A train ride out of East St. Louis becomes the first step in a fighter’s rebirth. Trevion Boyd arrives in Albuquerque with little more than a blessing from his grandmother and the grit to start over. What he finds is a gym that takes pain off his shoulders and replaces it with focus, a team that raises his ceiling, and a path that turns a rough past into measurable wins—two New Mexico Golden Gloves titles and a growing presence at national tournaments.

We dive into the moments that shaped him: the charge that derailed school, the judge who recognized a change of heart, the first amateur loss to a friend that became a blueprint for growth. Trevion opens up about judging politics in amateur boxing and the only answer that matters—execute so clearly that scorecards don’t decide your fate. He breaks down the Tulsa stoppage, the cost of not listening to your corner, and the mindset reset that now guides his prep for Colorado. Along the way, he talks about building with a respected Albuquerque coach, training around winners, and embracing the competitive pressure that forges pros.

Threaded through it all is faith and family. His grandmother, Sandra Denise Johnson Byrd, remains the voice in his head and the standard he measures against. He wants a pro career not just for belts and lights, but to give back—choosing community over flash, purpose over hype, legacy over likes. We also trade takes on Shakur Stevenson and Teofimo Lopez, the surge of young talent, and what staying relevant really demands in modern boxing. If you’re chasing your own pivot—out of chaos, toward clarity—this story is fuel.

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The Boxing Grind

Jayden Utarro, a teenager with pink hair won Golden Gloves in his very first boxing match and hasn’t lifted his foot off the gas since. We sit down for a candid look at how bullying sparked a turn to self-defense, how early kickboxing wins and losses shaped his composure, and why a shock debut victory became the fuel for an unforgiving training routine that starts before dawn. This is a story about ownership: of time, of identity, and of what it takes to stand out without losing yourself.

We get into the nuts and bolts of his schedule: 2 a.m. alarms, strength and conditioning before most alarms ring, fast two-mile efforts that sharpen pace, and midweek sparring sessions where visiting hitters bring fresh looks. He breaks down how switching gyms gave him a multi-coach team with distinct roles, why footwork days are as valuable as heavy bag days, and how open-invite sparring keeps the ego in check. He also shares how his mom stepped into matchmaking, how teammates push him past his limits, and how sponsors help keep the lights on when travel and gear stack up.

Identity and ambition run through every minute. The Pink Panther look isn’t a gimmick; it’s a flag you can see from the cheap seats. He talks about wearing local merch, choosing pink because no one else did, and staying open to causes that matter. We trade takes on favorite fighters like Sean O’Malley and Ryan Garcia, then wade into the sanctioning debate around Terence Crawford and what makes a champion beyond belts. School is online, college is a maybe, and the only certainty is the next round. If he could pick any spar, he’d choose Crawford, because the fastest way to learn is to step where the air is thin.

If stories of grit, routine, and clear-eyed ambition move you, this one lands. Hit follow, share it with a friend who loves combat sports, and leave a review telling us which fighter you’d choose for a dream spar and why.

The Boxing Grind

A little side note to the audience

The Boxing Grind