PEORIA (25News Now) – 16-year-old Mycko Macklin proved he isn’t just a boxer. He’s also a fighter.After a traumatic childhood, Macklin won the century-old Chicago Golden Gloves boxing tournament for his weight class in April. Macklin is believed to be the only tournament winner to have ever come from Peoria.“I got a call in the morning that my brother was shot six times,” Macklin said. “I was in and out of the gym, running the streets. Boxing just came into my life, and it really changed it.”Macklin said he was expelled at age 12 from a Peoria school after fighting a student. He later enrolled at the Elite Game Changers Safe School in Peoria. It’s a school that attempts to change criminally at-risk kids’ behavior. His eventual coach and mentor Robert Bell saw Macklin’s struggles and said his behaviors were similar to his incarcerated son. So, he taught Macklin how to box.“People could have given up on me and not believed in me for the road that I had chosen and came up on,” Bell said. “But they didn’t. So why would I give up on another kid?”After the championship match, Macklin said he felt proud of everything he’s overcome in his life, but he said it’s only the beginning of his boxing career. “I grabbed him, I hugged him. I said, ‘Yeah son, we did it,’” Bell recalled. “It’s not about the wins and losses with me. It’s about lessons, development, learning. It’s bigger than boxing!”“I had my belt around me. I gave my mom a big hug, and she cried on my shoulder and said she was so proud of me,” said the champ. “It felt great to hear those words from her.”Macklin said his goal is to be a six-time world champion in six weight classes. He believes he can accomplish that if he stays committed.“When I come to the gym, some days I have days where I cry. Some days I have days where I don’t want to do it, but I still have to push myself because I want to be the greatest,” Macklin said confidently.Mackin’s next bout comes May 10 in St. Louis. You can watch 25News – any newscast, anywhere – streaming LIVE on 25NewsNow.com, our 25News mobile app, and on our WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how you can get connected to 25News streaming live news here.Copyright 2024 WEEK. All rights reserved.



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