Boxer Camille James could be Philly’s next big star, and she’s only 16

Boxing trainer Rashiem Jefferson sees something special in 16-year-old Camille James. It’s the type of special where you brag to others, hoping their eyes also become enamored with the unique talent you’ve witnessed.

So Jefferson reached out to Claressa Shields, the top-ranked female boxer in the world, and showed her video of a then-15-year old James.

“Claressa Shields said it out of her own mouth. ‘She’s nasty. She’s got everything it takes to be better than me,’ " Jefferson said. “I already knew that in my own mind. But Claressa Shields just stamped that Camille James has what it takes to be better than her.”

James started boxing at the age of 10. Her former trainer, Ivan “Mighty” Robinson, wasn’t training girls at the time, but James’ talent convinced him to change his mind.

Now James, a Northeast Philadelphia native, is dominating her competition. She is the No. 1-ranked amateur in the country at 106 pounds, according to Team USA Boxing. She is also a five-time champion in national competitions and the 2018 and 2019 National Junior Olympics champion.

“I used to be nervous in the ring, but now I’m not nervous because I know I can beat them," James said of her opponents. “I know my talent. I know what I can do.”

Although James has won her last nine bouts, her camp doesn’t keep up with wins and losses because the focus is on getting better in the amateur ranks.

James relies on confidence, power, and a devastating hook that Jefferson said can change the momentum of a fight whenever it lands.

Jefferson is working with James on improving her head movement. Her stamina is also a problem when she doesn’t eat right or get the proper rest.

“Keeping my weight down is the hardest thing to do. But anything else, I got it,” James said. “This is my life. I love it.”

James’ mother and stepfather decided to home school her this year because she was missing weeks of school at a time as she traveled across the United States to competitions. Home school isn’t an easy thing for James to accept. She’s a teenager who likes to be around her friends, and school was the best outlet because she trains at the gym Monday through Friday at 5 p.m.

“Sometimes when she hurts somebody, she kind of feels bad for her opponent. But this is a sport."

“She gets a little cabin fever,” said Shareese James, Camille’s mother. “She really doesn’t want to do [home school], but I think it’s more of the social life.”

Home schooling is “weird” for James, she said, but not as weird as her friends think it is that she’s a boxer. There aren’t women boxers in her age group in the Philadelphia area that rival her skills. So she often trains with guys, and they don’t take it easy on her. One time, James was sparring with a boy, and her nose started to bleed. The moment didn’t deter her, and she kept trading punches with him. She was 13.

“With the girls, it’s like I eat those punches because I spar boys all the time,” James said. “I don’t like [sparring boys], but it helps me get better because they just keep coming."

James is staying active during the coronavirus pandemic by running every day and working out. Jefferson also checks in to keep track of her progress and offer his input.

James’ stepfather, Michael Jones, got her into boxing. James would pass the Harrowgate Boxing Gym that Danny Garcia trained at every day on her way home from school. When she turned 10, she reminded Jones that she wanted to box.

What started off as a hobby quickly developed into a lifestyle. It was evident that she was good early in the process, but there was a problem: James didn’t like to hurt people.

In a match in 2017, James hit her opponent with a body shot that led to the girl folding up and crying. The medical personnel brought out a stretcher.

“Camille shed a tear,” Jones said. “She felt bad. That was a crazy moment right there."

“Sometimes when she hurts somebody, she kind of feels bad for her opponent. But this is a sport," Shareese James added.

Jefferson reminded her that her opponents won’t feel bad for her, and now James doesn’t care. Her mindset has shifted to “we can be friends out of the ring, but there are no friends in the ring,” she said. And the results are backing that up.

James was dominant at the 2018 and 2019 Junior Olympics. Her next goal is to win gold at the 2020 Junior Olympics, currently scheduled for June 21-27 in Lubbock, Texas, at 110 lbs. She is ranked No. 2 in the country in that weight class.

James and her camp have some tough decisions to make. She will turn 18 in 2022. Winning a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics is high on the list of goals, but they also will discuss the opportunities that come with turning pro at 18 or 19 years old.

“I’m 100 percent sure that when Camille James turns pro, she’s going to be a force to be reckoned with," Jefferson said.