Local boxer to compete in world competition
May 13, 2009
ECO Staff – Laure Cioffi, senior journalist
ELLWOOD CITY – Benjamin Maine was born to box.
 “He’s a natural at it. I’ve been teaching him boxing moves since he was old enough to walk,” said his father Jack Maine of Ellport who also serves as his coach through the Ellwood City Police Boxing Club.
The Lincoln High School sophomore who recently turned 16 years old has been identified as one of the best young boxers in the country and will represent the United States at the 2009 Junior World Championships in Yerevan, Armenia.
“I feel pretty good, but I’m nervous,” Ben Maine said this week of his trip which includes training at the United States Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., starting today through May 21 then onto Armenia through the end of the month.
His father estimates Ben will have 12 to 15 fights during the championship competition where he is fighting in the light heavyweight division.
Ben is currently ranked second nationally in Silver Gloves, the division for amateur boxers ages 10 to 15 and ended up second in a recent national competition.
His father says Ben’s performance in that competition is what caught the attention of Junior World team coaches.
 He is one of 13 young boxers chosen to represent the United States in the world competition. There will be over 300 boxers representing 50 countries.
According to USA Boxing, the event, which was previously known as Cadet World Championships, features the world’s top 15 and 16-year-old boxers in what’s often an early showcase for future Olympians.
His father says there is a real chance that Ben will make the U.S. Olympic team in 2012.
And Jack Maine should know.
He was on his own road the Olympics before he broke his knee in 1986. Jack Maine spent a year training at the United States Olympic Center, which was then located in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Ben says his dream is the Olympics, but if that doesn’t work out he intends to go into professional boxing.
Boxing has been something of a tradition in the Maine family. In addition to Ben’s father, he has a brother, also named Jack, who still boxes, a sister Mary Alice, 18, who has taken to the ring. And his grandfather and great-grandfather also took their turn in the boxing ring as young men.
Jack Maine can’t help but see the great potential in his youngest son.
“He reminds me a lot of Mohammed Ali. He has the same style,” he said.
The Ellport father says he wishes he and his wife, Frances, could travel with their son, but they won’t be making the trip to California or Armenia.
“I’m nervous. I’m happy for him, but I’m afraid of everything from the flight to the fights,” Jack Maine said.
The competition will not be televised, so the Maine family will have to follow it on the Internet and through calls home from Ben.
Ben said his teachers at Lincoln have given him his class assignments and tutors are expected to work with the young fighters while training and at the competition. He also plans to take plenty of photos while in Armenia to share at school in a power point presentation.
He will return home on June 1.
(Laure Cioffi can be reached at LaureCioffi@EllwoodCity.org) |