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'The Future' punches
his way to top
by Martha Thorn
Trident Feature Editor
When Boxing Coach James McNally was asked for a recommendation for Athlete
of the Week, he didn't hesitate.
"Amir Shareef," McNally said.
"Amir was the national runner-up as a plebe, two-time brigade
boxing champ and national champ last year."
All these accolades go to a guy who never boxed until Plebe Summer.
Instead, he played basketball and football and ran track.
Now he boxes and wears six pins - five for wins over Army and one for a
win over Air Force.
Shareef's boxing potential was recognized when he was a plebe. McNally
called him a "little Mike Tyson" and said he was going to be good
in the "near future."
Then Midn. 2/C Dan Person told Shareef he would rise through the ranks
in "the future." Now Shareef is a second class and Person, an
ensign. McNally and Person's words have proved prophetic.
"From that time on, they called me 'The Future,' and I've tried to
live up to that name," Shareef said.
As a plebe, Shareef set his sights on becoming a national champion.
"That was a lofty goal, being a plebe," Shareef said, "but I
was undefeated the whole year and only lost to the defending national
champion. I came really close."
"In the future," 364 days later, he won his first national
championship. Now, the plan is to win another.
Shareef credits his success to God and good training. "I never
would have foresaw any of this," he said, "but it must have been
God's will that made me able to excel and good training."
As a child, Shareef grew up watching Mike Tyson matches on television
and his older brother, Hakim, boxing in the gym. Now, his brother is
training to enter the Golden Gloves, the U.S. Amateur competition. One of
his classmates, Tommy Huff, became a professional boxer.
"I've seen him on ESPN2," Shareef said.
Now, Shareef's a "student of the game." On a recent visit to
his mom in Buffalo, he sparred with Baby Joe Mesi.
"He's one of the top name guys in the heavyweight division,"
Shareef said.
Like his academy mentors, Baby Joe predicted a "bright future"
for Shareef.
Shareef has sparred with Hector Hernandez, an amateur fighter in
California, and Maxell Taylor of Baltimore and Mike Dietrich of Washington.
Both are getting ready to turn pro.
Shareef also watches as many boxing matches as he can on television.
Recently, he paid $50 to watch the Roy Jones Jr. fight on pay per view.
His main supporters remain McNally and Tom Virgets, the academy's deputy
physical education officer. "Coach McNally is more than a coach to
me," Shareef said. "He's also like a second father and a
trainer."
Virgets supports him with his experience training boxers like Tommy
"the Duke" Morrison, Donovan "Razor" Ruddock, Iran
"the Blade" Barkley and Johnny Tappia.
"What he says carries a lot of weight with me," Shareef said,
"He's been a big factor in my development because he can give me some
one on one attention."
Ultimately, it boils down to Shareef and his opponent.
"It takes work, courage, tenacity and aggression to go out
there," he said. "It takes heart to go on when you're hurting and
the chips are down, but you work through it."
Shareef maintains that "every fighter is one punch away from his
demise." Even at his best, he realizes that everything could come
falling down.
Yet, he's willing to push the envelope and take the risks.
He said, "You've got to work hard and be willing to put everything
on the line."
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