Anthony Taylor – Amateur Boxer Working to Make His Way to Olympics
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Just over 5 feet tall and weighing only 100 pounds, Anthony Taylor might not look like it, but he can pack a punch. He proved just that this past week at the USA National Championships where he was just one win away from qualifying for the Olympic trials. “It was a great experience,” Taylor said. “You reach a peak in your career that you’ve never been before you start to learn. You come back and work on new things with kids in the gym. It’s been a great experience. You start at the bottom and work your way to the top.” Anthony has come a long way. After the passing of his father, boxing became a getaway. It was not until he was introduced to the Jackson Boxing Club that he found his talent in the ring. “Me and a friend were backyard boxing and his godfather brought us down to the gym and that’s how I got started,” Taylor said. He began to learn under Rayford Collins, who quickly realized his potential. “He’s had a hard life but he’s dedicated to the sport and wants to succeed,” Collins said. “It’s hard for a kid who’s handicapped in that way. He’s made three national championships and still doesn’t weight over 100 pounds. He fights guys 10 to 12 pounds bigger but that doesn’t bother him and he gives them fits.” To some, being small might be a disadvantage. But not for Anthony. “You know I have a point to prove,” Taylor said. “I’m small, but very powerful. So don’t underestimate people is the thing with me.” Since he began boxing more than five years ago, Taylor has seen a lot of improvements. Not only as a boxer, but as a person. “I used to have an anger problem and if someone says something to me I look past it.,” Taylor said. “Now I can come in and teach these kids how to box.” He teaches that hard work is the key to success. “Hard work. If you’re not mentally there, then you wont be physically there,” Taylor said. “Because if you come into the gym and your heart isn’t in session, you wont get it.” The sky is the limit for this young boxer, and said he is ready for the future. “To the top,” Taylor said. “To the stars and beyond. Which means on the top of the world. That’s were I want to be at. “
