Joliet teen wins 4th junior Olympic boxing championship

CHICAGO (CBS)-- A 16-year-old Joliet native started the summer standing atop a podium in Texas after winning his fourth junior Olympic boxing championship.

There's having natural talent and then there's having the discipline and work ethic to really see that talent through. Joseph Awinongya Jr. has both.

"This was the first time I was able to go to a national and eat ice cream every single day," Awinongya Jr. said.

Awinongya Jr. credits moving up a weight class for why his most recent trip to the Junior Olympics was so much fun. That, and standing atop the podium for the 4th time.

"I always like to take control when I'm at these events," He said. 

We first met Awinongya Jr., who goes by Jojo, last April when he was just 14, in the midst of building a boxing career that has been on a steady ascent from the start. Jojo was in his first fight at eight years old and took home his first national championship at nine. Now 16, he has 19 national titles to his name.

"During this last nationals, I had some people come up to me and say they saw off of my videos, they started boxing because of that. It always brings me a lot of joy," He said. 

But if you ask Jojo what his greatest accomplishment is to date, he would say it came outside of the ring in education. He already has his GED, will graduate with his associate's degree this summer and recently earned a full-ride scholarship to St. Francis University, where he will begin pursuing a bachelor's degree in the fall. 

"Seeing this hard work pay off is such a great feeling. I also know if I can do it, others can do it as well. Being a role model to others has helped me overcome obstacles. It always brings me a lot of joy," He said.