COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Shakur Stevenson started throwing punches shortly after he could walk. His grandfather began teaching him how to box at age 5, and he has barely lost since he won his first fight at 8.
He dreams of world title belts and enough money to move his mother and eight younger siblings out of his beloved Newark, New Jersey. But first, Stevenson is in Rio de Janeiro to fulfill a dream that has consumed him since he went online and looked up the early history of his favorite boxer, Andre Ward.
"Most people say they want to become a world champion, but he's actually been obsessed and wanting to win a gold medal his entire boxing career," said his grandfather, Wali Moses.