MISSISSAUGA, Ontario – Life has been unpredictable the past year. It continues to be. For 25-year-old amateur athlete Scarlet Delgado, one thing remains unchanged – her commitment to boxing.

The pandemic may have caused gym closures and cancelled competitions, but it hasn’t clouded Scarlet’s vision. “My goal in this sport is to obtain the Canadian title (54kg). These are uncertain times, but I’m hoping I will be able to represent the country at international tournaments, including the Pan Am Games”, she says.

For Scarlet (already a multiple title holder) the path to getting there is clear. Consistency.

Prior to covid-19 restrictions, this Ontario Open Class Elite Champion, maintained a very strict training schedule leading up to competitions. Four days per week, she would focus specifically on boxing for two-to-three hours, with her Boxing Coach, former North American Boxing Organization (NABO) Champion, Syd Vanderpool (Boxing by Syd). The other three days, she would focus on strength and conditioning with her Performance Coach, Co-Founder of Strong-Athlete, Gaetan Boutin. She also incorporated active rest at the end of the week, with a very light cardio session.

Throughout the pandemic, Scarlet has transformed her basement into her training ground. She’s continued shadow boxing, footwork drills, and bodyweight exercises to prepare for Nationals, in November. “We’re playing it by ear,” she says, about her team’s strategy for success. “I’m staying consistent with training so I am still ready.”

Scarlet says she is fully confident in both of her coaches and their expertise. She has a wealth of experience to draw from when it comes to choosing who to work with.

Scarlet was introduced to boxing long before she could throw a punch. “It has been a part of my life since I was a toddler. I grew up running around my father’s boxing gym, watching him coach athletes,” she says. However, Scarlet didn’t start competing in boxing until she was 17.

Her dad started training her in K1 Kickboxing when she was 13 and quickly transitioned her to Olympic-style boxing to help some of his female competitors with sparring. Scarlet says her dad refused to let her compete for years though.

At around age 15, she started taking training more seriously and made her competition debut with Olympic freestyle wrestling. Primed for success with the Ontario Championship under her belt, Scarlet sustained a devastating hip injury during a gold-medal match. The eight-second incident took her out of training for a year as she focused on rehabilitation with intensive physiotherapy.

Despite the setback, Scarlet says she was incredibly eager to return to training and competing. Only then, when her dad witnessed her unshakable competitive spirit, did he agree to be her first boxing coach, eventually allowing her to compete.

She had already been working with Coach Gaetan by that time to help with her recovery from a previous injury. Scarlet says Gaetan has not only helped her to avoid any more major injuries, over the years, he has also become a very important influence in her life. “Gaetan has taught me how to take care of my body, mental health, and training. As well, how to take accountability for my time. I have become the athlete and person I am today because of him,” she says.

Likewise, Scarlet praises Coach Syd, for his positive approach to her training. “Every session, I learn something new. In such a short time, he has taken the skills I have built over the past nine years and maximizes them,” she says. “I believe I am a stronger, more intelligent fighter today than I ever have been. With Syd, our team does not train harder, we are always training smarter.”

While most of her time is consumed with navigating training for the title amidst pandemic restrictions, Scarlet still manages to extend her experience to others as a Coach herself. “I do virtual training sessions with clients, and I will be taking on the position as Head Boxing Coach at Battle Arts Academy (in Mississauga),” she says.

Knowing first-hand what an impact mindset can have on athletes, Scarlet is also exploring a path in Psychology at Queen’s University. “My goal is to specialize in Sports Psychology and work with elite athletes,” she says. “Hopefully in the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment).”

A return to wrestling would not be far-fetched for Scarlet. She attended a WWE tryout in Toronto in 2019, where she had a chance to put her array of athletic talents on display. “I got great feedback after the tryout, so I am actively training in that sport (as well) to eventually pursue a career,” she says.

When she first began competing in boxing, Scarlet says there weren’t many girls to fight. “I have four opponents that I have fought five times each.” Now though, she believes it’s become much more popular for women to compete in combat sports. “Women have made tremendous progress in boxing. We are adding more weight categories in the Olympics and headlining pay-per-views. The platform is continuously growing, which is amazing,” she says.

As she continues to work diligently towards improving her ranking in Canada from fourth to first, Scarlet is helping to pave the way for all women in the sport.

As the Host of Talkin Fight’s new podcast, “The Female Fist”, Scarlet is proudly leading conversations with female boxers, addressing adversity, creating connections, and celebrating achievements.

Scarlet credits boxing with helping her to overcome challenges growing up, and finding a place where she belongs.

“This sport made me face my difficulties and demands the greatest version of myself. You just cannot have an off day in boxing. It is unforgiving, that’s why I love it,” she says. “Boxing has brought out the best parts of me, which pours into all the other areas of my life. I cannot wait to take home the Canadian Championship and be the face for my weight class.”

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