(November 15th) Coach Sonny, who has run his gym for nearly three decades, says Wardlow is one of the most dedicated athletes he’s ever trained.

“There are many kids who come through my gym with dedication, but he’s one of the very few I’ve seen in 27 years with this level of commitment,” he said. “If he keeps this up, I can see him reaching the top level of the pros. Very few make it in boxing—it’s tough.”

Wardlow first laced up gloves when he was eight years old.

“I remember it being hard,” Julian recalled, smiling slightly at the memory. His father, Eric Wardlow, explained that Julian’s best friend introduced him to the sport. “He said he wanted to try it, so we went down to Sonny’s Boxing Gym. At first he struggled, and he told me, ‘I’m done.’ They were putting him in with everybody. But I told him, ‘Julian, if you quit now, that’s what you’ll do your whole life. Get through this, and then we’ll see.’ He pushed through—and never looked back.”

Sonny says Julian’s work ethic stands out even among seasoned fighters.

“A lot of kids get pushed into the sport by parents, but with Julian, he just loves to work. You can see he truly wants it. When I show him a new move, it’s like handing him a bag of candy.”

Sonny, praised the bond between Julian and his father.

“He’s so mature for his age, and Eric is a tremendous father. They’re close, almost like best friends. Sonny’s done a great job molding him as a fighter, and Eric’s done a great job raising him.”

As Julian continued developing, everything started clicking.

“I’m way more in shape now, I hit way harder, and my technique has grown so much,” Julian said.

He remembers his first fight vividly.

“When I got my opponent on one knee, it felt amazing. My body just rose up—I felt like everything in that moment.”

His team says his power has earned him a fitting nickname:

“The Irish Monster.” “Up to that point, he was putting everybody down,” Eric said. “For a kid his age to take people off their feet says a lot about the power he has.”

Julian’s discipline impresses even seasoned pros.

“He eats a better diet than me—and I was a world champion,” one mentor joked. “This kid isn’t touching a donut.”

Despite the praise, Eric insists his belief in Julian’s future isn’t just fatherly pride.

“I love my son more than anything, but it’s not because he’s my son that I believe he can do this. When everyone around you says the same thing, they can’t all be wrong. Everybody knows who the golden-ticket Irish Monster is.”

Sonny echoed that confidence.

“He stood out from the younger guys. I can definitely see him being a future world champion.”

Julian agrees.

“I’m going to be the next world champion one day—soon.”

As the Jean Lewis Invitational approaches, fans will get another look at a young athlete many believe is destined for the biggest stage in boxing.

The 50th Annual Gene Lewis Invitational: Held at the Broadway Recreation Center in Mesa, Arizona, and sanctioned by USA Boxing—stands as one of the longest-running and most respected amateur tournaments in the country. Hosted by the Gene Lewis Boxing Club, a fixture in the community for decades, the event draws fighters from across the U.S. and around the world, offering divisions for novice and open competitors of all ages. The tournament’s legacy is deep: Gene Lewis himself developed six national champions, including world-class talents such as WBC Featherweight Champion Bobby Chacon, Olympian Chuck Walker, and standout contender Charles “Tombstone” Smith, who at one point sparred with Mike Tyson. The club is known not only for producing elite fighters but for its mission to guide youth through discipline, mentorship, and opportunity—values that have helped make the Invitational a proving ground for generations of rising athletes. As the tournament celebrates its 50th year, it continues to provide a stage where future champions like Julian Wardlow can showcase their skills and carry forward the storied tradition Gene Lewis built.