The sound of coaches yelling tips from afar to keep her shoulder up, stay focused, keep her feet apart, surrounded her as sophomore Marisol Flores lunged forward toward the punching bag at Full Throttle Boxing in Kansas City. She feels the vibration in her gloves and smells the sweat of others in the gym. She sees her coach Glen Cusimano clapping and congratulating her after she finishes.
Boxing is an individual sport at least five students have found themselves interested in, like Flores who was inspired by her father to start boxing because he did multiple sports and had a big influence on her athletic journey.
“I like boxing because it is fun and i like the hard work. It helps me clear my head,” Flores said.
Boxing is a combat sport in which two opponents punch each other in a ring for a span of 3 minutes (or 2 minutes for women) each round. There is a total of 3 rounds. There are classes for children starting at three years old, this would be non-contact. In children, boxing can improve cardiovascular health, coordination and confidence.
According to Aberdeen News, “…an estimated 18,000 children and teens are involved in amateur boxing.”
Fighters need to make weight consistently to stay in the same weight class. Weight classes range from 106 lbs to 285 lbs. To cut weight, fighters have to constantly be focused and restrain from cheat meals. They have to start cutting at least 20 days before a bout to maintain strength while making weight.
“I’ve definitely learned discipline because you have to work out a lot. You also have to eat really healthy,” Flores said.
Flores trains four times a week and typically focuses on cardio, strength and conditioning, shadow boxing and sparring. Arrieta trains daily at Turner Boxing in Kansas City, typically focusing on fundamentals for performance and footwork to maintain control.
“I think the most important part of boxing is the discipline of making weight and training,” senior David Arrieta said.
Arrieta has competed in 10 national tournaments and won four times. His last tournament was the 2025 USA Boxing National Championship December 6-13 in Lubbok, Texas. This event was held at the Memorial Civic Center. xHe won five bouts back-to-back and won first place in the 132-pound division. He is now ranked numer one in the USA Boxing Youth Male 132 pound division. He prepared by fueling himself with carbs and Gatorade for energy.
“One thing overlooked in boxing is that cardio is arguably the biggest thing a boxer should work on so that they last every round,” Arrieta said.
During classes, Arrieta does cardio consisting of shadow boxing and hits a punching bag for two rounds. Practice also consists of sparring and multiple drills to prepare for competition.
With commitments outside of classes, school life can be hard to control for athletes in high school. Boxing works on discipline that fighters canuse in the classroom.
According to Riddick Boxing, “Boxing is not just about physical prowess; it demands strategic planning, quick decision-making, and the ability to anticipate an opponent’s moves. These skills translate well into academic settings, where analytical thinking and problem-solving are essential.”
In Kansas City there are at least 10 gyms that specialize in boxing. The most popular being Turner Boxing (Arrieta’s gym), popular for producing national champions. Classes at Turner Boxing are 25 dollars and ages eight and up can join.
“I see myself being world champion one day,” Arrieta said.
Boxing tournaments in KCMO are coming up, with the 91st annual KC Golden Gloves regionals that will be held on April 9-11 at Memorial Hall. This competition hosts Olympic-style amateur boxing. Live tickets can be purchased on the KC Golden Gloves website starting at 15 dollars for general admission, it will also be streamed at Parkway Productions for 20 dollars. Another competition is Blue Corner Fights, which will be hosted on May 31 for a family-friendly local boxers’ tournament. Live tickets can be purchased on Blue Corner Fights Facebook page starting at 45 dollars, this will be live streamed on their Facebook page for 20 dollars.
To follow Arrieta’s journey follow @davidarrieta06 on instagram. Flores’s instagram handle is @marisol._flores. For more information on KC boxing tournaments, go to https://kcgoldengloves.com/.
