Today we’d like to introduce you to Mario Herrera.
Hi Mario, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Since the age of 4- current I have always been involved in sports whether it was a sport everyone did (soccer, football, basketball, etc.) or a sport that was not meant for everyone, such as boxing. Coming from a household with a single mother is not rare, but difficult to grow when money wasn’t there. This being said having to pay for travel cost, training cost and uniform cost was difficult because my mother always made sure we had the things we needed; things like food, roof over our head, school supplies, etc. although it was tough, my mom always made sure we were able to stay active and stay away from the trouble that the city of Chicago brought. Over time, I started to meet new people that gave me better opportunities and showed me a “different” lifestyle, such as coming from a family with money and how to make right choices to become a better person. This lead me to staying active and staying away from trouble. Throughout the years of 12-19, I was playing football and training boxing. This lead me to get a college scholarship for football. During the time I was playing football I was training to fight amateurs shows with the dream to become a golden glove champion in Chicago. Throughout the years I have always had to work harder than others to come out on top because I either didn’t have the money for better training or resources to get in top, but this didn’t stop me from dreaming to get to the top level for anything. After playing 2 and a half years of college football, going into my third year, I tore my ACL due to poor programming in strength and condition in the football program; I decided I would stop playing and drop out of school to pursue boxing and fight the Chicago golden gloves to get recognized and leave a statement. Winning the 2019 Chicago golden gloves lead to more opportunities as I was self-trained and signed up with a short notice after coming back from training at Wild Card in LA, California. This opened many doors to training with elite-level boxers and getting known in the boxing community. Although it is tough to make it out from Chicago for most sports, I had so much desire that I would invest in myself and travel state to state for more training and get connected with more people. In 2021 I had the opportunity to turn pro after a year and a half of amateur shows being postponed or canceled due to COVID. Since then, I have stayed active, and I am still having to travel to make connections in the boxing community to get more known and get an opportunity that I have been dreaming of. To this day I hold a record of 9 wins 0 loss and 1 draw. 7 of those wins come by way of knockout. With a record like this, I have been able to show more than nothing as well when it comes to traveling to get some training done. I have recently visited San Diego and I am in talks of possibly moving there and/or doing many of my training camps there.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
This is not an easy nor hard journey, it is difficult. From switching trainer to trainer or training myself, I have been making things possible because excuses are not acceptable for me. Finding a good nutritionist and/or strength and conditioning program is the number one priority for me, yet alone a professional athlete. Having the right people behind me who care about my best interest was always difficult, but I was able to get with Fernando Perez who provides me with everything at the highest level possible and cares for my best interest.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a professional boxer. I am known for working hard and my power in my punches. I am most proud of achieving my wins and losses in the amateurs; 27 wins 3 loss. As well as holding a record of 9 wins (7ko’s) 0 losses and 1 draw in my professional career. Throughout my journey, I believe traveling on my own and showing my hard work state to state had set me apart from everyone else and shows that I really want to be successful and achieve what is possible at the highest level; becoming a world champion and helping others in and outside the boxing community.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
None the least my mother is the number one person I give credit for moving us out of trouble and giving us a better opportunity to succeed. I also I give credit to Fernando Perez (trainer/strength and conditioning coach) for always believing in me and pushing me to strive for greatness. As I mentioned before about nutrition as well as strength and condition being my number one priority, I give credit to Alexsis Pappas (nutritionist/management) for putting me positions to succeed. From making weight to fighting the right fights to come out in top. Not very easy, but very difficult to get done, but she makes it happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: Teamherrerachicago.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mario_herrera22/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mario.herrera.940
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/marher3mario
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