It’s not often that someone competes in a sport for only a few months before they master it.
That seemingly impossible dream has come true for 17-year-old Lake Orion High School senior Manrique Salinas, who recently won the Golden Gloves Championship for Michigan after boxing for only four months.
The competition was held in Grand Rapids on April 23-24 at the National Guard Armory. Salinas said he will not be able to go on and compete nationally because you would have to have had 10 or more fights, and he’s had six. To get to the Michigan championship, boxers had to win the Eastern Michigan division or be a runner up.
‘One of my buddies asked me to try boxing, and I told him I’d try it for a week and they said I had a lot of talent,? Salinas said. ‘It’s unusual for someone who hasn’t been boxing very long to win at Golden Gloves.?
Salinas said his mother Maria wasn’t very excited at the idea of him boxing at first.
‘She didn’t like me playing football either,? said Salinas, who played tightend and outside linebacker for the LOHS varsity team. ‘But my family has been very supportive. They’ve been to all my matches.?
Salinas had all knockouts in the six fights he fought this season, and plans to continue training at the Salvation Army in Pontiac this summer.
‘I have never even made it to the third round yet,? he said. ‘I’ll still be having club fights this summer.?
Salinas plans to go to Oakland Community College next year, majoring in business.
‘I want to transfer after a year, but we’ll see where boxing goes,? he said. ‘I want to keep (boxing). I’ll probably definitely turn professional…I’ve talked to a few promoters.?
Salinas started playing football in eighth grade and said he got tired of not being a part of anything when the season was over.
‘I’m not going to play football in college,? he said.
Salinas said the only boxer he really looks up to is Oscar de la Hoya, and that kids at school seem to think it’s ‘cool? that he’s boxing now.
‘They were surprised,? he said. ‘I turned out to be good at it. I had thought about it, but I didn’t know where to go. My buddy Charlie Peterson pushed me to try it for one week.?
When he’s done with school for the day, where marketing and business classes are his favorites, Salinas spends about 8-10 hours a week at the gym.
‘Everyday we show up about five, and do stretches, and cardio, and I do three rounds of speed bag, and three rounds of heavy bag,? he said. ‘I try to get three rounds of jump rope in. Then I do three rounds of shadow boxing and sparing.?
Ultimately, Salinas said he would like to pursue a career in entrepreneurship with some type of international business.
‘I’m fluent in Spanish,? he said.