Teen boxer fights to help hospitalized children

Sammy Valentin Jr has been winning belts and trophies since he was six years old.

By Melanie Snow, Reporter
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Hurricane Sammy

LAND O'LAKES --

A local teenager is using his skills inside the boxing ring to help ailing children.

Samuel Valentin Jr., 16, has been winning belts and trophies since he was six years old.

"In 2004, I had a World Champonship, a Ringside World Championship for amateur boxing," Valentin said. "I was only ten years old."

His father, Samuel Valentin Sr., trains the boxer, who goes by the name "Hurricane Sammy."

"His adrenaline comes from seeing kids looking at him as a role model," he said. "He loves to see kids smile."

Valentin hopes to go pro, but right now, he is focusing on helping children in the hospital win their fights against illness.

"They're always fighting every day of their lives," he said. "It may be different then the way I fight, it's a hobby sport, but I wanted them to know people care more about them then they realize."

Valentin recently lost a friend to cancer, and so he decided to use his boxing recognition to start a toy drive for children in the hospital. He started the Hurricane Sammy Foundation with this goal in mind.

He hopes to begin delivering some of the toys to University Community Hospital by next week.

Anyone who wishes to donate toys is asked to contact the foundation through its web site.

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