Young boxer makes comeback after trying football

De’Tron Hall hopes to be ready for a July 22 amateur boxing card at the Armory. Photo by St. Clair Murraine

By St. Clair Murraine
Outlook staff writer

During his early teens, amateur boxing was a side thing for De’Tron Hall. That has changed in the last three months, though.

 
Hall, who gave up boxing to concentrate on playing football for a shot at getting a college scholarship, is now giving boxing sole attention.

 
He’s been away from the sport for two years and at age 19 that raises a few questions about how fast he could get back into the rhythm. Not too long, Hall said.
“I feel like I have the skill,” Hall said, “but my conditioning will be the biggest thing. I’m close now.”

 
Hall decided to give boxing a second shot after unsuccessfully attempting to play college football. He enrolled at Albany State after graduating from FAMU DRS last year, but struggled in the classroom.

 
He wants to have his comeback bout on July 22 when his club, Lincoln Neighborhood Center, stages its annual tournament. To get in shape, he’s put himself on a rigorous daily routine that begins with two miles of running.

 
His sister, Precious Hall, works out with him. He calls it motivation to be pushed by his sister, who had a stellar basketball career at James Madison University and is considering playing overseas.

 
Their runs are followed by strength and conditioning. The last two hours of his day is spent in the gym working on his techniques.
Hall’s comeback is moving at a steady pace, said trainer Tyrese Williams.

 
“He has good power, good speeds and he listens,” Williams said. “He has all the athletic abilities and he can think on his feet.”

 
Hall had tendencies to be tentative at first, Williams said, adding that Hall gradually found his comfort zone.

 
“When I started training him and showing him, he applied it,” Williams said. “Some kids you have to knock them down a few times. Some get their nose or mouth busted and don’t want to come back, but not him. He went right in there and started doing his thing.”

 
Hall figures boxing could be the athletic career that he thought he’d find in football. However, he insisted that he hasn’t mapped out a strategy for reaching the elite level or even going pro.

 
Not just yet anyway.

 
“I was always good at football so I kept pursuing it,” he said. “I still think I could have a future (in athletics) so I’m boxing now.”