Walter "School Boy" Sarnoi: The Fighter Winning Over The Doubters
Walter Sarnoi, aka “The School Boy,” is a professional boxer of Thai heritage, born in Monterey Park, California.
In 2018 he won the WBC Latino Silver featherweight title. Outside the ring, he loves to travel.
The Downey Patriot reported that he speaks English, Spanish, and Thai and was learning Mandarin. He holds a bachelor's degree in finance and an MBA.
AND...
The “School Boy” is much more than just a pro boxer.
Separation, Mind Over Matter, Freedom
Walter's Thai parents separated when he was 7. This turn of events shaped his determination.
He started boxing at 12, taking the bus from home to a gym in East LA. He has said he got into serious trouble as a teenager before a local intervention program helped turn him around.
After joining the U.S. boxing team, he earned a bachelor's degree in finance from Northern Michigan University on a boxing scholarship in 2007. The “School Boy” nickname fits: he later earned an MBA from Azusa Pacific University.
Photo by Chelm261, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Whether traveling for fights or on vacation, School Boy loves to see the world and shares those trips on his social media.
He has also been active in his community and, as early as 2010, talked about running for the city council in his hometown of Monterey Park.
His big goal is to become a world champion.
The Road To Championship
While at Northern Michigan University, Walter trained with the U.S. boxing team and built a strong amateur career. He was an alternate for the 2008 U.S. Olympic boxing team.
After the 2008 Olympics, he turned professional. His record starts with his debut bout against Jesse Adame.
About a decade later, on October 19, 2018, at the Coliseo Luis Donaldo Colosio in Jalisco, Mexico, he knocked out Luis Lugo in the third round to win the vacant WBC Latino Silver featherweight title, according to the Downey Patriot.
It was a dream come true for Walter, saying “Winning my WBC title means so much to me because ever since I was a kid growing up, I saw legendary fighters like Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali, Oscar de la Hoya, Julio Cesar Chavez, and Floyd Mayweather all have their “Green WBC Belts.”
If you like Sarnoi's story, you'll also enjoy reading about the Boxing's First Lady - Cecilia Brækhus, who went unbeaten as a pro for more than a decade.
He sees boxing as a business as well as a sport.
He likes training around people who push him to do better, and he has worked with experienced coaches and fellow pros to train smarter as he gets older.
After the Lugo win, his record stood at 21-4 with 13 knockouts. Check his BoxRec page for his current record. Either way, he owes his doubters a small thank you.
Dream Coming True
As you may have already predicted, Walter Sarnoi isn’t your regular brawler.
He's a college graduate with an MBA and an avid traveler.
His life doesn't revolve only around winning a world title. He also wants to help young people chase big dreams, and to set up a program or gym where people can reach their fitness goals through boxing.
At K2Promos, we're boxing and martial arts fans who share that goal of helping people reach their fitness goals.
Sources
- Walter Sarnoi goes from troublemaker to champion boxer, The Downey Patriot
- Boxing, politics another 1-2 punch for young boxer, The Downey Patriot
