Arizona Based Professional Boxer Finds Strength in the Death of Her Brother
Sulem Urbina, 26, is a Mexican professional women’s boxer living in Phoenix. She has been boxing since the age of 10.
Photo by: Aaron Soto.
Urbina has competed in multiple local and national championships representing Mexico. Photo by: Aaron Soto.
Urbina is originally from Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. She moved to Arizona in 1995 and is a legal resident of the United States.
Photo by: Aaron Soto.
Urbina’s husband, Andrews Soto, is her boxing trainer and personal manager. He began training Urbina in 2007. By this time, his reputation of his teams winning in many state and national tournaments was well-known.
Photo by: Aaron Soto.
Urbina was training to compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, but was cut off because of conflicts with the boxing federation not allowing her to continue train with Soto. Urbina has since graduated from amateur to professional and competes as a pro.
Photo by: Aaron Soto.
Becoming an Olympic champion was a dream shared between herself and her younger brother Alexis Urbina. In 2013, her younger brother Alexis, whom she competed and trained with, was murdered during a burglary at the Urbina family home in Phoenix. He was 17 years old and was considered a rising prospect. A memorial in Alexis’ honor is visible in the background.
Photo by: Aaron Soto.
Soto was also Alexis’ boxing coach and personal manager.
Photo by: Aaron Soto.
Sulem, her parent’s and family friends sit and reminisce over memories of Alexis on the eve of what would be his 21st birthday. They sit in the room he was found unconscious in after the burglary. Photo by: Aaron Soto.
Sulem’s father, Audel Urbina Perez, tells stories about what
Sulem and Alexis use to do when they were little.
Photo by: Aaron Soto.
Sulem Urbina has since pledged to continue competing in her brother’s honor. Photo by: Aaron Soto.
“I miss taking off his headgear all sweaty and kissing him on the cheek. I miss him telling me that I have to be in his corner because I am his lucky charm. I miss seeing him grow into a wonderful young man. I miss what could have been,” Sulem said in a facebook post dedicated to Alexis on his 21st birthday. Photo by: Aaron Soto.
While her dreams of competing in the olympics are over, Sulem hopes that her story can be an inspiration for boxers everywhere and become a multi-divisional champion as a professional.
Photo by: Aaron Soto.