Young boxer wins Golden Gloves

He just won the Golden Gloves championship, but Chance Sanford still has the potential to do even more and achieve even higher honors.

The eight-year-old Alvin resident took the top boxing title, winning in two separate bouts in two days.

“I was nervous the first day,” he said. “It felt good, and I wanted to continue.”

In February, he attended the five-day Golden Gloves tournament, which was held in Houston. Chance fought in the 65 pound weight class where the rounds are one minute each. On the second day, the rounds are two minutes each and in the first round, his opponent received two standing eight-counts. They are calls by the referee where the fight is stopped because a competitor is knocked down. He counts to eight, deciding if the boxer receiving the count should continue the fight. As the second round started, his coach, Chris Ruiz told Chance, “Stay with him” and that advice paid off with the win.

Chance won the bout 10 seconds into the second round, after his opponent received two standing eight counts.

“I won my first trophy ever,” said Chance with a smile.

The Passmore third grader has worked towards the title by training, jumping rope, stretching, sparring and practicing three days a week since November.

Before Christmas, Coach Chris asked Chance, if he would like to enter the Golden Gloves and the youngster said he would, leading to his dedicated training.

Chance’s15-year-old sister, Madison spent some time boxing, but after a few months, and a hand injury, she decided to drop the sport.

Chance and Madison were introduced to boxing by their father, Little Sanford, who loved boxing when he was a young man.

However, he says feels he didn’t discipline himself enough to stick with the training and quit.

Coach Chris saw potential in Chance when he began to show up regularly for training.

His health is the most important thing the coach and his parents watch, and Chance has a physical every year.

While Chance was working out for the Golden Gloves, but felt it was not intense enough and asked Coach Chris if he could workout more.

Now, he practices with the “big kids” an hour and a half, and younger boxers an hour every day. It’s not easy to find partners to spar with, but several girls have stepped up to work with Chance.

Although he really likes boxing, and trains hard, his true love is baseball, which he plays year-round.

Madison and their father pitch to him in the Little League Park near their home. And, he puts as much effort into perfecting his baseball skills as he does in boxing. He started playing as a six-year old on the 8U team, the Blue Chips, followed by the 7U team named the Five Tool Players. Now, he is playing on the 10U, with the same coach he had in 7U.

Clearly an athlete with dreams of becoming a great baseball player, Chance is focuses on whatever sport he puts his time and energy into each day.