Talk to any 15-year-old about their plans for the future and they will probably respond with a semi-vague answer about what lies ahead.
Ask Anthony Sims Jr. of Avon and his reply leaves no question as to where his future is heading. Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 165 pounds, Anthony is a five-time Indiana Golden Glove winner and was world champion at 125 pounds along with holding a couple of national titles.
"Boxing made me who I am today," Sims Jr. said. "Boxing isn't just my thing, it's my father's. I'm just trying to finish his dream. I just want to keep progressing and work with Mayweather promotions."
Anthony started boxing as a 6-year-old after his father, Anthony Sr. who was on the 1980 Olympic boxing team as an alternate, passed away.
He began karate at age 5 because he "just liked to fight and thought it was fun." But a bit of rule bending stopped him from continuing because a participant cannot strike an opponent in the face or they face disqualification.
"All of the state tournaments I went to, I was disqualified," Sims Jr. said. "So, I went to boxing."
Previously, Sims' training regiment initially kept him around the Indianapolis area with coach Hank Johnson, who has trained some former greats that include Roy Jones Jr., Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe.
An average day consists of getting up for a running regiment, heading to the pool, fitting in some schoolwork and the off to the gym around 9 p.m. to train. But he said when he is home it feels "like I'm on break."
He now attends school online to make room for his boxing schedule and Anthony said the initial adjustment was a bit difficult.
"I'm still trying to get used to it," Sims Jr. said. "Not being in a classroom with other people is different. That's the one thing I miss about high school, it gets boring just being alone."
About a year ago the young boxer began traveling to Las Vegas to work with Roger Mayweather who is also the primary trainer for Floyd Mayweather Jr., Sims' cousin. Anthony admits that training is "more intense."
Waking at 7 a.m. in Las Vegas, Anthony runs the mountains and then around noon he heads to Mayweather's gym to train, then around 4 p.m. he spars until finishing sometime in the evening. Anthony follows that regimen for two to three months before fights.
"My mom (Tohana) wanted to make sure I was at the top of my game before I went out there," Sims Jr. said with a laugh. "She wanted to make sure I wasn't a stumblebum."
With five siblings, all sisters that range from 7-to-25 years of age, family means a lot to Anthony.
"They are my biggest fans," Sims Jr. said. "They show me love through the good and the bad times. When you win, everybody wants to be around, but when you lose no one is around but family."
Anthony wants the chance to participate at the 2012 Olympic games in London, but possible new rule changes have him re-evaluating that decision. According to Sims Jr., the Olympic boxing committee may change the entrant's age limit from 17 to 21, keeping the 2012 Olympics out of his reach.
"A lot of younger boxers are fighting grown men that are sometimes 30," Sims Jr. said. "Those type of guys have grown man strength and we are like little kids fighting them.
"If they make the change, they are going to miss out on some great fighters."
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Related Photos
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Avon's Anthony Sims Jr. (right) trains in Las Vegas in the gym of cousin Floyd Mayweather Jr. (left). Sims Jr. is a five-time Indiana Golden Glove winner. Submitted photo
Avon boxer training for the future in Las Vegas
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