The path to a champion’s mindset doesn’t start with a belt. It starts with a choice—and Yoruba’s first big choice was to switch from orthodox to Southpaw as a kid, mastering the stance until it felt like home. From losing his first five amateur fights to stacking 200 bouts and stepping confidently into the pros, he shares how fundamentals, honesty, and patience turned frustration into fuel.

We dig into what really changes from amateur point-scoring to professional punishment. Yoruba explains why snapping punches is a lost art, how he treats sparring like the closest thing to fight night, and why intensity has to be earned before it’s unleashed. He opens up about the realities pros face—opponents pulling out, camps shifting, the politics of the amateur scene—and how he keeps momentum with discipline and gratitude. The jab becomes the anchor: a tool he drills for entire sessions, a compass for distance, timing, and control.

Family and community shape this story. His father is his coach, pushing him past comfort without selling him easy answers, and his sister brings body-shot power that sets the bar for toughness. We talk about building toward multiple-division titles from 118 and 122, traveling to Vegas for elite work, and what New Mexico’s boxing culture needs to truly shine: fewer egos, more fundamentals, and safer, smarter coaching. If you care about craft over clout, this conversation will land.

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The Boxing Grind