WORCESTER—Jose Rivera knows a thing or two about comebacks. The three-time world champion boxer and longtime Worcester resident is stepping back into the political ring, challenging incumbent Etel Haxhiaj once again for the District 5 City Council seat.
Rivera, who lost to Haxhiaj by just 168 votes in 2023, says community encouragement pushed him to run again. “I will say that the reason I am running again is because many of the residents in District 5 were asking me to please try again,” Rivera told the Worcester Guardian. “My lifetime community work with our youth and the longtime relationships I have built with leaders in our community is why many of the District 5 residents trust me and trust that I will represent them and the city of Worcester with pride, honor and respect.”
Rivera’s story is well-known in Worcester. After losing his mother at age 10 and moving between family members in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, he eventually settled in Massachusetts. At 16, he moved to Worcester alone, determined to finish school and pursue his childhood dream of boxing glory. He went on to capture world titles in two weight classes, earning a reputation as a relentless competitor both inside and outside the ring.
That fighting spirit, Rivera says, now drives his campaign. “My life experiences has taught me to be grateful and to be a person of good character,” he said. “I will lead with integrity and transparency. I want the residents in District 5 to also know that I will make it my mission to focus on and serve them.”
Rivera points to basics such as streets and sidewalks as top concerns he’s hearing from voters. “Through all of the door knocking I was able to do,” he said, “I was fortunate enough to speak with a lot of residents in District 5. The streets and sidewalks is clearly the top issue. Speeding enforcement is up there as well, along with public safety, housing affordability, decorum in the city council meetings, and they would like to see better ways to help the homeless population.”
In terms of housing, Rivera argues that Worcester should roll out “the welcome mat” for developers and businesses. “As a city on the rise we should… let businesses know we are open for business,” he said, adding that public safety and economic development are closely tied to housing stability.
Rivera also hammers home his long involvement with Worcester’s youth, from his days at the Boys & Girls Club to his motivational speaking and mentorship work. “I think investing in our youth should be one of our top priorities,” he said. “I know I will be heavily involved in making sure the city continues to do that and will look forward to sharing ideas to see if we can find more ways we can enhance our current youth program.”
Rivera says he would strengthen community-police relations, a theme that has surfaced frequently in city politics. “I understand that right now we have a group of people that have mistrust with our WPD,” he said, “and I would not mind taking on the mantle of trying to be a bridge to make the relationship with the city of Worcester and our WPD stronger.”
He also addressed federal immigration enforcement, a divisive issue in Worcester this year. “Even though I will support for balancing community safety and immigrants rights, the city councilors, have no power to interfere with federal laws, which ICE falls under,” Rivera said. Instead, he pointed to state and federal lawmakers as the ones with the authority to drive change.
To stay accessible, Rivera says he plans to hold regular office hours in District 5 and be available daily by phone and email. He also frames his candidacy as the continuation of a lifelong journey of resilience. “Losing my mom at 10 years old, I thought my life was over,” Rivera said, “but I was able to get myself out of a funk, pursue and accomplish my dream of becoming a World champion boxer. In the future my best fight is yet to come, and it will be for Worcester.”
This article is part of the Worcester Guardian’s 2025 election coverage. As part of our ongoing series, we are publishing individual candidate profiles and stories related to key issues facing the city ahead of the Nov. 4 municipal election. We have reached out—or are in the process of reaching out—to every candidate running for Worcester City Council and School Committee. If you are a certified candidate and would like to ensure you are included, please contact us at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org.
