Claressa was getting ready for a fight.
Claressa
was
getting
ready
for
a
fight
.
She had boxed many times before.
She
had
boxed
many
times
before
.
But this time, the prizes were higher than ever.
But
this
time
,
the
prizes
were
higher
than
ever
.
If she won this fight, Claressa would win a spot on the US Olympic Women's Boxing Team.
If
she
won
this
fight
,
Claressa
would
win
a
spot
on
the
US
Olympic
Women
's
Boxing
Team
.
The fight was difficult.
The
fight
was
difficult
.
Claressa was up against a two-time US champion.
Claressa
was
up
against
a
two-time
US
champion
.
"Her whole game plan was to hold me against the ropes so I wouldn't hit her," says Claressa.
``
Her
whole
game
plan
was
to
hold
me
against
the
ropes
so
I
would
n't
hit
her
,
''
says
Claressa
.
Claressa didn't give up.
Claressa
did
n't
give
up
.
She won the fight.
She
won
the
fight
.
And that wasn't all.
And
that
was
n't
all
.
She also won the title of outstanding fighter for the whole tournament!
She
also
won
the
title
of
outstanding
fighter
for
the
whole
tournament
!
Claressa, now 17, started boxing when she was just 11.
Claressa
,
now
17
,
started
boxing
when
she
was
just
11
.
She was inspired by her dad.
She
was
inspired
by
her
dad
.
He had been a fighter when he was younger.
He
had
been
a
fighter
when
he
was
younger
.
But when she first told her dad that she wanted to box, he didn't support her.
But
when
she
first
told
her
dad
that
she
wanted
to
box
,
he
did
n't
support
her
.
"He told me, 'No!
``
He
told
me
,
'No
!
No!
No
!
Boxing is a man's sport,"' Claressa remembers.
Boxing
is
a
man
's
sport
,
'
''
Claressa
remembers
.
"It made me so mad."
``
It
made
me
so
mad
.
''
Claressa wouldn't back down.
Claressa
would
n't
back
down
.
"I wanted to fight.
``
I
wanted
to
fight
.
I knew that whatever I put my heart and my work into, I was going to be successful at it," she says.
I
knew
that
whatever
I
put
my
heart
and
my
work
into
,
I
was
going
to
be
successful
at
it
,
''
she
says
.
Finally, her dad took her to the boxing gym to start training.
Finally
,
her
dad
took
her
to
the
boxing
gym
to
start
training
.
She was the only girl.
She
was
the
only
girl
.
"Everybody was looking at me," she says.
``
Everybody
was
looking
at
me
,
''
she
says
.
Claressa didn't worry about fitting in.
Claressa
did
n't
worry
about
fitting
in
.
She just did her best.
She
just
did
her
best
.
Claressa now has a boxing record of 23 wins and zero losses.
Claressa
now
has
a
boxing
record
of
23
wins
and
zero
losses
.
"I think you're awesome," her dad told her not long ago.
``
I
think
you
're
awesome
,
''
her
dad
told
her
not
long
ago
.
He's proud that she proved him wrong.
He
's
proud
that
she
proved
him
wrong
.
"I'm still proving people wrong," says Claressa.
``
I
'm
still
proving
people
wrong
,
''
says
Claressa
.
Boxing can be dangerous.
Boxing
can
be
dangerous
.
How does Claressa feel when she steps into the ring?
How
does
Claressa
feel
when
she
steps
into
the
ring
?
"I'm not nervous," she says.
``
I
'm
not
nervous
,
''
she
says
.
"I'm determined and calm."
``
I
'm
determined
and
calm
.
''
She knows it's important to stay confident.
She
knows
it
's
important
to
stay
confident
.
"I've never gotten into the ring thinking that a girl can beat me," she adds.
``
I
've
never
gotten
into
the
ring
thinking
that
a
girl
can
beat
me
,
''
she
adds
.
But Claressa takes the competition seriously.
But
Claressa
takes
the
competition
seriously
.
"I always tell myself it's going to be harder than I think," she says.
``
I
always
tell
myself
it
's
going
to
be
harder
than
I
think
,
''
she
says
.
"I fight them all like they are world champions.
``
I
fight
them
all
like
they
are
world
champions
.
If I think it's going to be easy, I'm done!"
If
I
think
it
's
going
to
be
easy
,
I
'm
done
!
''
We asked Claressa to imagine stepping into the ring at the Olympics.
We
asked
Claressa
to
imagine
stepping
into
the
ring
at
the
Olympics
.
Would it feel any different from her other fights?
Would
it
feel
any
different
from
her
other
fights
?
"No," she says.
``
No
,
''
she
says
.
"Just a fight.
``
Just
a
fight
.
Just another girl in my way."
Just
another
girl
in
my
way
.
''
Claressa was getting ready for a fight. She had boxed many times before. But this time, the prizes were higher than ever. If she won this fight, Claressa would win a spot on the US Olympic Women's Boxing Team.  The fight was difficult. Claressa was up against a two-time US champion. "Her whole game plan was to hold me against the ropes so I wouldn't hit her," says Claressa. Claressa didn't give up. She won the fight. And that wasn't all. She also won the title of outstanding fighter for the whole tournament!  Claressa, now 17, started boxing when she was just 11. She was inspired by her dad. He had been a fighter when he was younger. But when she first told her dad that she wanted to box, he didn't support her. "He told me, 'No! No! Boxing is a man's sport,"' Claressa remembers. "It made me so mad."  Claressa wouldn't back down. "I wanted to fight. I knew that whatever I put my heart and my work into, I was going to be successful at it," she says. Finally, her dad took her to the boxing gym to start training. She was the only girl. "Everybody was looking at me," she says.  Claressa didn't worry about fitting in. She just did her best. Claressa now has a boxing record of 23 wins and zero losses. "I think you're awesome," her dad told her not long ago. He's proud that she proved him wrong. "I'm still proving people wrong," says Claressa.  Boxing can be dangerous. How does Claressa feel when she steps into the ring? "I'm not nervous," she says. "I'm determined and calm." She knows it's important to stay confident. "I've never gotten into the ring thinking that a girl can beat me," she adds. But Claressa takes the competition seriously. "I always tell myself it's going to be harder than I think," she says. "I fight them all like they are world champions. If I think it's going to be easy, I'm done!"  We asked Claressa to imagine stepping into the ring at the Olympics. Would it feel any different from her other fights? "No," she says. "Just a fight. Just another girl in my way."