The sweet science requires equal parts discipline, tenacity, decisiveness, character, and dedication.
Those qualities ring the heart of Braulio Ávila Juárez and encapsulate his approach to boxing.
Known professionally as Braulio Ávila, the native of Tlaxcala, Mexico spoke at Nancy Campbell Academy on Tuesday morning, telling students that too many people believe that boxing is unsafe and don’t realize its incredible benefits.
“You keep getting in shape,” Ávila said. “You get a personal defence and a lot of experience fighting with your own limitations …You can be more experienced in your open mind and learn just how strong (you are) in this life.”
Afterall, Ávila reasoned, it is how he got to where he is today.
Ávila became involved in the sport when he was just seven-years-old. Ávila recalled that his brother got in fights at school, eventually he got involved as brothers often do. After the siblings arrived home in tears, his father took them to a karate studio and, eventually, a boxing gym.
Ávila was immediately hooked. Now, with over 300 fights under his belt, he can't imagine life without boxing.
Ávila is perhaps best known for his work as an amateur, representing Mexico in numerous international competitions: Pan American Games, President’s Cup, Central American and Caribbean Games, and multiple Olympic Games.
As a professional, he has three losses in 15 fights. Much of his career as an amateur does not reflect his skill or dedication to the sport. The only difference is that as a professional he represents a company rather than his country.
Once brawling in the street with his brother, now Ávila would never dream of participating in a street fight. Instead, fighting as a professional and an amateur has paved the way for Ávila to travel the world, give back to his community, and live a life he would not have had otherwise.
Nancy Elliott, director of student placement, said that it was an auspicious time for Ávila to discuss boxing in a global setting. Grade 11 students are currently preparing for the 30th annual World Citizenship Tour, heading to Brazil on Saturday.
Every year Grade 11 students at Nancy Campbell Academy travel to a foreign country as a way for youth to address world issues that face them: drugs, violence, and teen pregnancy, for example.
This year, students are busy working on a step dance, where stomping and footwork play an important part in the dance and express a message. Using the arts to address problems facing international youth is one aspect of their tour.
Students will assist in humanitarian efforts. In other years, they helped move a library and assisted in hurricane relief efforts.
Students will visit 10 schools, each with enrolments of 1,000 to 3,000.
Elliott said the tour is meant to help people in other countries, however, students involved always come back changed, learning and growing from their experiences abroad.
