HOLLAND – As she awaited the judges decision, Emily Martinez could have been nervous, anxious or even scared.
But the Holland boxer was calm and at peace.
She knew she had done everything she could in the Michigan Golden Gloves state championship fight to win and when the announcement was made that she won the title, the calmness went away and she leaped in jubilation.
“I was confident but also had peace of mind. I wanted to show I could come back and fight better,” Martinez said. “I was proud of myself. I earned my way here. It means a lot to be Michigan champ. It shows everyone how hard I work.”
It has been a long road for the 29-year-old from Eli J Boxing Club in Holland, who started boxing after an abusive relationship. She became the first Holland female boxer to qualify for the Golden Gloves national tournament, which begins May 11 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“I feel like the odds are against me. I work two jobs, I have two kids and work seven days a week – and have to be a mom on top of it. Not everyone who trains has that kind of lifestyle,” Martinez said. “But I am not doing this for no reason. I feel like I am a good boxer but I wanted to prove it. This win shows that.”
Martinez has been an athlete girls have looked up to and that number continues to grow with every win.
“I think about my daughter and the way she views me. She looks at me like I am strong and I am tough and that she wants to be like me,” Martinez said. “That is what inspires me to do more. I want her to know that you don’t need anyone to protect you or doubt you. We are strong and we are capable.”
Martinez defeated Sarah Batenburg of MGGA boxing, who had defeated Martinez just three weeks prior, at 132 pounds in the Elite Open class.
“I knew what I had to do to win. There was a key moment in the third round. I was able to knock her down with an overhand right. I am pretty proud of myself for that. I have never seen anyone crumble from a punch,” Martinez said. “It was my first time knocking someone down. I felt in the zone. I was in a trance. There are parts of the fight where I wasn’t getting hit and I was able to tune things out and visually see everything. That is when I started winning. I had a calm mindset.”
That is what her coaches were looking for, especially the rapid punching.
“She threw a lot of punches and used her talent,” coach Thomas Amaro said. “The first fight didn’t go that well and she picked up the pace. It is really big. There is no girl from Holland who has ever won this – nobody – so it means a lot to us and to her. The first matchup they had, she wasn’t all there mentally, so we focused on that.”
Martinez also said the mental side of the first fight was the key. It was her first fight in the open division, meaning 3-minute rounds instead of 2-minute rounds, leading her to overthink.
“I was exhausted. I was nervous about the time difference. That was part of the reason I couldn’t focus. I was worried about endurance and paced myself too much. I knew I had to do more the second matchup,” Martinez said. “I knew she was pissed that she got knocked down, so I let her tire herself out and took control.”
Now, Martinez is looking to do the same on a national level.
“I need to trust myself. That is the biggest thing, trusting by abilities and letting my hands fly,” she said. “This is the big leagues and I don’t have time to waste.”
Her right-hand is strong and she has worked her way up and down the body, giving her a plethora of combinations and attack strategies to work with.
“I have to start utilizing that power now. The last win proved that it was there, now I have to use it,” she said.
Martinez is hoping to turn professional later in the year.
“The goal, ultimately, is to go professional and start making money doing this.” she said. “That is my dream and I know I am capable of it.”
Contact sports editor Dan D’Addona at Dan.D’Addona@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @DanDAddona or Facebook @HollandSentinelSports.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Emily Martinez first Holland female boxer to win state Golden Gloves, reach nationals
Reporting by Dan D’Addona, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
