AS DARMANI ROCK was rolling his way through the superheavyweight field of the Pennsylvania Golden Gloves championship in May, one boxing insider remarked that if the kid ever started to really focus on his craft, he could be scary good.
There is little debate among those in the know that Rock, 19, has the physical tools to be a legitimate contender in the years to come. But what about the mental dedication?
Several months ago, Rock stepped on the scales and the results were not good. At 288 pounds, he was in danger of eating away at his future.
On a recent Sunday, Rock was in South Philly to pick up his first Briscoe Award, which he won as the Philadelphia amateur boxer of the year for 2014. He arrived at the reception well-dressed, was his usual soft-spoken self, but had lost nearly 40 pounds.
"I'm not in this sport to play around," said the 19-year-old from Germantown.
If he's serious, those eight words could be the foundation to a remarkable career. Bozy Ennis, a Philadelphia trainer for more than three decades, said Rock's potential is limitless.
"I really believe he can be world champion," Ennis said. "He's a heavyweight who can box and move, but he can also punch. You ain't never seen a heavyweight like that who can move. He's got all kinds of moves."
Rock's next step is the Dec. 5-12 Olympic Trials where he will be one of five Philadelphia-area fighters heading out to Reno, Nev. with an eye toward qualifying for the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro (Aug. 5-21).
Flyweight Christian Carto, middleweight Leshawn Rodriguez, welterweights Paul Kroll and Mark Dawson and light heavyweight Jaron Ennis also are making the trip.
Jaron Ennis, Bozy's son, also won a Golden Gloves national title in May. He and Rock are close friends.
"He's a problem for (other) heavyweights," Jaron Ennis said. "He moves like he's my weight, 140. He's slick, fast, strong. He's the next up and coming heavyweight."
When he won his Golden Gloves title in Las Vegas, Rock beat veteran Cam Awesome, who is eight years older than Rock and a three-time Golden Gloves champ himself. Even though he's fought all over the world (Bulgaria, China, Russia, Ecuador, etc.), the victory was a critical step for Rock that has led to a more determined focus.
Rock's trainer and father, Wayne "Wiz" Rock will be keeping an eye on whether the weight loss will diminish Darmani's power. "He has to get used to it," he said. But Darmani is no longer "playing around." He's lost weight and seemingly gaining confidence by the day.
"I'm winning all these tournaments, I'm in the Olympic Trials in December. I have to be somewhat good," he said, before turning serious. "I'm going to be a world champion."