After spending years searching for a fighter he could train to contend for Olympic gold medal, Danny Kisner finally found him in an unlikely place: inside his house.
Nick Kisner ? Danny?s 16-year-old son ? won the super-heavyweight title in the 15-16-year-old division at the Junior Olympic National Championships in Marquette, Mich. earlier this month. Competing in a tournament in which all competitors weigh at least 201 pounds, Kisner extended his winning streak to 12 matches with a 12-10 victory over California?s Tino Dominguez. Nick Kisner said the win moved him one step closer to representing the United States at the 2012 Olympics in London.
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“This was my biggest win yet,” Nick Kisner said. “Getting to this level is amazing after all of my hard work. Right now all of my focus is on the 2012 Olympics and then I?m turning pro.”
The 5-foot-6 Kisner has blossomed into a talented boxer since he first stepped into the ring a decade ago. Kisner has a career record of 55-22, but has been sensational in the past year. He won four of amateur boxing?s most prestigious tournaments: the Junior Golden Gloves, Junior Silver Gloves, the Ohio State Fair and the Junior Olympics.
Kisner will look to win a fifth straight title this week in Las Vegas, where he will defend his Junior Golden Gloves title. After competing in the tournament, which begins today and concludes Saturday, Kisner will head to Kansas City, Mo., for the Ringside World Championships. It will be one of his final youth tournaments, as Kisner moves into the open division next year, when he could face boxers as old as 34.
“Nick is in excellent position to make the Olympics in five years,” Danny Kisner said. “To have 74 fights by 16 years old is unbelievable. He?s been brought along perfectly and is starting to peak at the right time.”
Nick Kisner said he trains six days a week with his father at Club One Fitness in Millersville. Kisner, who attends Old Mill High, said he runs for an hour when he gets home from school before training for two hours at the gym.
Still, Kisner, who completes his homework when he returns from training, enjoys the challenge. He just hopes it ends competing in the Olympics with Danny in his corner.
“It?s so much fun to get to work with my dad,” said Nick, who also competes for Old Mill?s wrestling team. “We get to talk about stuff all the time and he really helps me become a better boxer.”
