Isamary Aquino might not seem like your typical boxer, currently enrolled in Texas State University, and a life-long athlete, her journey into the sport of boxing was unlikely and a chance happening.

“My father actually, ” said Aquino when asked how she started. “I was actually five-years-old when I started boxing, but I had no intention of ever competing, my dad really just put me in to learn how to defend myself.”

The 10x national champion with first places finishes in the PALs and Junior Olympics, who originally started boxing as a safety precaution now is looking at a promising career as she signed with world renown boxing manager, under his banner, Fight Game Advisors, and looks to eventually become a world champion at the 118 lbs division.

“I’m very excited to be working with Isamary and her team. Her success as an amateur competing for USA Boxing including the recent Olympic Trials and her international success illustrates she has everything it takes to have a prosperous career as a professional,” said Peter Kahn per a press release. “What interests me the most is that her exciting style of fighting is built more for the professional ranks than amateurs and I see her being a world champion in a few years. Isamary will also be a great ambassador for female fighters and I feel she will serve as an inspiration for young Latina girls and girls around the world.”

As mentioned, Aquino made it this past December to the Olympic Trials in Lake Charles, Louisana, for the 126 lbs division, losing to tournament winner twice (the Olympic Trials is double elimination), Lupe Gutierrez of Sacramento, Ca. Still, despite coming in third and not being able to go to the Olympic Training Camp better known as OTC, as the top two athletes get to continue on in amateur glory at a Training Camp preceding the Olympics, Aquino kept a positive attitude.

“I still see it as a big accomplishment,” said Aquino in retrospect. “Making it to at least the Olympic Trials was one of my biggest accomplishments ever, so I don’t have any regrets or how it played out, I am just excited to start this new chapter in my life.”

Aquino though reflects that her love for boxing grew as she saw fellow female fighters competing at a high-level in her local area, and then eventually at a national level.

“When I started seeing all these females competing, I fell in love with the game and I decided to commit to it, I was doing other sports as well, I was running track and cross-country in high school, but at the end of the day boxing was my love,” said Aquino explaining when the switch flipped for her that boxing was something more than a hobby and could turn into a profession.

Aquino downplayed her athletic achievements a tad as she was the captain for both the track team and cross-country team, not just competing, but taking on the role of a team leader and one that others looked at as a role model based on her work ethic and dedication.

Blue-chip welterweight Xander Zayas, recently signed with Top Rank Inc, has known Aquino for years and is also managed by Peter Kahn, and has nothing, but praise to say for both.

“I have known Isamary Aquino since the amateurs when she represented Team USA in multiple International tournaments. I believe she is a great boxer with a lot of room to grow and learn, said Zayas. “…also she is working with the best manager in the game, Peter Kahn. He is going to guide her down the right path to becoming a world champion. I’m very happy for her and for my manager Peter.”

When talking with Aquino, you can’t help, but like her, sincere, kind, direct, honest, reflective, all traits you hope to see in high-level athletes, but oftentimes, this is not the case for whatever reason. Talking with Aquino at the start of her career was so refreshing and it isn’t surprising that even organizers of tournaments, hold her in high esteem.

“She’s special to me, said Michael Campbell, USA Boxing Events and Operations Manager. “My biggest event that I ever did in the Gulf LBC was the first Texas Women’s Championships. Isa came and competed on her birthday!  She faced a national champion and that meant a lot to a show host.”

Aquino has a come-forward aggressive style that some in the media label a “professional-style” in which she is not shy about starting the action in the ring, and this often translates to crowd-pleasing performances.

“In 2016 at the Youth Nationals,” said Vince Gatti, Peter Kahn’s Director of Amateur Scouting. “She can fight on the outside, but she’s a really good inside fighter, so she is exciting.”

Gatti, a person who is at every national tournament took a keen to the prospect as it isn’t often to see a fighter with skill, but the ability to please the crowd with an action-orientated style. Not to mention, sexism exists, and some writers and media members have a disposition to ignoring or not watching women’s boxing, sadly, so you have to at times overperform just to be noticed. This is something

“I feel I am very skilled, but also bring excitement to my fights,” said Aquino. “I can be a pressure fighter, I can be a tactical fighter, I just try to tie them together overall and make an exciting fight.”

Aquino, trained by Arturo Ramos of Ramos Boxing Club in San Antonio, Texas, will look to make her professional debut later this year after the pandemic that is COVID-19 subsides.