Chris Linson Jr. not only wants to be a role model in the boxing ring, he wants to be one outside it as well.
Going to college full-time at UNM and boxing professionally has Linson busy these days as he tries to reach several goals he has set for himself as a boxer and a student.
Linson is recognized as one of the best fighters in New Mexico and he hopes his accomplishments in the classroom will raise some eyebrows as well.
He has earned a 21-3-1 record in six years and owned two championship belts, but he is quick to note his school work.
"I take pride in knowing that I am one of the very few fighters going to school," he said.
"Most people don't even try that, fighting professionally and going to school. That is one of my proudest things that I have going on is that I am able to go to school and hopefully graduate and do well from there."
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
The 24-year-old junior is majoring in philosophy in a pre-law program. He wants to eventually attend law school.
Linson said he not only wants to leave a legacy in the ring, but also wants to be an example outside of it.
"Hopefully I can start a new trend for boxers," he said. "Boxers aren't thought of as students; there are a only a few out there."
Chris Cozzone, the editor of newmexicoboxing.com, has been covering boxing in the state for two years and says the stereotype of boxers is that they are not very smart and studious.
"There is a saying that boxers are retarded," Cozzone said. " Not many boxers go to school. They put all their eggs in one basket."
He said that Linson is changing the stereotype because he is helping kids realize that they can do both. He says young boxers see Linson being successful in both areas and know that they can do it too.
"It is more common now that kids coming up are boxing and going to school," Cozzone said. "And he is a good example for those young boxers to look up to."
Chris Linson Sr., his son's trainer, said it is very important that Linson has interests outside of boxing because it gives him options in life other than trying to make it big in the ring.
"The alternative of not going to school is worse," Linson Sr. said. "Boxing is not forever. He has to plan for the future."
His son's transition from only fighting to going school and spending time in the ring was not an easy adjustment at the beginning. So he put boxing on hold for a year after he fought in November 2000 to concentrate on his academics. The inactivity cost him the two titles he won last year, the National Boxing Association Continental Welterweight Championship and the NBA World Championship.
Now, Linson said he has found the right balance between boxing and his education by managing his time better and started training again several months ago.
He commutes from Albuquerque to Santa Fe weekly. He goes to school during the week at UNM, then travels to his gym in Santa Fe and trains during the weekend.
Linson fought for the first time in 13 months on Dec. 14 when he battled Eugene Lopez of Denver in a six-round bout at Sky City Casino. Linson looked rusty in the first round after the long layoff, but he quickly got in gear the rest of the match.
He knocked down Lopez with a right uppercut in the fourth round and landed a crushing left hook in the sixth round that cut Lopez above the right eye. Linson won easily by a unanimous decision.
"I felt really good; my priorities in there was first off to win and secondly to not get cut," he said. "I just needed to get back into the ring and get some of that rust off. I went in there and worked on some of the things I have been doing in practice, but I can still improve in a lot of areas."
That performance helped quiet a lot of critics who had questioned his ability and desire to box again.
"People were calling me out and questioning my integrity," Linson said. "It motivated me to get back into training because it crossed my mind to just concentrate on school and real life. That was a possibility, but I got motivated by a lot of fighters talking bad about me and my dad. I accepted all the challenges by all these fighters and now that I am training everyone has been quiet."
Linson said his career won't be quiet anymore. He expects to pick up the pace on the number of fights he takes on this year and hopes to fight for a world championship in the near future.
"By the end of the year, I want to be recognized as one of best in world, but it will take a lot of hard work," he said.
His next challenge is Jan. 25 when he takes on Joseph Brady (8-0, 3 KO's) at the Isleta Casino & Resort.
For this fight and beyond, Linson Sr., who has been in boxing either as a trainer or fighter for 31 years, has brought in several trainers to help his son learn different techniques to help him become a better fighter for his comeback.
Linson Sr. said what also is guiding his son's improvement in the ring is academics because it has helped him become sharper mentally and makes him aware of seizing the moment daily.
"It helps him to focus better," Linson Sr. said. "I don't understand how he does it. I know I couldn't do it."
With the experiences of the past year behind him, his son said he will become a better boxer, but he also has become a better person.
"Things are going very well now," Linson said. "There will be a lot of opportunities coming up this year, and I think I will be ready for them."
In and out of the ring.
