne nation, the boxer is a universal health care advocate. He testified at the U.S. Senate Finance Committee Hearing on the Children’s Health Insurance Program reauthorization in 2007, at the request of Montana Sen. Max Baucus. Sen. Jon Tester retold Junior’s health care story when he spoke on the U.S. Senate floor on behalf of CHIP in 2008.

“A lot of fighters have a reputation for being a little rough around the edges, but Junior is an all-around great person. He’s a family man and a gentleman,” Senior said.

Prior to the Caferro-Patkan battle tonight, seven of the 15 bouts will involve H-Town members. Local regional champions competing include Cody Waslager (10 years old, 75 pounds), Casey Waslager (13 years, 114 lbs.), Ryan Maier (14, 112) and Timmy Mason (15, 119). Other H-town fighters scheduled are Jarun Jungers (9, 65), Jory Songer (9, 60), Christian Gibson (10, 75), Isaiah Reison (14, 138), Matthew McCarl (10, 85) and Jayme Rupp (15, 138).

McCarl is a second generation Eagles Club member, as his father, Kevin, was a Gold Gloves competitor and a longtime fight referee.

Visiting boxers on the card tonight have traveled from Idaho, Wyoming, Oregon and various clubs around Montana. There will also be one or two female contests. The first bell is slated to sound at 7 p.m. Advanced tickets can purchased for a discount at the Eagles Lodge. For information, call 459-2270.

“The H-Town Boxing Club is consistently number one or two in the state and has a stellar reputation on the national circuit as well,” said Mary Caferro, who helps the club by transporting the members around town to sell raffle tickets.

“The boxing matches, smokers and tournaments are the most important fundraising opportunity for the club. So come out and watch some of the best boxing around and support a good cause.”

Reporter Curt Synness: 449-2150 or curt52s@bresnan.net