12-year-old Becomes National Boxing Champion

Seventh-grade boxer Cayden Griffith was just deemed a national champion for his weight class and he says his rigorous schedule is to thank. "I wake up at six, get up do exercises, sometimes I’ll run in the morning then I get ready for school, eat a healthy breakfast," 12-year-old Cayden Griffiths said. "Then I’ll come to school and I’ll try my best throughout the day." Everyday after school, Griffiths trains for one to two hours at his boxing gym. On Wednesdays and Fridays, he does strength and conditioning, allotting him nights to do homework. "Then I might have an hour of TV," Griffiths said. His strict training schedule is something he’s passionate about, he said. "Becoming an Olympic gold medalist drives me to keep doing what I’m doing every morning." Griffiths only weighs 85 pounds but can pack a punch like a grown man. "I’m a two-time Junior Olympic Silver Medalist, four-time California State Champion, four-time regional champion and national champion as of two weeks ago," he said. A disciplined young man in the ring and outside the ring at his school, Desert Christian Academy, or DCA. "I try my best in school, I try to do my best in everything," he said. One day he dreams of becoming a mechanical engineer. DCA Athletic Director Matt Garrison said he supports Griffiths’ athletic ambitions and wants him to rub off on the other students. The school pushes him as an athlete and young man, Griffiths said. He appreciates their interest in him. His dad, Robert Griffiths, said his son’s schedule is like a second job but he’s happy to do it. "I’m proud of him, my wife and I are proud of him," Robert said. "I want to thank him for being a great young man." Cayden is a portrayal of passion and motivation for the rest of his classmates and friends, Garrison said. He will continue his career as a boxer in hopes of being a 2024 Olympian. "I don’t slack."