Started boxing at age 15, didn't get an amateur bout until 17-18 Boxing, like for so many other troubled teens, was a way out for Quillin, who started in the sport at the age of 15. He was in and out of the gym, though, undisciplined and didn't have his first amateur fight until he was 17. At 18, he decided to get serious about boxing. With his $300 life savings stuffed in his pockets, he and his trainer headed to New York City, where he competed in the famed NYC Golden Gloves. He first lived on 88th and Amsterdam in Manhattan, in an apartment of his trainer's friend. Things didn't work out between "Kid Chocolate" and his trainer and Quillin soon had no place to live, no family in New York, and he was left crying by himself on a train heading from the Bronx to Manhattan. It certainly hasn't been an easy road for Quillin to follow and get where is today. Although it never got to the point where he considered quitting boxing, he was forced to work three jobs to survive, earning $350-$500 a week at IHOP ("My personality helped me earn extra money there."), $100 a week doing administrative work for a friend, and additional coin teaching conditioning classes. "I'd work three jobs and then go workout at the gym," Quillin noted. "I didn't sleep. Faith is everything. God has been good; He challenged me. Some may question why I have the work ethic I do and I owe that to God. I've learned that, if you really want something, you need to work at it. I'm still learning about boxing and I put everything into it. My work ethic is even better today, even if it just looks easier. Boxing is my job, boxing is my life." He's been a bit of a disappointment but I want him to succeed bad, very touching story!
I like Quillin as a person. He is a very likable guy. He also does not put up boring fights - he throws punches and can bang. I feel kind of bad for him, I really think GBP is basically using him to keep the belt warm for Canelo when Alvarez can no longer make 154. I heard a rumor though that Oscar wants to get him some decent fights a while back. Maybe if ODH is more assertive at GBP, Quillin will finally get some headline worthy fights.
Fantastic post, with as you note an inspirational story that makes you want that fighter to suceed after such a tough start. Good luck to him for his hard work that has made him a success whatever happens
Will be cheering him on even though I don't think he has what it takes to be a top 160 lb fighter. :good Want him to make enough for his family and himself for the rest of his life.
He is a player at 160, not good enough to tbe THE man but certainly one off.. which is modern boxing is good enough.
Even the midget they got from the circus was able to land punches on Quillin, if the midget had power, he would have hurt Quillin, I mean the opponent was small for a Jr. middleweight................Golovkin would knock him out without any trouble, hope that fight happens................
WBO middleweight champion... He can't be bad. Is he the best middleweight in the division? No. Is he a good fighter, making the most of what he does have, plus trying to be abit more than he started out as, a path to follow as it were.. Yes. Haters gona hate, not everybody can be the best
I understand that Kid is building his business case, his brand. These words of preaching and flashbacks to his past, seld development and self improvement are typical for the modern society. And people that accomplish big things in life can and maybe should share their stories to inspire people. The problem here is that he is not Ali to preach. Ali was a man of action and word. Kid is a man of word, he keeps talking and talking and keeps beating the likes of Konecny without impressive performance. He starts talking big when in reality he is just another titleholder who wants to capitalise on having the belt while it lasts. I respect the likes of GGG more. This guy lost two of his elder brothers in his childhood. He and his brother Max became respectable sportsmen and persons in their hood full of hardcore criminals. He got no legitimate support from powerful people when he was conquering the amateur boxing world. His brother (who was regarded as equally if not more talented) needed to stop boxing due to injuries and concentrate on helping parents earn money because GGG could not help them while he boxed. He lost 4 years in professional boxing under the contract with now known fraudulent company Universum. And GGG is humble and not vocal about this not due to his poor knowledge of English. He doesn't wanna share his struggles with people in Kazakhstan as he wants people to assess him purely as a sportsman. Two different models of behavior and I respect the latter more. Words without action is weak.