Chicago teen fights his way to the top of youth boxing
CHICAGO (CBS) – He's just 14 years old, and he's already a force to be reckoned with.
The student from Pilsen is building buzz in the boxing ring after winning a number of titles. At this rate, he may very well be on his way to the Olympics.
CBS 2's Andrew Ramos had the story on the prizefighter from Pilsen.
At 106 pounds and all of 14 years old, Pilsen eighth grader Jessie Anthony Sanchez is already considered a veteran of the sport of boxing.
The student-athlete has competed in the ring for half his life, a passion he picked up early on from his dad.
"He just don't want me in the future getting picked on, like in high school," Sanchez said. "If there's any problems, you could solve them."
It started with a punching bag and then some sparring which led to competing and then a lot of winning.
"I don't get nervous usually," Sanchez said. "But the last [fight] in the championship, yes I was nervous."
Over the summer, he earned a gold medal in the intermediate 106-pound boy's division in U.S. Boxing's Junior Olympics. It was a win that even surprised him.
"It didn't feel real," he said. "It didn't feel real."
"When you see all the children on Instagram and social media, and you say 'Wow those kids are really good,' but then you think, 'You know what? Your son is just as good and even better.'"
Sanchez is not just better. He's No. 1 in the country, bringing a lot of pride to Pilsen.
His coach, Reyes Hurtado, trains Sanchez at his gym, Beast Boxing Club in Hillside. Hurtado said what makes the teen a standout is the way he adapts to every fighter.
"He knows how to work the ring," Hurtado said. "He knows how to attack. He can do anything on the ring."
With a couple of wins under his belt, Sanchez now has his eyes on the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team, which he will have an opportunity to try out for when he turns 16 if he continues his winning streak.
His next big fight is scheduled for the end of the year.