The Making of a Champion

The Making of a Champion

Bryce listens to and follows Coach Mace’s instructions to victory. (Inset: Bobby Henry, III)

By Byler E. Henry

What does it take to be on top of the mountain or to be a champion? Does it take wishing, hoping, or waiting? The answer is none of these. It takes hard work, dedication, and patience. When you are willing to put in the time and effort, and have a little patience, it is  gratifying to see the results that you seek, results that come with hardwork and  sweat. To be good at anything takes hours of practice and patience.

I got to see this firsthand in Davie when young talented,  boxers, who practice day in and day out in the gym, display their skills in the ring. These young talents are seeing at an early age that nothing is going to come to you just by sitting and waiting.

Although, many people only see the polished finished result, there are some who don’t understand all the hard work and sweat that it takes to get the finished product. It isn’t easy and does not happen overnight,

Justice Henry

Young up and coming 90 lb. weight class boxer, Justice Henry, has been boxing for about four years. “I saw my dad coaching, and I wanted to see if it might be fun,” he says.  Introduced to boxing through his dad, you could see the love for the sport and the talent. Those four years of dedication have been paid off.

I also saw the love of the sport and the talent when Bryce Henry, coached by Mace, of Bang Boxing Camp, went into the ring for his match. In this match he was more polished, and agile and I saw a marked improvement from his earlier fights. He was moving better, waiting for his opportunity, and striking when he saw an opening. For those rounds, I did not see someone just going in there and recklessly throwing punches. I saw a decision maker playing chess instead of checkers. I could see someone continually climbing to reach the top. Those hours of practicing in the gym were paying off. I anticipate his next fight, looking for growth and improvement. Bryce, boxing at 132lb., is in his second year and has compiled a 5-2 record.

“I wasn’t nervous at all, during the fight,” Bryce says. He got into boxing one summer, because it looked like fun and there was nothing else to do. He didn’t look anxious in the ring; he looked cool, calm, and collected.

As a proud father, Bobby Henry, Jr., was more than willing to let his boys box since it is what they wanted to do. “I always loved the sport and I always watched it, so if my sons wanted to box, I was all for it.”

Bobby, Jr. continued, “Both my sons box and right now they are at the same weight.”

When asked what would happen if they had to fight against each other, he stated very seriously; “I would NEVER allow them to fight each other. They are brothers and love rules over all. Boxing could possibly destroy that love. So no matter what I would not allow them to fight each other.”

Bobby III (Tre), is the 2016 State Pal Champion with a 3-3 record.

Even though Tre is very competitive, he and his brother have been involved with sports together all their lives, and Tre says that the thought of fighting his brother is something that does not enter his mind. “It feels good to have a brother who boxes with me because we both can guide each other. My dad always taught us to never fight family and I was also taught to love anyone who guides you to be better: love yourself and others.”

If there is something in life that you really want to do, boxing trainer and former boxer Tony Bradham has some good advice. “Start early; start while you’re young. I wish I would have started earlier,” Bradham said.

When you start early, you have a chance to grow and succeed in whatever it is when you get a head start. I saw a lot of young talent in that ring when I was there, and if they stick with it, some of them can climb and reach the mountain top. However, it won’t be easy but no one ever said it was going to be easy. To reach the finish line, you will have to leave a trail of sweat along the way.