{"id":340470,"date":"2025-12-29T05:30:11","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T05:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/340470\/"},"modified":"2025-12-29T05:30:11","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T05:30:11","slug":"in-austin-and-across-texas-youth-boxing-thrives-out-of-the-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/340470\/","title":{"rendered":"In Austin and across Texas, youth boxing thrives out of the spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>LUBBOCK \u2014 \u00a0The morning before his fight, as he waited in line for his 6 a.m. weigh-in, slurped an Orangesicle protein shake in a strip mall and later watched his younger sister practice her punch combinations with their father, Jayden Hernandez reminded himself what he knew about boxing.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The day\u2019s bout \u2014 a third-round matchup in the 2025 USA Boxing National Championships that would pit him against the top seed in his bracket \u2014 \u00a0would have to be won with discipline and specificity, not a tit-for-tat brawl, he repeated to himself and to his father that December morning. The 15-year-old from Kyle, who stands 5-foot-6 and weighs 105 pounds, would have to be perfect.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne good hit, and this guy can knock you,\u201d his father and coach, Fabian Hernandez, told him. Jayden, his face solemn beneath wispy brown hair, nodded.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Jayden Hernandez trains at Let &#8216;Em Fly boxing, his father&#8217;s gym in Kyle.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins \/ Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Jayden Hernandez trains at Let &#8216;Em Fly boxing, his father&#8217;s gym in Kyle.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins \/ Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Boxing no longer produces American heroes nor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/has-boxing-declined-since-glory-days-rumble-jungle-1977157\" data-link=\"native\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">commands national attention<\/a> like it did half a century ago. But like practitioners of other faiths, the Hernandezes aren\u2019t especially interested in America\u2019s waning devotion. They remain committed to the sport&#8217;s grueling sacraments in hope of its rewards. It\u2019s why Fabian Hernandez first took his son to a ring almost a decade ago. It\u2019s why his son, who is by nature calm, and already hardened by several second-place finishes at national tournaments, has kept dealing and taking blows.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>American boxing\u2019s future runs through Texas, which has the largest number of youth fighters in the country. One in five lives in the Lone Star State, according to the country\u2019s governing body for amateurs, USA Boxing. Within Texas, the Austin area has emerged as one of its most fertile grounds for talent in recent years, producing six youth and adult national champions and surpassing, at least for now, historical powerhouses like San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Largely sustaining this culture are the boxing gyms of Austin\u2019s periphery, clustered in southern and northern suburbs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.statesman.com\/story\/news\/local\/2023\/12\/28\/austin-black-latino-community-move-further-east-affordability-education-wage-gap-key-issues\/71958820007\/\" data-link=\"native\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">increasingly home<\/a> to the region\u2019s nonwhite population and working- and middle-class families.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Lily Hernandez, 11, leads a group through footwork exercises during practice ahead of the annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Coach Fabian Hernandez, the founder of the gym and Lily\u2019s father, is proud to see his kids taking on leadership roles in the gym, but also wants to make sure they have time and space to be kids.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Lily Hernandez, 11, leads a group through footwork exercises during practice ahead of the annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Coach Fabian Hernandez, the founder of the gym and Lily\u2019s father, is proud to see his kids taking on leadership roles in the gym, but also wants to make sure they have time and space to be kids.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Boxing in the United States survives in large part because of the continued attention and participation of American Latinos. Today, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/sports\/boxing\/before-mayweather-mcgregor-poll-shows-mma-isnt-stealing-boxings-popularity\/2017\/08\/25\/f9b3f47a-892f-11e7-a50f-e0d4e6ec070a_story.html\" data-link=\"native\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">they\u2019re three times as likely<\/a> as white Americans to identify as boxing fans and, according to USA Boxing operations manager Mike Campbell, account for more than half of all youth boxers. In Austin-area gyms, that reality is even starker: Latinos make up nearly all youth participants.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Night after night, in the stuccoed garages or warehouse office parks of Buda, Kyle, Pflugerville and Round Rock, the smack rhythm of fists hitting weighted bags and the skirts of nylon shoes dancing across the ring hum a soft music. Youths like Jayden furrow their brows, purse their lips and briefly clap their gloves during sparring breaks, eyes fixed on their opponents.<\/p>\n<p>In a sport known \u2014 or rejected \u2014 because of its physical cost and blunt objective, there is little space for error. Commitment becomes nearly total. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Father and son, father and daughter<\/p>\n<p>Jayden doesn\u2019t remember playing alongside the gym during his father\u2019s amateur boxing comeback attempt in the early 2010s. But he does remember playing with his father\u2019s trophies, around the time Fabian Hernandez first took him to boxing lessons at age 7. After taking a year off to try soccer and baseball, Jayden returned to boxing five years ago \u2014 this time training in his family\u2019s garage under his father\u2019s direct tutelage.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Lily Hernandez, 11, laces up her shoes as she gets ready to spar against another gym at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. The sparring night was set up with another Central Texas gym to help athletes get sharp ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 4\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv f bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><img alt=\"Lily Hernandez, 11, warms up for practice at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025 as an Outstanding Club trophy from the junior olympics is displayed ahead of the gym\u2019s holiday party. Lily, the daughter of gym founder and coach Fabian Hernandez, is a  nationally-ranked athlete and a huge part of the gym\u2019s growing competitive success, along with her older brother, Jayden, 15.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 4\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv f bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Lily Hernandez trains at her father&#8217;s gym, Let &#8216;Em Fly boxing.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins \/ Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Lily Hernandez trains at her father&#8217;s gym, Let &#8216;Em Fly boxing.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins \/ Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Those father-and-son sessions quickly grew to include Fabian Hernandez\u2019s best friend\u2019s son, Osiris Rangel, 12, then the boys\u2019 younger sisters, and eventually dozens of other kids. Early this year, Fabian Hernandez moved the operation, which he named <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Let-Em-Fly-Boxing-Academy\/61574670890970\/\" data-link=\"native\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Let Em Fly Boxing Academy<\/a>, into a warehouse. Participation has continued to grow.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>So, too, has the gym\u2019s reputation, built on Jayden\u2019s high placements at national tournaments and national title wins by Osiris and three female youth boxers \u2014 including the boys\u2019 sisters Lily Hernandez, 11, and Emoni Rangel, 10.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Lily Hernandez, 11, helps Emoni Rangel, 10, with her head gear during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. Both girls are national-caliber boxers, using the sparring session to get sharp before the USA Boxing National Championships.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Lily Hernandez, 11, helps Emoni Rangel, 10, with her head gear during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. Both girls are national-caliber boxers, using the sparring session to get sharp before the USA Boxing National Championships.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Training is tough and ramps up in the weeks before a national tournament. There are distance runs and sprints, long circuits of sit-ups, tire throws, box jumps, ladders and bag work, followed by sparring several nights a week with kids whose parents drive them in from Killeen, San Antonio, Uvalde or Laredo. During peak periods, some train six days a week.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt no time can you take a break from this sport. It\u2019s a livelihood,\u201d Fabian Hernandez is known to tell his athletes.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Hernandez has his children write out where they want to be in five and 10 years. The most common answer among kids in his competitive team: They want to be champions. They want to go pro.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t just want to be good, or great,\u201d Jayden said during one training session. \u201cI don\u2019t just want to go pro and be a stepping stone for someone else. I want to be a world champion. I want to be known.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Aniyah Edwards warms up to spar with Coach Fabian Hernandez doing the mitts during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. Edwards is one of three national-caliber female youth boxers training under Hernandez at the gym.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 4\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv f bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><img alt=\"Coach Fabian Hernandez, tidies up the gym ahead of practice at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Hernandez founded the gym after training his own kids, both national-caliber youth boxers out of his garage.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 4\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv f bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Coach Fabian Hernandez at his gym in Kyle.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins \/ Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Coach Fabian Hernandez, left, at his gym in Kyle.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins \/ Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>The boxer of today<\/p>\n<p>Manuel Sepeda was 13 when he gave boxing a second chance in 1985. A troublemaker raised by his mom and aunt, he began to make the five-block daily walk from East Austin\u2019s Santa Rita Courts public housing project to the Pan-American Recreation Center to train. Sepeda went in search of discipline and purpose: boxing\u2019s mythic whisper. Other East Austin Chicanos, from the projects and nearby homes, went too. The gambit paid off for some, including Sepeda, who later carved out a modest professional career in his 20s.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Twenty-five years ago, when Zach Martinez started coaching youths, that grit still defined the sport\u2019s storyline. Many of the kids who showed up at Pan-Am or Montopolis recreation centers were often getting into trouble. Some were shot dead on days off from the gym. Poverty \u2014 the harsh backdrop boxing has long claimed \u2014 was ever-present.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Today, though that storyline is still told, it is less common in Austin, said Martinez, who currently trains youth boxers out of the Montopolis recreation center.<\/p>\n<p>That doesn\u2019t mean boxing has stopped being a blue-collar sport. Far from it. But, \u201cthere are a lot more fathers in corners,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0k2140tXwio\" data-link=\"native\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sepeda<\/a>, now 53, who served time in federal prison before becoming a car salesman and boxing trainer. \u201cThat\u2019s a good thing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Athletes box during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. The gym invites other gyms from around Central Texas to spar, letting the athletes get in practice bouts before real competitions.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Athletes box during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. The gym invites other gyms from around Central Texas to spar, letting the athletes get in practice bouts before real competitions.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Fabian Hernandez, who grew up boxing while his own father sat behind bars, agrees. Boxing is a trade he is teaching his son. Being in his corner matters.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>The father in the corner has become more important in part because of the rising cost of participation. <a href=\"https:\/\/projectplay.org\/news\/2025\/2\/24\/project-play-survey-family-spending-on-youth-sports-rises-46-over-five-years\" data-link=\"native\" class=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Spending has increased<\/a> in youth sports, especially since the turn of the century, as private facilities and travel-based circuits have become increasingly prevalent, said Jon Solomon, community impact director of the Aspen Institute&#8217;s Sports and Society Program. (Montopolis and Pan-Am recreation centers now have much smaller programs than the private gyms in Austin suburbs.)\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But boxing carries additional burdens: Limited participation by age and weight class makes national tournaments essential, and the sport lacks an offseason, pressing parents to travel out of state \u2014 and pay for it \u2014 several times a year.<\/p>\n<p>Campbell, the USA Boxing operations manager, estimates the average fighter or family spent about $1,200 to participate in December\u2019s national championships in Lubbock, covering transportation, lodging, food and registration. Hernandez estimates that he spent about $2,000 this year to take his two kids to tournaments in Lubbock, Las Vegas and Tulsa this year, but only because his gym\u2019s aggressive fundraising covered roughly three times that amount.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Of course, the father in the corner is much more than a wallet. He wraps wrists, waves mitts and makes weight decisions. He raises his voice for the judges to hear, or to admonish after a loss. He lowers his voice to comfort.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Coach Fabian Hernandez, founder of  Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing, watches his athletes hit the bag during practice ahead of the annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Hernandez founded the gym after training his own kids, both national-caliber youth boxers out of his garage.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Coach Fabian Hernandez, founder of  Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing, watches his athletes hit the bag during practice ahead of the annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Hernandez founded the gym after training his own kids, both national-caliber youth boxers out of his garage.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Among the best\u2019<\/p>\n<p>As Jayden skipped around the ring dressed in blue, his opponent edging toward him, the first round of his third-round matchup appeared to go to plan. The opponent, broader-shouldered and aggressive, rushed in. Jayden pivoted out. Some punches landed; others missed. Jayden countered with quick strikes to the head.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Fabian Hernandez swayed at ringside. When the counters landed, he smiled, proudly. \u201cBeautiful,\u201d he told his son between rounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>But the pace proved hard to sustain. In the second and third rounds, the opponent worked Jayden onto the ropes and kept him there. Jayden\u2019s pivots slowed, and the fight became a brawl \u2014 blow traded for blow \u2014 as Jayden tried to escape one corner and then another, tripping at times and taking repeated punches to the face.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>After the unanimous decision against him, Jayden walked away from the rings toward a covered corner of the auditorium, out of view of the mezzanine stands filled with fans. He stared at the wall, turning from his father, who listed frustrations about his son\u2019s drop in form. After a few minutes, he stopped.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou\u2019ve proven you\u2019re among the best,\u201d he told Jayden.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Jayden Hernandez, 15, helps a younger athlete train on the mitts during practice ahead of the annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Jayden\u2019s father, coach and gym founder Fabian Hernandez is proud of his son stepping up to help coach and lead the younger athletes, but still encourages him to put his own training and childhood first.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Jayden Hernandez, 15, helps a younger athlete train on the mitts during practice ahead of the annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Jayden\u2019s father, coach and gym founder Fabian Hernandez is proud of his son stepping up to help coach and lead the younger athletes, but still encourages him to put his own training and childhood first.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>The delicate sport<\/p>\n<p>From the crowded stands of the Lubbock Civic Center, four rings come into view below. In a tangle of red and blue, fleeting contests are decided in 90-, 120- or 180-second rounds. Talent collides with chance, bravery with apprehension, expectation with delusion \u2014 meanings that settle only later, when the adrenaline has faded.<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Boxing may be the most delicate of games because of the unavoidable risk of grave injury. It is also delicate because triumph and defeat are decided by judges who can each see only a partial angle of the fight from their bench. In Lubbock, any loss ended a boxer\u2019s tournament, leaving fighters with days\u2019 worth of empty hotel reservations. The thin line between excellence and obscurity became unmistakable.<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Athletes are reflected in a screen at the gym as they do footwork during practice ahead of the annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 4\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv f bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><img alt=\"Jayden Hernandez, 15, passes the team trophies from the year down to Coach Fabian Hernandez, who in turn passes them to Lily Hernandez, 11, as the family prepare for the gym\u2019s annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. The trophies, from the 2024 and 2025 Edinburgh Junior Olympics are team awards for the Outstanding Club. They represent the gym\u2019s growing success, with more and more athletes able to compete at a high level.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 4\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv f bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Let &#8216;Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins \/ Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Let &#8216;Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins \/ Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>The fragility is visible, until it isn\u2019t. An older Chicano man, gaunt and bald, with a cryptic neck tattoo peeking from a black hoodie, shrieks when a referee issues an \u201ceight count,\u201d an eight-second stoppage intended to protect a fighter\u2019s brain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s bullshit. He hit him with a jab,\u201d the man yells, as he swallows bright yellow popcorn and the kids around him giggle. \u201cHe didn\u2019t even fall. Got to let them fight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Safety remains a roundabout conversation in youth boxing. USA Boxing enforces medical screenings and morning health checks designed to prevent fighters from entering the ring with existing head injuries \u2014 a proven way to reduce the risk of seizures or strokes, said ringside physician Leah Geodecke, a volunteer at nationals. But among coaches and fighters, risks are often framed as inevitable \u2014 concerns to be reckoned with only if they arrive. At the end of the day, Hernandez said, \u201cIt\u2019s a combat sport.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>And though the rewards of the adherent come from sticking with the sport, boxing is hard to remain in. At the end of the road for many, Sepeda reflected, comes the day \u201cyou can\u2019t get past a kid no matter what you do.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t think people [who box] are quitters,\u201d Sepeda said. \u201cBut boxing is a sacrificial sport, and it\u2019s a very lonely sport.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Aniyah Edwards, left, and Lily Hernandez,  center brush the Emoni Rangel\u2019s hair after her bout during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. The three girls are preparing to compete at the USA Boxing National Championships in a few weeks.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-gray200 mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Aniyah Edwards, left, and Lily Hernandez,  center brush the Emoni Rangel\u2019s hair after her bout during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. The three girls are preparing to compete at the USA Boxing National Championships in a few weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n<p>Walking into the lobby after his loss, a red rash glowing on his right cheek, Jayden accepted hugs from his sister, teammates and fathers. He said he would replay his mistakes that night in bed, as he felt the soreness of his arms, legs and face. He would think about them over the next few days while sparring with other fighters who had been surprised with early exits, and over the coming weeks back at the gym in Kyle.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"uiTextSmall f aic jcc\">Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<p>Those details, or at least that feeling, will be there \u201cforever,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019ll be there when you want to quit.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>See more scenes from Let &#8216;Em Fly boxing:<\/p>\n<p><img alt=\"Aniyah Edwards, center, talks to her teammates, Lily Hernandez, left and Emoni Rangel as they huddle ahead of their bouts during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. The three girls are preparing to compete at the USA Boxing National Championships in a few weeks.\" loading=\"eager\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Aniyah Edwards, center, talks to her teammates, Lily Hernandez, left and Emoni Rangel as they huddle ahead of their bouts during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. The three girls are preparing to compete at the USA Boxing National Championships in a few weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Emoni Rangel sends a punch at her opponent during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. Rangel is preparing to compete at the USA Boxing National Championships.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Emoni Rangel sends a punch at her opponent during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. Rangel is preparing to compete at the USA Boxing National Championships.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Aniyah Edwards, 11 smears frosting on the nose of Lily Hernandez, 11, during their ginger bread house contest at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing\u2019s annual holiday party in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Spending long hours in the gym training, often six days a week, has brought the group of elite youth boxers close.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Aniyah Edwards, 11 smears frosting on the nose of Lily Hernandez, 11, during their ginger bread house contest at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing\u2019s annual holiday party in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Spending long hours in the gym training, often six days a week, has brought the group of elite youth boxers close.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Lily Hernandez, 11,  sits ringside wearing her gloves as she gets ready to spar at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. Hernandez, a nationally ranked athlete, is ramping up to compete at the USA Boxing National Championships.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Lily Hernandez, 11,  sits ringside wearing her gloves as she gets ready to spar at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. Hernandez, a nationally ranked athlete, is ramping up to compete at the USA Boxing National Championships.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Lily Hernandez, 11, shadow boxes as another athlete uses the ropes during their final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Lily Hernandez, 11, shadow boxes as another athlete uses the ropes during their final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Emoni Rangel, 10, hits a water bag during her final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Emoni Rangel, 10, hits a water bag during her final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Lily Hernandez, 11, sends a punch at her opponent during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Lily Hernandez, 11, sends a punch at her opponent during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Lily Hernandez, 11, warms up for practice and conditional ahead of the annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Lily Hernandez, 11, warms up for practice and conditional ahead of the annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Osiris Rangel, 12, center, does footwork during his final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Osiris Rangel, 12, center, does footwork during his final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Aniyah Edwards warms up to spar with Coach Fabian Hernandez doing the mitts during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. Edwards is one of three national-caliber female youth boxers training under Hernandez at the gym.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Aniyah Edwards warms up to spar with Coach Fabian Hernandez doing the mitts during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. Edwards is one of three national-caliber female youth boxers training under Hernandez at the gym.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Athletes condition with a core workout during practice ahead of the annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Athletes condition with a core workout during practice ahead of the annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Athletes are reflected in a screen at the gym as they do footwork during practice ahead of the annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Athletes are reflected in a screen at the gym as they do footwork during practice ahead of the annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Lily Hernandez, 11, warms up for practice at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025 as an Outstanding Club trophy from the junior olympics is displayed ahead of the gym\u2019s holiday party. Lily, the daughter of gym founder and coach Fabian Hernandez, is a  nationally-ranked athlete and a huge part of the gym\u2019s growing competitive success, along with her older brother, Jayden, 15.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Lily Hernandez, 11, warms up for practice at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025 as an Outstanding Club trophy from the junior olympics is displayed ahead of the gym\u2019s holiday party. Lily, the daughter of gym founder and coach Fabian Hernandez, is a  nationally-ranked athlete and a huge part of the gym\u2019s growing competitive success, along with her older brother, Jayden, 15.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Jayden Hernandez, 15, passes the team trophies from the year down to Coach Fabian Hernandez, who in turn passes them to Lily Hernandez, 11, as the family prepare for the gym\u2019s annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. The trophies, from the 2024 and 2025 Edinburgh Junior Olympics are team awards for the Outstanding Club. They represent the gym\u2019s growing success, with more and more athletes able to compete at a high level.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Jayden Hernandez, 15, passes the team trophies from the year down to Coach Fabian Hernandez, who in turn passes them to Lily Hernandez, 11, as the family prepare for the gym\u2019s annual holiday party at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. The trophies, from the 2024 and 2025 Edinburgh Junior Olympics are team awards for the Outstanding Club. They represent the gym\u2019s growing success, with more and more athletes able to compete at a high level.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Jayden Hernandez, 15, wraps his hands ahead of practice at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Jayden and his younger sister, Lily, 11, come straight to the gym after school most days, eating a snack in the bag of Coach and father Fabian Hernandez\u2019 truck.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Jayden Hernandez, 15, wraps his hands ahead of practice at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Jayden and his younger sister, Lily, 11, come straight to the gym after school most days, eating a snack in the bag of Coach and father Fabian Hernandez\u2019 truck.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Coach Fabian Hernandez, tidies up the gym ahead of practice at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Hernandez founded the gym after training his own kids, both national-caliber youth boxers out of his garage.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Coach Fabian Hernandez, tidies up the gym ahead of practice at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Hernandez founded the gym after training his own kids, both national-caliber youth boxers out of his garage.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Jayden, left, and Lily Hernandez get in their father\u2019s truck to head to practice at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Coach Fabian Hernandez picks his kids up from school and takes them straight to the gym most days. They eat a snack in the car or sometimes stop for food.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Jayden, left, and Lily Hernandez get in their father\u2019s truck to head to practice at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Dec. 19, 2025. Coach Fabian Hernandez picks his kids up from school and takes them straight to the gym most days. They eat a snack in the car or sometimes stop for food.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Jayden Hernandez, 15, hits the bag during their final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Jayden Hernandez, 15, hits the bag during their final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Coach Fabian Hernandez watches his athletes run sprints during their final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025. Physical fitness is a critical part of boxing, which combines both skill and endurance.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Coach Fabian Hernandez watches his athletes run sprints during their final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025. Physical fitness is a critical part of boxing, which combines both skill and endurance.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Osiris Rangel, 12, hits the bag during his final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Osiris Rangel, 12, hits the bag during his final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Lily Hernandez breaks a sweat while hitting the bag during a final conditioning before the USA Boxing National Championships while practicing with the team at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Lily Hernandez breaks a sweat while hitting the bag during a final conditioning before the USA Boxing National Championships while practicing with the team at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Coach Fabian Hernandez laces up athlete Osiris Rangel\u2019s, 12, gloves during his final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Coach Fabian Hernandez laces up athlete Osiris Rangel\u2019s, 12, gloves during his final conditioning session ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 19, 2025.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Coach Fabian Hernandez and his athletes watch a bout during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. Hernandez founded the gym after training his son, Jayden, 15, and daughter, Lily, 11, out of his garage.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofcv bgscv block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Coach Fabian Hernandez and his athletes watch a bout during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. Hernandez founded the gym after training his son, Jayden, 15, and daughter, Lily, 11, out of his garage.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Lily Hernandez, 11, laces up her shoes as she gets ready to spar against another gym at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. The sparring night was set up with another Central Texas gym to help athletes get sharp ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Lily Hernandez, 11, laces up her shoes as she gets ready to spar against another gym at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. The sparring night was set up with another Central Texas gym to help athletes get sharp ahead of the USA Boxing National Championships.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<img alt=\"Jayden Hernandez, 15, prepares to fight during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. Hernandez began training at age seven with his father, Fabian Hernandez as a coach. The father-son sessions grew to include other national-caliber athletes, including Jayden\u2019s sister, Lily, 11, and soon led to Fabian Hernandez opening the boxing gym.\" loading=\"lazy\"   style=\"aspect-ratio:3 \/ 2\" class=\"x100 y100 opc bgpc ofct bgsct block bg-black mnh0px fill\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Jayden Hernandez, 15, prepares to fight during a sparring night at Let \u2018Em Fly Boxing in Kyle, Texas, Nov. 13, 2025. Hernandez began training at age seven with his father, Fabian Hernandez as a coach. The father-son sessions grew to include other national-caliber athletes, including Jayden\u2019s sister, Lily, 11, and soon led to Fabian Hernandez opening the boxing gym.<\/p>\n<p>Sara Diggins\/Austin American-Statesman<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"LUBBOCK \u2014 \u00a0The morning before his fight, as he waited in line for his 6 a.m. weigh-in, slurped&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":340471,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[41],"tags":[2560,101,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-340470","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-boxing","8":"tag-boxing","9":"tag-sports","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340470","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=340470"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/340470\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/340471"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=340470"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=340470"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=340470"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}