Junior Jimmy Perez got hooked on the sport of boxing at a young age and has embraced the sport’s impact both in and out of the ring.

Perez decided to become a boxer at the age of 12 and it quickly became his favorite sport, as he trains nearly every day at Camp Get Right Boxing in Worcester. He was intrigued by the physicality and technicality of boxing, and he competes with the goal of improving his skills as he works toward competitive bouts.

“At first, I was doing it just to stay active, but then I ended up getting into the sport and training for actual fights,” Perez said. 

Perez has accumulated a variety of skills throughout his years of training. 

“I got a nice hook and cross with my right hand,” Perez said. “My right hand is my strong hand.”

Currently, Perez competes in unofficial matches and has an undefeated 5-0 record. These are matches fought at Camp Get Right Boxing against other members of the gym. However, these are unlike regular boxing matches that are televised. 

“There’s more safety rules in the one I’m in,” Perez said. “We have to wear headgear.”

Although Perez has been boxing for over five years, he admits there are some parts of his game that could still use some improvement.

“I’ve been told that once I get into a match, I start to put my hands down a lot and then that’s what gets me,” Perez said. 

Perez trains hard to improve and prepare for matches. His favorite drills are hitting the heavy bag and sparring against a trainer with pads. 

“When I’m with the bag, they let me do my own thing,” Perez said. “I can practice my shots and everything.” 

Perez often spars with other boxers as well. These training sessions are designed to be similar to a real fight but with lighter shots and a safer environment. Despite these guardrails, sometimes things escalate. 

“You’re supposed to start off going light with soft punches, but then people decide to lock in,” Perez said. 

Becoming a boxer was a major decision in Perez’s life, and he was encouraged by his older sister and his cousin who was already a boxer. Perez’s sister Emely Vasquez wanted to help get him into boxing because of the positive impact the sport could have on his well-being.

“I wanted to help him get into boxing because I believe it’s a great way to build discipline, confidence and strength both mentally and physically,” Vasquez said. “He had tried other sports in the past but I could sense there was something missing. He quickly dropped those. With boxing, it was completely different; he’s passionate about it.”

As Perez is getting closer to graduating high school, he plans to continue his boxing career and keep it as a hobby for most of his life. 

“I love boxing,” Perez said. “It’s a tough sport that is a good way to stay fit and relieve stress.”