Quadtrine Hill Progressing Quickly As a Boxer

Kris Lawrence has a vision for the troubled heavyweight division in professional boxing. And he sees the potential in South Florida to begin a turnaround.

The boxing aficionado and businessman is trying to energize the lackluster division by taking young American athletes from other sports, primarily college football, and transforming them into boxers.

The unconventional method of grooming heavyweights has been discussed but never implemented -- until now..
''The average person off the street, to train them to be a boxer takes a long time, usually at least three to four years to be a pro -- if they have what it takes,'' said Lawrence, owner of Lucky Street Boxing Gym across from the Seminole Hard Rock Casino near Hollywood.

``The athletes we have now, most with high school and college football backgrounds, are so far above the curve already. They are young, athletic and physically superior. They don't need three to four years to be ready . . . why not do this? The best athletes in the country are here in South Florida.''

One of those elite athletes is Quadtrine Hill, 26, a 6-2, 230 running back who starred at Sunrise Piper High and the University of Miami.

''I found Quadtrine Hill to be one of the best kids I ever started with,'' longtime boxing trainer Stacy McKinley said.
McKinley's résumé is impressive, working at the famous Kronk Gym in Detroit and touting 17 world and five heavyweight champions, including Mike Tyson.

'It took Quadtrine six weeks' training to be where it took [others] two years to be,'' McKinley said. ``He is strong, determined, mentally strong. He's explosive, fast and has a short, tight punch. Like when he played football, he has an aura that he can't be beat.''

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(miamiherald.com)