Feature: Sakora Lockhart Fights Her Way To The Top In Just Eighteen Months
By Wyatt Hardy
In the ring, the spotlight shines on sixteen-year-old boxer Sakora Lockhart, who stands confidently in the center and is not afraid of any opponent. After 18 months, she came out of St. Clair to become a dominant force on a national level, going against the best of the best. She is inspiring many with her hard work and resilient attitude.
A couple of weeks ago, she won her division at the USA Boxing Women’s Championship. “It felt pretty good after getting [gold]. I just feel hungry to get more wins and stuff under my belt,” Lockhart says about her victory.
She also won at the Urban League Rumble this past Saturday at the Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis. Her opponent won the 2023 Junior Olympics in the 132 lbs. youth female division and is the same age as Lockhart.
Her next tournament will be at Nationals in December. She has ambitious plans for the future, stating, “My long-term goals [are that] I want to go to the Olympics, be pro, win a world championship and just fight the greatest.” Lockhart is also trying to arrange a fight with TikTok celebrities Island Boys.
Working nonstop for her dreams, she runs forty miles every day and trains for six days a week. “Whether it’s strength and conditioning, running, sprints, [or] bag work,” she claims she will do to improve.
Lockhart’s brother inspired her to start boxing. “He was always talking about being a pro boxer, joking around with it and I’m like, okay, I like this. I want to [be a] pro now,” Lockhart explains.
As soon as she began training, everything clicked for her. She would dedicate her time day-by-day to be the best boxer. After about a year and a half, Lockhart is now nationally ranked 4th in her division, holds a 10-4 record and has finished high at tournaments.
Her father, Tommy Lockhart, is immensely proud of her, saying, “She’s done this for 18 months and every four months, I see the big change in it so gradually... She’s made it to the top in a small amount of time and that’s what the big documentary is about, how she’s excelled so quickly.”
Lockhart’s documentary is currently in production and has a chance of being shown at a St. Louis film festival. If it goes through, major television studios like HBO or ESPN could possibly pick it up. Boxing judge and promoter Earl McWilliams is producing the film.
She gained notoriety for her quick climb to the top, but also her tough mentality. When Lockhart gets knocked down, she picks herself back up and learns how to improve.
“A lot of boxers, after a loss, they just want to quit. They’re just done. They give up and on me, I like to go back to the lab, work on what I did wrong, figure it out, get my mind ready and just keep fighting again,” Lockhart says.
Her advice for any boxer is to “never give up. Because if you give up, you give up after your first fight.” She explains, “I see a lot of people do that. They just give up and they’re really good. They’re talented and stuff and it’s like, I don’t want to.”
Lockhart took a swing at her passion and now she finds herself nationally ranked. After quickly popping into the scene, she has gained a reputation for refusing to back down. With support all around her, Lockhart looks to continue her journey, climbing up the ranks to the top.
Her success was fueled by support from Route 66 Boxing Gym. Professional boxer Vincent Montgomery has pushed her from day one. She also thanked owner Bobby Kendrick and master coach Chris Lackey, a world amateur boxing tournament champion at 40.
Then for STL Boxing Academy, Lockhart expressed gratitude to coaches Kelly Jersey and Reggie, then boxers Alisha Crockett and Darius Carter.
T.J. Casey and Craig Dalton from Twin City Boxing Club also guided Lockhart in her journey.
Then professional boxers Stephan, Kendra and Brian Shaw were monumental in Lockhart’s success.
Lastly, she credited Eric Benford from Ben Stewart Elite Boxing Academy, Keith Driscoll at Driscoll’s Believers Boxing Academy and Golden Gloves Championship boxer Dennis Kendrick.