LYNN — Lynn residents Anderson Blanco and Daniel Marte are headed to Detroit, Michigan to compete in the 2023 USA Boxing National Qualifier. If they both win their tournament, which starts Monday, they will be invited to another set of qualifiers, where they will compete with the hope of eventually making the Olympic team.
“I’m very excited about this,” Blanco said. “I’ve been preparing mentally, physically, and spiritually. That’s all I have been thinking about.”
“I feel like I’m ready,” Marte said. “I’m confident. I have a lot of experience and I think I’m going to win.”
Although Marte and Blanco got into boxing for different reasons, both stories involved their father encouraging them to give it a shot.
“It’s actually a funny story. One day I took a picture and it looked like I was squaring up, and my dad said to me ‘You should take up boxing’ because it looked like I had a natural stance,” Marte said. “We tried it out and it stuck with me.”
Initially, Blanco’s interest was sparked when he saw Muhammad Ali on TV, before getting support from his dad to pursue his passion. For Blanco, boxing runs in the family.
“My dad was an amateur boxer in the Dominican Republic. He had some influence on me as well,” Blanco said.
Marte and Blanco fight out of Private Jewels Boxing Club Inc. in Lynn under coach Alexander Sepulveda. When asked about the gym, Marte was quick to talk about the importance of education.
“I like how they put education first,” Marte said. “They always make sure you get what you need.”
Blanco currently attends Lynn Tech, while Marte goes to KIPP. Other than them both going to school in Lynn, they each mentioned how the city of Lynn shaped them into the people and fighters they are today.
“If it wasn’t for the great education in Lynn, I would not be the person I am today,” Blanco said. “Education comes first, and Lynn has provided that.”
“In Lynn, it’s a working-class community. I train hard because I want to be successful and have a luxurious life and provide for my family,” Marte said.
Both Marte and Blanco want to box as a career and see their appearance at Nationals as an opportunity to take a step in the right direction.
“My goal originally was to get big, win a lot of tournaments, and eventually be signed by Golden Boy or Showtime, some big promotion,” Marte said. “I wouldn’t mind the Olympics because I will be representing the best boxers in the US and can potentially get signed from there.”
“It’s a lifestyle and it’s embedded in me. Just like how everyone else has a career, boxing has its own,” Blanco said. “Making the Olympics is definitely on my list.”
Blanco and Marte will be representing Lynn as they embark on their journey, with the hopes of making the Olympic team.
