“It’s Kinda Hard”: 14-Time Boxing Champion Is Raising Money by Herself to Accomplish Olympic Goals

Hailing from El Paso, Texas, Kayla Gomez is a boxing prodigy who has already won national and international boxing tournaments. In fact, she has been making headlines on the local news for years, winning 14 national championships. However, the two-time Ringside World Champion is in a bit of a rut. While she has no lack of skills, there is one hurdle she must cross before she gets the chance to fulfill her Olympic dreams.

The flyweight boxer started boxing at a young age and has always wanted to compete in the Olympics. For the last few years, she has trained hard to fight for a place in the Team USA Olympic boxing squad. However, a financial obstacle has reared its head.

Kayla Gomez is keeping her dream alive

Trained by her mother and grandmother, young Kayla Gomez has found immense success. However, her streak of success was in danger of getting halted not by an opponent but for finances. In an interview with CBS4 News, Gomez said, “everything I do out of the country is paid for by Team USA.”

However, it’s not the case when the boxer is fighting locally. Hence, Gomez is working with a local non-profit organization, Plant a Seed, to raise money. According to Gomez, the non-profit helps with “mentioring in different sports, helping people that are in need, whether it’s in medical help or in general.” 

The money that the flyweight boxer raises will help her participate in the upcoming Golden Gloves Boxing tournament. The tournament is set to take place in Fort Worth, Texas, in two weeks. The money will also help the 14-time national champion to participate in the Olympic trials that will be held in Louisiana in December.

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“I’m putting on for my city, this is what I want to do and be a world champion one day in the 915,” she said. However, she also told CBS4 News, “it’s kinda hard” to raise the money. Despite what challenges might come her way, Gomez has been fighting even before she put on her first pair of boxing gloves.

Fighting before ever stepping into the boxing ring

Kayla Gomez started fighting when she was a baby. While she stepped into the boxing ring later in her childhood, until she turned five, Kayla Gomez fought a different battle. Gomez suffered from epilepsy and often had seizures.

The national champion boxer received treatment for epilepsy at the El Paso Children’s hospital. However, the flyweight can’t recollect those memories. “All I remember is it was pretty bad,” she told ABC7 in an interview last year.

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The boxing prodigy from Texas has a bright future ahead. It’ll be interesting to see how Gomez fairs at this year’s Olympics qualifiers.