These Lucy Laney boxers are dominating the ring and making history

Lavendar Nelson, left, and Madison McDonald are, at ages 11 and 9, nationally ranked and feared boxers. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson.

By Azhae’la Hanson, Reporter
In a sport long dominated by boys and men, two girls are hitting hard and fast, championing a legacy that's proven hard to beat.

Lavendar Nelson, 11, Madison McDonald, 9, both of Lucy C. Laney Boxing Academy, are punching their way through the ranks of USA Boxing and ushered in 2023 with two firsts for the state of Minnesota.

In February, Minneapolis Public Schools celebrated Lavendar being named No.1 in the nation in her weight class in USA Boxing for Minnesota. Since she was 6, Lavendar has won eight national titles. Madison carries four national titles and was the first girl in Minnesota to step in the ring with a boy.

The rising interest in boxing amongst girls has steadily grown since it first officially appeared in the Olympic Games in 2012. About 31 percent of the boxers registered in the United States are girls, but clubs still have problems finding girls to box.

Last year, the USA Boxing recognized the gap between male and female participation and changed the rules in their PeeWee League to allow co-ed bouts between the ages of 8-10 years old. Lucy Laney Boxing Academy head coach Morgan McDonald said the girls in his program often get tired of sitting and watching the boys being able to box, while they sit on the sideline.

Madison wants to be the best of the best. She said once she is locked in on a goal, she works hard to fight for it. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson

“The girls work just as hard as the boys do, do the same workouts, the same everything,” said McDonald, who is also Madison’s dad. “But they weren't getting experience like the young males were getting when we left the school and it wasn’t fair.”

Both Madison and Lavendar qualified, and in January of 2023, Madison made Minnesota history as the first girl in the state to box a boy.

Madison swung, and she won. But it wasn't the first time she put the gloves up to a boy.

“I fight with my brothers a lot," Madison said. “So it doesn’t scare me to fight a boy.”

Madison’s win secured her belief that she is not just a good boxer “for a girl” but a good athlete - period.

By day, McDonald is a student support specialist at Lucy Laney School and started the boxing academy out of his garage in 2019. The school provided a home in a Lucy Laney classroom to merge his passions and target kids who struggle with their performance in school.

“I target the tough ones, the ones who don't really get school or like school,” McDonald said. “I target them and try to give them something to come to school for, or a place to release their energy, good or bad.”

More than one of McDonald's students has helped make a name out of the classroom boxing academy. Since its founding, academy boxers have won 24 national championships, including Lavendar and Madison.

Lavendar shows off the many belts the boxing academy has brought home and hung at the top of their ring. She will be placing yet another among the many as the 2023 Silver Gloves national champ. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson

“Boxing is the vehicle for intervention, to get kids passionate about something,” Principal Lisa Pawelak said. “But with a coach like McDonald, it really doesn't matter what the vehicle is because his passion ignites their passion. His dedication has transformed these kids.”

Both Lavendar and Madison are happy to dominate the competition alongside each other.

“She’s a great fighter,” said Lavendar. “She’s fast. I want her to beat the boys, she already does it in practice.”

“I want to hit like Lavendar,” said Madison.

When Lavendar is older, she hopes to surpass the number of championships won by two time Olympic gold medalist Clarissa Shields, a boxer from Flint, Michigan who won gold in 2012 and 2014. It's been a goal of Lavendars since she first got in the ring.

“One day she [Lavendar] told me she wanted to be like a lady named Clarissa Shields,” said her mother, Laqresha Nelson. “I was shocked when I learned that she [Shields] was a boxer.”

Her mother was unsure about her daughter's interest in boxing at first, but when she saw her in the ring, she quickly got on board.

Blink and you might miss her. Madison leaves another student in the dust during the relay racing portion of conditioning practice. Photo by Azhae’la Hanson

“Lavy is so talented, I’m so proud of my baby,” she said.

Madison also hopes to compete far into the future.

“I want to box forever,” Madison said.

To prepare for their matches, Madison and Lavendar lead the workouts in practice, consisting of 50 pushups, 100 crunches, and 100 squats, combined with sprinting races, and shadow boxing.

On match day, however, the two can be found listening to their favorite tunes, stretching and chugging a Mountain Dew.

Madison and Lavendar will fight their their next matches in an all-girls tournament in California for shot at clipping another belt to the top of the ring at school.