When Northview Heights resident Patrick Germaine first tried out boxing, he didn’t enjoy it, dropping out of the sport after four months. However, he later gave the sport a second shot, one that, though he didn’t know it at the time, would take him to among the top ranks of competition.
“It was definitely a big switch-up with my life, “ Germaine told The Chronicle. “Five, six years ago, I never imagined myself in boxing and going out of town, being nationally ranked.”
His rank? Number one. Germaine claimed first place at the Golden Gloves of America Junior & Youth Nationals in the 17-18-year-old male division at 143 pounds. The Golden Gloves is one of the highest levels of competition available to young boxers in the United States. The championship was held July 7-11 in Allen, Texas, with boxers from ages 8 to 18 participating.
Germaine was boxing with Team 412, a non-profit boxing organization based in Pittsburgh. In 2024, Delbert “Sonny” Taylor, who grew up on the Northside, competed in the 2024 United States Olympic Boxing Trials while boxing with Team 412.
James Hoy, head coach and founder of Team 412, described the Golden Gloves as one of the two biggest events for youth boxing, the other being the Junior Olympics. Germaine also competed at that event, earning a bronze medal.
Germaine’s final bout of the Golden Gloves was a rematch of an opponent he defeated at the 2026 Junior Olympics. Germaine faced off against Nolan Huntley of Toledo, Ohio, to claim the championship.
Despite his previous victory, Germaine knew he had something to prove going into the fight.
“The last time I beat him, everybody said I got lucky,” he said. “Anybody I beat, it was never luck,” he added later. Though he felt confident he could win, Germaine said that hearing his name called as the victor made him feel one thing: relief.
“After being in the finals, there was a lot of nervousness,” he said, “and after hearing my name and my corner, it was just a big relief of stress.”
Hoy had high praise for Germaine, calling him an “amazing athlete” with work ethic that goes “through the roof.”
“I think you get what you deserve, but you also get what you’ve earned, and he’s done both of those,” Hoy said.
The coach recalled that when Germaine first started boxing for him, he weighed around 195 pounds, and Hoy was not sure he would be able to compete. However, Germaine showed dedication and quickly got into shape.
“He’s the fastest, best conditioned kid I’ve ever coached,” he said. Germaine had equal praise for his coach, saying that Hoy “makes sure everybody is perfect.”
“You can’t really go wrong with the good type of coaching he does,” he said. “He doesn’t let off for one second.”
Germaine says he plans to continue boxing and wishes to compete in the full Olympics one day. He’s also considering potentially becoming a professional boxer.
Germaine was not the only Team 412 boxer to do well at the competition. Teammates Niko Wilson took silver at 114 pounds and D’mir Flemings won bronze at 119 pounds. Neither is a Northsider.
