At the age of ten, junior Ector Madera was introduced to boxing, the sport that dramatically impacts his life. The goal is to land the most hits on your opponent, wear him out, and of course always keep your hands up. Madera began to fight more competitively his sophomore year. He did this because he knew with his talent, he can have a bright future.

“All the little kids look up to me at my gym,” said Madera. “They even try to fight like me.” He doesn’t want to disappoint them.

After the Adidas national tournament, Madera has been ranked No.3 in the nation in his weight division. He won nationals and fought five times in October. He lost one of five matches but was still qualified for finals.

He now hopes to be the top boxer in the nation and gain his title. Madera will be placed in the 2013 USA Junior Olympics team. If he keeps fighting at a proficient level, he will also be qualified to fight in China, next year. To ensure Ector is ready to fight and excel, he trains six days a week and runs at least five miles, three times a week. In addition, he is at his gym for 18 hours a week.