Amateur Career
Nate James compiled an impressive record of 83-11 during his amateur career, winning several US State Championships and the National Golden Gloves tournament in 2007, his last year as an amateur. James was nationally ranked in the top 10 at Heavyweight for his entire amateur career (2001–2007), retiring from the amateur circuit the number 2 ranked Heavyweight in the United States.
After winning four New England Golden Gloves championships, Nate moved to Marquette, Michigan, on a full scholarship to Northern Michigan University. The decorated amateur showed constant improvement while training at the US Olympic Education Center, winning the Bronze medal at the 2005 National Golden Gloves and a silver medal at the 2006 National Golden Gloves.
Determined to win the National Golden Gloves tournament before turning professional, James enlisted the services of notable trainer Al Mitchell and trimmed his weight down from 350 lbs to 240 lbs. The hard work paid off, as James first won the Wisconsin Golden Gloves and later the National Golden Gloves tournament against favorite Tyler Turner of Washington, D.C. James perfectly executed the game plan for the bout: after patiently stalking Turner in round one, a right jab followed by a massive straight left knocked Turner out cold only 20 seconds into round two . The victory served as the perfect ending to a successful amateur career as it put the heavyweight division on notice that the talented New Englander could rise to the occasion on the biggest of stages.
Read more about this topic: Nathaniel James
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