La Mirada, California, Anthony Robles has opened up about the abuse he and his mother suffered from his stepfather in his book Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion.
In 2024, Artists Equity produced a biopic based on his book Unstoppable in partnership with Amazon MGM Studios.
Highlights
- Anthony Robles’s parents, Ron and Judy, met when she was 18.
- Judy has patience for the hecklers and is fiercely protective of her children.
- She met Anthony’s biological father at a high school party, but he left her when he learned she was pregnant.
Anthony Robles was born with only one leg but refused to wear a prosthetic leg. He tried to develop his body through various workouts while working around his missing leg.
In the sixth grade, he set the record for the most pushups by a school member and began wrestling in the eighth grade, watching one of his older cousins practice.
Although he ranked last during his first year, he benefited from tremendous grip strength from crutches. Later, he ranked sixth in Arizona.
Anthony won two state wrestling championships, going 96–0, and won a national championship as a senior.
Later, he redshirted as a freshman at Arizona State University and finished sixth in the 55 kg freestyle wrestling category at the 2006 FILA Junior World Championships.
He finished his final year of eligibility as an undefeated wrestler and was voted the Tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler for his efforts.
Anthony Robles’s Abusive Stepfather Is Depicted In Unstoppable
Anthony Robles has opened up about his abusive stepfather, Ron Robles, who used to abuse him and his mother, Judy. Judy and Ron met when she was only 18.
She was only 16 when she gave birth to Anthony on July 15, 1988. She met his biological father at a high school party, but he left her when he learned she was pregnant.
Afterward, Judy married Ron, with whom he had four more children: Nicolas, Joshua, Ronnie, and Andrew.
Anthony faced various challenges, including financial difficulties and an abusive relationship with his stepfather. However, despite the struggles, Judy ensured that all her children had the opportunity to succeed.
Ron’s abusive behavior led to significant family conflict, but Judy’s resilience and determination helped her and their children overcome several difficulties.
Unstoppable closely followed Anthony’s dream of a national championship and showed his tense relationship with his stepfather.
He felt anger when Ron’s abuse of Judy turned physical. Moreover, he put him in a headlock until the police arrived to arrest him for threatening his mother.
Things were broken, the police were called, that happened. Watching it on film every time, I feel the anger boiling back up in me. But being able to see it and knowing we got through it—that means the world to us.
Anthony Robles
Anthony Robles’s Mother Has Been A Supportive Pillar Throughout His Life
Judith R. Robles played a crucial role in Anthony’s journey to become a national wrestling champion, and he attributes much of his strength and resilience to his mother.
Despite her hardships, she encouraged him like she always did to her other four children from Ron.
Happy Mothers Day to the best mom I could ask for .@Roblesmom125 thank you for making me believe I was Unstoppable . pic.twitter.com/ceZi9Wo9Ib
— Anthony Robles (@ARobles125) May 15, 2017
Judy has been a significant source of support. She even completed her education, earning a Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees.
Her mother is fiercely protective and has no patience for the hecklers. She made Anthony believe that God made him this way for a reason.
He remembers her saying something to those laughing in the crowd when he first started wrestling.
She would make it a point to yell during a quiet moment when he was squaring off with an opponent on the mat. Her purpose was so he could lock onto her voice during the critical moments.
When everything else was quiet, his mother was still in his head.
After losing in the national quarterfinals in his junior year, he didn’t think to continue wrestling in his senior year. Still, a stack of fan letters (which he keeps in a trophy case at home) from a third-grade classroom completely changed my life trajectory.
Later, he didn’t feel winning the title was important; what mattered was showing others that anything was possible.
Nonetheless, the way Anthony overcame his obstacles and used them as inspiration to achieve is an artwork of his toughness and determination.
He is a motivational speaker, author, and wrestling coach at Hamilton High School in suburban Phoenix.
Additional Information
- Anthony Robles’s leg is missing up to the hip, and a prosthetic limb cannot be attached to the stump.
- He published his book Unstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion in September 2012.
- He is married to Laura Robles, a real estate agent, and they have a son, Abel.
- He has amassed an estimated net worth of $1 million as of 2025.
