Aliya Orozco always knew she wanted to be on TV when she was dancing for her family in her living room. But it would turn out to be another cherished family memory that influenced her career.
As an adult, Orozco attended a party at his aunt’s house and heard all of his uncles in the garage shouting and celebrating boxing, specifically the Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. match.
“I remember when I was little and seeing how boxing really brought people together,” Orozco recalls. “There’s an energy there that’s different from any sport.”
Despite his love for the sport, Orozco never imagined he would become a boxing journalist. “I never envisioned that in my life,” she says.
“Ever since I was little, I dreamed of being in the entertainment industry,” Orozco said. “I’ve always had a passion for storytelling, people, and entertaining.”
Orozco remembers her parents gently warning her, “Not many people from Vacaville get to be on TV the way you want them to be.” Although she didn’t know when or how, Orozco just knew that she would make it happen at some point.
She decided to move closer to her dream and moved to Los Angeles to study business administration at Azusa Pacific University. Struggling with the initial discomfort and isolation of her move, Orozco eventually decided to step out of her comfort zone.
Although she pursued internships, continued networking and hired a publicist, Orozco still didn’t know what her future held. She kept auditioning one after another until one day she was contacted by the Latina Alternative Network.
“I didn’t think Vacaville would be the reason I booked the show,” said Orozco, who currently hosts the women’s empowerment show “Get It Girl.” When she appeared on set following her offer, the staff celebrated her arrival by saying, “We have Vacaville in her house.”
It turns out Orozco’s small-town upbringing brought a fresh perspective to applicants, which helped her stand out.
A full-circle moment occurred when Orozco was invited to Oscar De La Hoya’s magazine cover presentation. While she was being interviewed there, Orozco was approached by someone who complimented her reporting skills and mentioned a possible position at her friend’s company.
Seven months later, in March 2023, she received an email asking if she could cover the Ryan Davis vs. Gervonta Davis fight in Beverly Hills. The only problem was that there was a fight the next day.
“I became a boxing reporter overnight,” Orozco said. At 10 a.m. that day, Orozco was told it was an audition. If she wanted her channel to continue, her videos needed to go viral.
Aliyah Orozco interviews Gervonta Davis on the red carpet in Los Angeles (Courtesy photo, Martin Bator)
Orozco had heard that Davis was a rather reserved and level-headed person, so he decided to approach the interview as himself. The interview was a huge success and the headline read, “Gervonta Davis smiles like never before with Aliyah Orozco.”
“From then on, my name started spreading rapidly,” Orozco said. “As soon as I stepped into the world of boxing, I fell in love with it. I knew I wasn’t going to leave and I knew what I wanted to pursue.”
Now, just over a year later, Orozco has booked a broadcast job overtime. However, she continues to delve deeper into the world of boxing. Although Orozco has been a boxing fan since childhood, she has had to dive into the many weight classes, promoters and sanctioning bodies and learn the rich history of the sport.
“It was either sink or swim, but I decided to swim,” Orozco said. In fact, she plans to get in the ring and don her own gloves as part of her intensive education.
Orozco’s success in this field goes beyond her work ethic and desire to do well. Above all, she operates from her position of respecting and loving all people equally.
“Where you grow up determines so much,” said Orozco, who credits the people there as being the main guides in her life. She said, “Vacaville made me the person I am today and taught me how to be kind to others. It’s taken me really far.”
Orozco said the community helped form a set of beliefs and morals that continue to shape her views and interactions. Orozco’s main goal is to make people feel comfortable, especially in fields that rely on communicating with others.
“When I see that smile, I know I’ve made it,” Orozco said, adding that her interview style is always about adapting to the person. She says, “When the energy is not connected, we sense it and try to redirect it.”
Orozco has already done a number of high-profile interviews, but his goal is to one day speak to Mike Tyson.
Orozco, who has returned to his roots in dance and performance, also hopes to interview Selena Gomez someday. “She was my role model, and she still is,” Orozco said, noting his own desire for her to be a role model for younger children.
“I want to inspire people and give people a breath of fresh air,” Orozco said. “I never want to go into an interview or an event where I think in my heart I’m better than anyone. I want people to remember that I love them.”
