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One local boxer is on her way to becoming one of the next big names out of Omaha. Ruby Martinez only got into boxing a few years ago and has already found herself ranked as one of the best in the country. Martinez met her coach, Jose Campos, back in 2021. She wanted to get into boxing to lose weight.”I was at a pretty rough time in my life, and I needed an outlet, and I felt like boxing was right for me. I always wanted to do it since I was little, but it always felt like a pipe dream,” Martinez said.Just two years later, Martinez was down to 175 pounds from 230. She started boxing in 2023 and by the end of 2024 had already won the elite champion at 165 pounds and was a national champion at 176 pounds.”You know, a lot of people misjudged me as someone who was chunky, un-athletic. I got called un-athletic multiple times in my life, and the fact that I came all the way to here now, it means that I am capable and I deserve to be where I’m at,” Martinez said.Fast forward to today, Martinez has just returned from winning her third national title.”She’s been doing it for three years, and she only has 12 fights, and for her to be beating these girls at that level is just amazing,” Campos said.She credits the success to Jackson’s Boxing Club, whose mission is to provide at-risk youth with a positive environment to train and grow.”They are always pushing me to my limits, all the teammates I have here, so it didn’t feel surprising because I’m sparring some of the best of the best in this gym,” Martinez said. Announcers nicknamed Martinez “mini-Mike Tyson.” In the words of coach Campos, the sky is the limit.”With 12 fights, she’s ranked number 4 at 165, she’s ranked number one at 176 in the country. I see her being a part of the USA team, hopefully in the next two years,” Campos said.A few more wins and we could see Martinez representing the U.S. and Omaha at the 2028 L.A. Olympics.”I genuinely have a lot of pride for my city. We have so many different communities, so many different people and just this community is kind of what uplifted me to do this,” Martinez said.
One local boxer is on her way to becoming one of the next big names out of Omaha. Ruby Martinez only got into boxing a few years ago and has already found herself ranked as one of the best in the country. Martinez met her coach, Jose Campos, back in 2021. She wanted to get into boxing to lose weight.
“I was at a pretty rough time in my life, and I needed an outlet, and I felt like boxing was right for me. I always wanted to do it since I was little, but it always felt like a pipe dream,” Martinez said.
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Just two years later, Martinez was down to 175 pounds from 230. She started boxing in 2023 and by the end of 2024 had already won the elite champion at 165 pounds and was a national champion at 176 pounds.
“You know, a lot of people misjudged me as someone who was chunky, un-athletic. I got called un-athletic multiple times in my life, and the fact that I came all the way to here now, it means that I am capable and I deserve to be where I’m at,” Martinez said.
Fast forward to today, Martinez has just returned from winning her third national title.
“She’s been doing it for three years, and she only has 12 fights, and for her to be beating these girls at that level is just amazing,” Campos said.
She credits the success to Jackson’s Boxing Club, whose mission is to provide at-risk youth with a positive environment to train and grow.
“They are always pushing me to my limits, all the teammates I have here, so it didn’t feel surprising because I’m sparring some of the best of the best in this gym,” Martinez said.
Announcers nicknamed Martinez “mini-Mike Tyson.” In the words of coach Campos, the sky is the limit.
“With 12 fights, she’s ranked number 4 at 165, she’s ranked number one at 176 in the country. I see her being a part of the USA team, hopefully in the next two years,” Campos said.
A few more wins and we could see Martinez representing the U.S. and Omaha at the 2028 L.A. Olympics.
“I genuinely have a lot of pride for my city. We have so many different communities, so many different people and just this community is kind of what uplifted me to do this,” Martinez said.
