13-year-old Conner Shea dreams of being a pro boxer, gets his start at Holiday Brawl 2
Conner Shea is the youngest athlete I have ever interviewed. I did not know what to expect, but was very happy to talk to this young man who is focused on boxing and working hard towards his goal of becoming a professional prized fighter. Conner is a 13-year-old, 8th grader who finds time to get to the gym and also run six miles daily. He weighs in at a lean and mean 108 pounds and after two years of training, will be taking part in a three-round exhibition at the Holiday Brawl 2 scheduled for November 17. It is an event that is completely run by his training facility, the Rocky Boxing Club in Berwick, PA.
His mother, Amy Hartman Shea arranged a phone conversation where I had the chance to chat with the young man. I asked Connor what was it that brought him his passion for boxing.
“I watched a documentary on television of Muhammad Ali. That was before I even really liked boxing. Ever since then, that’s all I want to do. I’m not into video games or television. I normally go to the gym right after school. One of the teachers at school is Rich Finch and he takes me to Rocky Boxing Club, where we train.”
Conner wants to run, and put the gloves on whenever he isn’t attending school. It was a joy to talk to him. We had some fun when I asked him about his mom, Amy’s reaction to him getting into the ring for real.
“She didn’t want me to do it at all. She’s pretty nervous more than she was excited, but she knows it will be fine. I can do this.”
Conner said that he will be looking to have these bouts on a regular basis to gain experience. Some of his classmates will also be in attendance to cheer him on this week. I look forward to speaking with Shea again. It’s nice to see the youth continuing to be involved in combat sports and especially boxing, which has made a tremendous comeback in the last several years. Good luck Conner Shea!
