Young champ Fulton remains dedicated to his craft

IT WAS HOT, one of the hottest days of the year thus far.

Like most boxing clubs in Philadelphia, the James Shuler Memorial Gym is a no-frills kind of place.

You march up the tall flight of stairs to a single room with one boxing ring, body-length mirrors and an assortment of speed bags, punching bags and weights.

Air-cooling industrial fans are not considered essentials. The temperature this day was pushing well into the 90s.

But at about 4:30 p.m., a crash of thunder boomed through the West Philadelphia neighborhood, and then an afternoon torrent of rain dropped the temperature.

It was fortunate, because that was just about the time a bevy of boxers began filing up the stairs.

Soon more than 30 fighters would be in the gym. At times, up to four fighters were in the ring. Every bag, mirror or piece of weightlifting equipment was being used.

No space was unoccupied.

This has been a way of life for Stephen Fulton Jr. for 6 years - ever since he took up the challenge of trainer Hamza Muhammad to try boxing instead of fighting in the streets.

The rain was a surprising summer reprieve, but it made no difference to the 18-year-old Fulton. He has come to the gym through all weather conditions.

It's just one of the sacrifices to be made while chasing a dream in one of the most physical and violent of sports.

To excel requires a strong body, strong mind and strong will. Two of three won't get it done.

On this particular Tuesday, Fulton, a graduate of University City High School, was feeling particularly good about the dedication he has put in.

He had just come back to Shuler after spending nearly a week in Colorado Springs, Colo., at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

It was Fulton's first experience with the U.S. boxing team. The multimillion-dollar facility, which can house more than 500 athletes and coaches at one time, offered a few more perks than Shuler's.

"It was a wonderful experience, just being with all of the teammates and all of the coaches," said Fulton, who earned his first USA national team berth by finishing second in the bantamweight (123 pounds) division at the USA Boxing Championships in April in Spokane, Wash. "You eat healthy and you train hard."

It was like a 9-to-5 job

Fulton, who won the 2013 Golden Gloves Championship at 114 pounds in May, said wakeup was at 7 a.m., with breakfast to follow. At 10 a.m. was cardio training, which included a 4-mile run and lots of wind sprints. After a break for lunch, there was more training and technical sparring.

"It was a lot of running, a lot of cardio," he said. "It was a different experience. You were focused. No girls, no outside distractions, it was strictly boxing, mental and physical."

It also was a reminder of why Fulton has worked so hard, why he has avoided the temptations of the streets to train 7 days a week and why he is the only one of the original three Muhammad convinced in 2006 to take up boxing who stuck it out.

"Things are moving quickly," Fulton said. "New doors are opening up for me. There are more options.

"I saw a lot of kids come and go. My family and friends told me to stick with it. Honestly, I started thinking about the kind of lifestyle that I wanted. I wanted to make sure I would be able to care for my family.

"If that means taking a beating in the ring to feed my family, I'll do it. When I was younger, I didn't realize why parents work so hard. I was saying I wouldn't do that. But as I grew, I realized I would. If I have to take a beating to get the things right for the next generation, I will do it."

Muhammad couldn't be prouder of what his pupil is accomplishing.

A former amateur fighter, Muhammad saw his life heading astray when he was jailed for a year on a gun charge in 2004.

After his release, Muhammad decided he would try to help kids in his West Philadelphia neighborhood avoid trouble by training them to box.

"Stephen was 12 when I first brought him to Champ's Gym in North Philly," said Muhammad, 30. "He wasn't getting in any serious trouble, but I told him he should do that fighting in a boxing ring, not on the street.

"He's a quick learner. He had his first fight when he was 13 and that same year, he ended up winning the Ringside World Tournament.

"What's happening for Stephen now is great, because he has really put the work in to try to become successful. It takes a lot. You have to keep pushing and pushing.

"These kids, where they are from, where I'm from, something negative is always pulling at you. It takes a lot to stay dedicated to keep coming to the gym."

It has been a big year so far for Fulton.

He won the open Golden Gloves championship, to go with the Junior Golden Gloves title he won in 2010 and the Silver Gloves title he won in 2009.

With his amateur resumé building, Fulton looks like a serious contender to earn a spot in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio De Janeiro.

But Fulton is at an age in boxing in which to keep fighting as an amateur to have a shot at the Olympics may not remain in the plans.

"The Olympics are what I'm thinking right now," Fulton said. "That's what I've dreamed about.

"I think I'd have a good chance to win the Olympics. But 4 years [before turning pro] is a long time. If I go professional, I could have a world title by the time I'm 22. You never know. Really, it's going to be whatever happens will happen."

Muhammad said another factor is that the International Boxing Association recently barred headgear for elite-level fighters.

The question of whether it is smart to take 4 more years of punishment without headgear without getting paid must be considered.

"Still, I always told Stephen that I wanted him to be on the USA team, even if you don't go to an Olympics," he said. "The experience will be amazing, from going to the USA Training Center to getting international bouts. The USA team does a lot for you."

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