Meet Amateur’s Zimmie Dickinson

Talented teen from the DC scene!

Zimmie Dickinson’s already got a catchy name that you just can’t forget.

And with his sharp skills in the ring, he’s already been noticed in tons of unforgettable amateur battles too.

He may be only 13 years old and hangin’ tough in the 90 pound division, but this young boxer has quickly built a prominent standing in the U.S. amateur scene. Fighting out of Waldorf, Maryland, the DC youngster has really become a jet setter as he travels across the country to compete in various cities including Kansas City, Denver, Pittsburgh, North Carolina and back to Kansas City once again…in just this year alone.

The traveling and meeting other kids during boxing tournaments is what Zimmie’s loves most about being a pugilist. “My favorite part about being a boxer is that you get to go to more places than most!” he tells me. “Most people don’t get to travel like that.”

His dad and co-trainer, Kullen Dickinson, agrees that the traveling experience has been a great experience for the teen. “He’s met a lot of new friends and celebrities,” he says. “He’s traveled all over the country, and soon out of the country too as we have some international opportunities coming up for him.”

While the worldwide travels provides excitement and thrills for the youngster and his fellow teammates, Zimmie’s father also makes sure the boy keeps his priorities straight–meaning the gym rat also has to work just as hard in the school room.

“Boxing has really given Zimmie a lot of opportunities,” explains Kullen. “But as the son of two educators, he has to stay focused on school also. I tell him that boxing could be taken away very quickly, so he needs to make sure that it doesn’t become his only option!” In fact, the boxer comes from a long line of educators. “Zimmie comes from a family of educators, including his grandfather, grandmother, aunt and uncle,” confirms his dad. So there’s no question that besides hitting the heavybag, the boy has to hit the school books just as hard!

And inside the ropes, Zimmie’s list of accomplishments are more than impressive during his career with over 80 bouts in his passbook and so few losses that you can probably count them on two hands. Actually, you CAN count them on just two hands–as his loss ledger stands at only ten defeats.

With so many victories sealed away, his father fills me in with just a small sample of some Zimmie’s top honors: He is a third-consecutive National Silver Gloves Champ, a 5-time DC Silver Gloves Champion, a 5-time DC Junior Olympic Champ, a 2-time Ringside World Champ, and an Outstanding Boxer awardee, among countless other titles earned while competing against the best in both the U.S. and international ranks as well.

You can check out the Washington DC dynamo in these snapshots his family has shared with me. The future star has already brushed elbows with pro stars Paul Williams, Sugar Ray Leonard, Joe Frazier, Winky Wright and Paulie Malignaggi, among others while he continues to succeed in amateur boxing.

As the punching phenom continues to make a name for himself, Kullen is proud to say his son has defeated 11 national champions that have a total of 18 national titles between them (National Silvers, Ringside, PAL, Junior Golden Gloves, etc.)

I ask Zimmie if he has one highlight of his amateur career to date?

“Most of my favorite victories are definitely tounaments and belts,” he answers. And Dickinson is up for a good challenge too. “When I know I’m not doing so well I push through it–and pull out the win!”

The eighth grader has been around the sweet science for almost half his life. Born in Chicago, the boy lived in Rochester, New York for two years before being raised in Waldorf.

Anyone in the amateur circuit knows that the children’s parents have also invested their time, money and passion into the sport as their kids participate in weekend shows and tournaments. And success takes time. Dickinson relays the endless hours and hard work his boy has already clocked in at the gym with a trusted co-trainer he gives full credit to. “He has a great coach in Troy Fox, who has had Zimmie since day one,” says an appreciative Kullen. “Zimmie has been in the gym since he was seven years old; so by age nine, he had a lot of skills–but it didn’t happen overnight.”

Currently, Zimmie boxes out of Dream Team in Clinton, Maryland along with 2009 National JO Champion and 2010 USA Silver Medalist Mike Reed. “Alantez Fox (signed with Cameron Dunkin like Randy Caballero and Gabino Saenz) and Seth Mitchell (signed with Golden Boy Promotions) are also there,” Kullen adds. And the humble coach continues with what is most likely an understatement, “Small gym–but we have a good team!”

Keepin’ it real, his pops knows the sacrifice it takes for both the youngsters and their parents; he is the first one to step in and support others. “One thing that I always tell people (parents especially) is that it take A LOT of dedication with these kids!” he advises. “Even the young ones have put in countless hours, days, weeks and years to get to the level they are at.”

The Dickinsons just returned home this week after fighting in the 2010 Ringside World Championships where Zimmie faced another highly-decorated amateur named Rahim Gonzalez from Sylmar, California. Dickinson came up just a little short in their semi-final bout but his proud dad takes both the triumphs and defeats in stride–and as a learning lesson. “Sometimes losing is a great motivator,” his dad says candidly.

I noticed both father and son practice great sportsmanship that many superstar pros should take note of. There is no whining or complaining–just good overall sportsmanship employed. “How you lose is as important as how you win,” Zimmie’s dad stresses. “We always look at what we could have done better, and not complain.”

After his son’s bout with Rahim, the pair posed together and even exchanged info. “I think Zimmie learned something from it,” observes his father, about the two teens being friendly after their fight. Kullen also has a dedicated website that features almost 1,000 bouts online so that the young combatants can watch, learn, and improve their skills. And he’s the first to put his own son’s contests online too, in case anyone thinks he’s just airing future opponents’ fights.

While they may be foes in the ring, the kids are friendly competitors once the gloves are unlaced. And during a recent trip to Denver, Kullen raves about the hospitality there from other trainers and boxers in the area. Even if his son didn’t get a victory that time, the overall experience continues to prove more than worthwhile for the devoted father-son duo. “Zimmie went out and boxed Damien Vasquez in his own back yard; he lost 3-2,” admits Dickinson. “Damien didn’t make the weight that we agreed on, but we really won’t complain.

“It was a great experience and even though Zimmie didn’t stick to the game plan, he did make a lot of new friends. We trained at Backyard Brawlers at Louie Byrd’s gym. His dad and the rest of the guys gave us somewhere to train before the bout and really were our loudest supporters at the show!”

In the amateur of USA Boxing, the kids from various states do all get to know each other as they continue to fight for a future berth on the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team or a lucrative career in the pros. And even before puberty hits, these boys are already rough tough little customers on the canvas, time-tested veterans inside the ropes.

And as the tiny sluggers grow into higher weight divisions, their time competing also increases. “After Denver, Zimmie moved up to 1:30 minute rounds,” explains Kullen, “and it’s really been great because he trains on a three-minute clock so he has more time to adjust to his opponents and take advantage of what he sees.”

So what’s next for Team Zimmie?

“After Ringside, I think that we may try to go to San Antonio to go to the PALs in October,” his dad thinks. “He doesn’t really get a lot of matches here at home so there is talk about traveling to Atlantic City and even Puerto Rico possibly in the future for matches.” Looks like the little boxer may be packing up his suitcases again real soon.

And it looks like the Dickinson camp has their business handled–from A to Z.

That’s right, fans…Remember that “Z”–as in Zimmie Dickinson, one of amateur’s brightest stars!

Photos courtesy of Kullen Dickinson/ Team Zimmie