Profile of a Student Boxer

West+Point+wins+collegiate+boxing+championship+by+The+U.S.+Army+is+licensed+under+CC+BY+2.0.

“West Point wins collegiate boxing championship” by The U.S. Army is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Lukas Stutz, Staff Writer

If you are on the East Side of Athens, heading down Lexington Road, you will come up on one of the best boxing gyms in Athens, Keppner Boxing and Fitness. Take a step inside the door, and you might see Athens Academy senior Connor Xie getting in some quick work on the bag. Connor has attended Athens Academy since fifth grade, and plans to attend the Kelley School of Business at the University of Indiana next fall. It takes a particular type of drive to get into a prestigious program like that, and this same work ethic is seen in everything Connor indulges in, including boxing. 

Connor, who has always been an outstanding athlete, recently picked up his newest sport, boxing, in the April of 2022. Since then, he has continued to box multiple times a week, making huge amounts of progress and physical gain. In an interview, Connor explains how good the sport has been to him, saying, “Boxing has not only honed my physical paralyse but has also helped me a lot emotionally and physically. I think boxing is a great place for young adults to release their energy in a healthy way”. 

Not only has boxing aided Connor’s physical and mental health, it has also instored key values within him. When Connor was asked whether or not boxing has helped him outside of the ring, he explained, “Its all about hard work. At the end of the day, boxing is boxing. You have to be on your game… you have to be in the right mindset, and you cant really give up. I think the aspect of working hard and not giving up, and trusting yourself especially is very important for everyone”.  Whether or not its school, a job, or whatever else it may be, a good work ethic is something that Connor seems to hold dearly to him. “I try my my best to work as hard as I can. Not only for myself but for the people around me.” 

When asked about possibly engaging in an official match, he said, “As of any real fights, i’m not sure i’ll get into any of them, but I definently want to do one before my lifetime ends.”

For now, Connor is content with the benefits that boxing has to offer, and dosent plan to take his hobby any further in the near future. He often participates in “sparring nights”, in which he can showcase his skills in a fun environment. Connor recently competed in one of these sparring nights on March 25, 2023. 

Connor makes it clear that boxing has been very beneficial for him, and he encourages others to give boxing a try. Attending college in the fall, he is excited to see how his hobby will continue to benefit him in the outside world. There is no doubt that Connor will go on to do great things, its just a matter of time…