Lancaster High School junior Anthony Offokaja, is not only a student in the classroom but a student in the ring. Since the summer of sixth grade, Offokaja has been boxing at the Lancaster Police Athletic League boxing gym at the old General Sherman building. He’s earned an impressive record of 4-0, two wins by knockout. He explained how he prepares mentally and physically for a fight.

“People like to talk about the physical challenges, but what’s rarely talked about is the mental aspect. The days I would get up, and go run sprints, the long hours fasted, hours on hours a week at the gym, getting home only to do more hill sprints. Those all may sound like physical challenges, but as I told my coach, it’s a hundred percent mental,” he said.

Consistent training both physically and mentally in boxing, has impacted Offokaja throughout his everyday life and has helped him build his confidence.

“I’ve been able to become more disciplined. Oftentimes, we know what we must do to produce and benefit from the best quality of life, yet it’s difficult to push ourselves. I’ve become more consciously aware of what these things are, and try my best to execute them daily.  I also have developed a much higher level of confidence. Getting in front of hundreds of people and competing is not something I would have used to love to do. As a fighter I’ve improved in many ways,” said Offokaja.

Boxing coach Jamey Mathis said that he’s impressed with Offokajas’ grind to be a boxer.

“Anthony didn’t talk much when he first came into the gym. I’m very proud of him and he is a great representation of the Lancaster PAL. I’m impressed with his work ethic. Anthony appears to always focus on his fitness, mind, body, and diet in and out of the gym,” he said.

Brandy Offokaja, Anthony’s mother described her son as a young man with the talent to lead while staying humble.

“Anthony has always been a leader.  We have always told him he is permitted to speak his mind and he is not afraid to do so. He loves encouraging others to give their all.  While Anthony shows a positive display, he actually has a hard time accepting his own value or seeing his worth,” she said.

According to the World Boxing Association, “A mentally prepared boxer is one who directs his motivation towards success and not one who avoids failure. He is the one who, after failing in one punch, quickly overcomes it and seeks to deliver the next one. He is the one who, if defeated, takes it as an opportunity to improve his preparation for the next challenge’ (Colmenares). Offokaja explained that he forces himself to get into his zone.

“The best way to describe it is a calm before the storm. As I’m hitting mitts getting ready the excitement pumps through my veins. The walkout begins, I look around; take it all in. I touch the ring and now my mind has completely changed, I’m locked in. Everything I’ve prepared for leads to this. I study the movement of the man across from me. I tell myself it’s time to prove everything I’ve been feeling and saying up to this point,” Offokaja stated.

Offokaja transferred the skills and experience he has gained from boxing to start a new self-help business venture. Together with friends, he named the business DTR963 which stands for dreams to reality.

“We intend to teach people on how to reach their goals in life. The 963 is the frequency for higher consciousness. So I felt those meanings worked well together as you have to elevate your consciousness to reach your dreams,” said Offokaja.

“I felt as if the current self-help market was saturated with influencers giving out false rhetoric and ways of life. We’ve often talked about how unhappy we are about how society is going. If we target the youth and show them a better, more productive way of life; we can make an impact.”