Chicago 4th grader ranked #1 by USA Boxing
· Yahoo Sports
CHICAGO - From an early age, Markise “MJ” Wilson Jr. developed a reputation in the ring.
"My dad said that if you want to be good, you've got to go to other gyms and spar people. So, we went to another gym and sparred other people and I just ran through them. A lot of people started calling me 'The Terminator' and we stuck with it."
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It’s been “hasta la visa, baby” to every opponent that’s tried to take down the Terminator since.
MJ just turned nine on August 31st and is already 10-0 and ranked number one in the country in his age division.
He took home the National Silver Gloves in February and the gold medal at the Junior Olympics in June.
"It's a lot of fun emotions. It feels good to be winning. Every national I've been to, I won it."
MJ's dad, Markise Sr., boxed as a teenager.
"I can do everything but box," Wilson laughed. "I was pretty good. But on the extreme level, I couldn't do it. I couldn't compete."
But the pride he takes standing in his son’s corner lands the biggest punch.
"The sky's the limit for the kid. I'm so proud of him because he already outdid me."
"It's really special. My dad - he can just tell me to keep going. He's cheering for me all the time.
"His signature thing - he be saying 'boom' every time I hit somebody."
MJ has a ring full of role models. The Houston brothers – 13-year-old Rae’Sean, and 14-year-old Kentrell are both four-time national champs.
"We're always with each other. It's fun doing it together," noted Rae'Sean.
"He motivates me to go harder and go faster a lot. He's probably going to be one of the best boxers that you can think of at a young age," added Kentrell. "You're going to be hearing his name a lot."
The boxing bond runs deep in their family, too. Their dad Lamont Houston trains all three boys at the Sam Colonna Gym at 35th and California.
"They were the little guys. Now they got somebody looking up to them. It just makes them more mature, more disciplined. I would even say 'want it' a little bit more for somebody that's looking at them. I think the reason why [MJ] got off to this hot start that he did is because he understands a championship pedigree. He started training with national champions at seven years old, so the only thing he could have become is a national champion."
The Terminator has his sights set on a third championship at the 2026 USA Boxing National Open September 26th in Cleveland.
The family started a GoFundMe page to help cover travel, lodging and tournament fees.
"It costs a lot but it’s worth it to see smiles on these kids faces," explained Wilson Sr. "I’m sure, even if he doesn’t box in the future, this will inspire him because boxing motivated me to never give up. You have to train and train. When things get hard, that doesn't mean give up. You keep training and give your best. That's what you're going to get. You're going to get your best if you try your best and give your all. That's what boxing is about."
In boxing, everyone has a plan until they get hit.
MJ, Rae’sean and Kentrell all have big plans in their future – turning pro, reaching the Olympics – and a Terminator mentality when they do get knocked down to get right back up again.
"When I first talked to them, I asked them 'what do you want to do in this sport?' noted Houston. "[MJ] said I want to go to the Olympics. I said, 'did your daddy tell you to say that?' He said, 'No.' Did your mama tell you to say that? 'No, that's what I want to do.'
"When you've got a seven-year-old saying 'I want to make it to the Olympics, I'm glad that I was the coach that was chosen."
"It will take a lot of passion, discipline - I will have to keep going and don't let anybody distract me."
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