When you look into the face of an aspiring fighter, you see something very special. There’s a certain kind of real-world toughness you won’t find anywhere else. But it’s the kind of toughness that’s tempered with distance and understanding. There’s a wisdom here that goes way beyond the years.
For the vast majority of these young fighters, they’ll experience more heartbreak than happiness. But it’s the dream that keeps them in the ring. And once in a great while, dreams do come true. The final photo in this series is of Grover Wiley. An Omaha fighter who overcame enormous odds, Wiley got his shot at greatness on September 17th, 2005. Seizing the opportunity, Wiley beat Julio Cesar Chavez in one of the greatest upsets in welterweight boxing history.
In small, modest gyms scattered throughout Nebraska, there are hundreds of young boxers who are chasing the dream of one day becoming a professional prize fighter.
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