Age: 28
Twitter: @sammy_theheat
Nationality: American
From: Lexington, Kentucky, reside in Folsom, California
Weight: Super-lightweight
Stance: Orthodox
Record: 9-0, 7 KOs
When and why you started boxing:
My little brother started boxing before me because when he was six, he fell in love with the Rocky movies and begged my parents to let him box. Needless to say, he was hooked, but I was still very reluctant. However, I got convinced to try it out as a way to condition for my other sports and I figured I should try to spar to see if I was any good, and I immediately fell in love with the sport.
Favourite all-time fighter:
Sugar Ray Leonard or Vasily Lomachenko. I admire their footwork and finesse so much. It’s mind-blowing.
Best fight you’ve seen:
Oh gosh, this is a hard one because there have been so many great ones, but Claressa Shields vs Savannah Marshall was a big one for me because of my friendship with Claressa and being able to see her level up like she did in that fight and show that she was leaps and bounds above the fighter Savannah beat in the amateurs. It was just such a sweet thing to witness.
Personal career highlight:
As an amateur, it would have to be placing fifth at the Olympic Trials and bronze at the Youth World Championships. But professionally, so far, it would be my UD win over Yazmin Rivas in January for the UBO super-lightweight world title. Yazmin is a veteran champion who has been in the ring with some of the greatest female fighters of all time so to even share the ring with her was an honour and then to get to shine and show the greatness that is inside of me made that night extremely special.
Toughest opponent:
Seta Vatuvei, my third fight. Don’t let her record fool you. That girl is TOUGH! She’s a very talented fighter from the Bay Area who was new in her career just like I was, so we didn’t really know a ton about her going into the fight. It was the first fight I had ever gotten hit since my first two fights were first round stoppages, and I remembered thinking, “Alright, let’s go!” I was so proud of how I remained poised and focused, and that fight showed me that I was truly made to be a champion. The funny thing is, Seta and I are really good friends now, and she helped me train for my title fight in January!
Best and worst attributes as a boxer:
I think my best and worst attributes might be the same. I’m a very tough fighter. I don’t mind getting hit, which makes me fearless, but it also means I take too much punishment sometimes. That’s why I’m so thankful for my coaches, Monyette Flowers and Mike Guy, for refining my footwork skills to keep me on the move so I don’t get caught up in the brawl.
Training tip:
Keep fun in it. If it’s not fun and you’re not finding joy in it, you’ll get burnout, and it won’t give you life.
Favourite meal/restaurant:
The post-fight meal is always either a big burger or a huge plate of Mexican food followed by some sort of cookies or ice cream or candy. I have the biggest sweet tooth, so I always have to cap off the night with something sweet.
Best friends in boxing:
Boxing has gifted me with some of the greatest friendships from the countless amateur tournaments and sparring events with other gyms and just all my teammates I train with. Some of those friendships include Claressa Shields, Seta Vatuvei, Auttumn Norton, one of my main sparring partners, and an extremely talented MMA fighter.
Which other athlete would you like to be:
Basketball was actually my first love, so if I wasn’t boxing, I probably would have gone to college for basketball, and who knows where that would’ve taken me. So the athlete I would want to be would be Caitlin Clark.
Last film/TV show you saw:
The Bear! Now my husband and I go around the apartment saying, “Yes, Chef!”
Who would play you in a film of your life:
This was really hard for me cause I’m both athletic and a girly girl, but probably Anna Kendrick, mainly because I love her character in Pitch Perfect and feel like I relate to her attitude in that movie.
Have you ever been starstruck:
A couple of times, but one time that stands out is when I got to meet John Wall back when he played for Kentucky. Being from Kentucky, basketball is a way of life, so that was a BIG DEAL for me. I was only 16 at the time.
Last time you cried:
A few days ago. I recently lost my grandad, and it’s interesting to see how grief hits you when you least expect it.
Best advice received:
Keep the main thing the main thing. With anything in life, it’s easy to let distractions get in the way of your goals and aspirations or let people’s opinions of you dictate your path but when you keep your eyes on Jesus and what he has called you to in life, it makes silencing those other voices a lot easier.
Something not many people know about you:
I love to sing. I’m actually a worship leader at our church here in California, Vintage Grace. I feel the most at home in two places here on earth—in the ring and up on stage leading people in worship.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years:
With a collection of several world title belts, hopefully, a couple of kids, and my own boxing gym, allowing me to continue to pour into the next generations of fighters.
What one thing would you change in boxing:
I think this is something that is starting to shift, but I hope to continue to change the disparity between men’s and women’s boxing as far as pay and recognition goes.
What has boxing given you:
Oh wow, so much. Lifelong friends, amazing to different countries, opportunities to grow I wouldn’t have had otherwise, joy. Also, there is a lot of heartache, but the main thing is that Jesus has given me purpose through this sport, so it makes all the hard times so worth it. I accepted Christ through my love for boxing and realised I was created to be a fighter to bring him glory and make his name famous. It’s not about me. It’s about him.
Where would you be without boxing?
I would probably already be a mom and leading worship full-time.
Who inspires you the most, and why?
Probably my mom. She is a business owner, a mom (I have a seven-year-old little brother so her hands are still very full in that department), a pastor’s wife with a brand new church, and she just wears so many hats so well while loving everyone around her so fully. She is a rockstar, and I hope I’m even just half the mom she is one day. Growing up in the mountains of Kentucky, I definitely get my fighting spirit from her.
