Local preteen boxers enjoying recent successes

It was quite a couple of months for both local preteen boxers Kaleigh Auld, age 9, and Dominic Adame, age 10.

Auld was unopposed at the state silver gloves but wanted to fight for experience so chose to compete against a boy in a coed match where she took a loss in her first competition ever but being a coed match she was still qualified as the female state champion advancing to the regionals in Searcy, Ark., in December. Again, she was unopposed. She advanced to the nationals in Independence, Mo., where she met up with Keinyla Willis from Cleveland and the two young ladies battled for the national championship where Kaleigh pulled off an impressive win to capture the title of 2025 Nationals Silver Gloves Champion.

Auld says she likes the sport. “I enjoy boxing,” Auld said. “It’s fun punching people. I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t like it.”

Auld has enjoyed the recent success. “It was fun and exciting,” she said. “I had never felt like that before. I like having the belt.”

However, there was no greater adrenaline rush then when she met Willis for the belt.

“I was very excited when I was in the ring,” Auld said. “It was a good experience, but it was also fun.”

As for Adame, he was unopposed at the state and again at the regional level moving in and stepping up at the national level of competition where he fought his very first bout in the finals for the National Silver Gloves championship where he lost due to the referee stopping the bout in the third round.”

Just like Auld, boxing piqued Adame’s interest. “Boxing is an interesting sport, actually,” Adame said. “I really enjoy it.”

He also enjoyed the success he had. “It feels good,” Adame said. “After I fought, I felt good because that was my very first fight.”

Adame said there were mixed feelings stepping into the ring for his first-ever bout.

“I was excited, and a little bit nervous — but not too nervous,” he said. “The first place I sparred, it wasn’t at a tournament, but I was very nervous. I realized that if I’m too nervous, I’ll get easily beaten up. This fight was very exciting for me.”

Their coach could not be more pleased with their success at such an early age.

“I’m super proud of them,” Coach Billy Jack Edwards said. “They work super hard. They’ve been working at it for over a year now. I’m tickled to death for both of them.”

However, Edwards said they both have to keep training and prepare for what’s next, likely the 2025 Junior Olympics this summer in Las Vegas.

“We just keep moving forward,” he said. “We’re probably going to put both of them in the Junior Olympics. It’s changed since COVID. Ever since COVID, they have opened up the Junior Olympics like an open invitation. It’s an eight-day tournament in Las Vegas, so it’s going to cost us a ton to get there and do that. It’s called ‘The Summer Festival.’ On USA Boxing, they call it ‘The Summer Festival/Junior Olympics.’ It will be a big deal. I really believe both kids can compete. They’ve proved it at the state, regional and national levels. It’s going to be a ton of fun. I’m excited for both of them.”