Las Cruces boxer Ariana Carrasco is a Community Champion

Las Cruces boxer Ariana Carrasco describes her style as more finesse than firepower, but she can throw some big punches when she needs to do so.

“I’m more technical. So, I just like to see where my shots are. And if I can get a knockout or whatever, I’ll go with it,” she said.

So far, that approach seems to be working well.

The 14-year-old fighter trains at House of Pain Gym in Las Cruces. But she regularly travels across the country to put her talents on display.

She recently won a Golden Gloves event in Nevada, besting top fighters in her age group. Then, earlier this month, she captured gold at a National Junior Olympics event in West Virginia.

That’s not too shabby for someone who has yet to even begin high school. Carrasco will be a freshman at Oñate this year.

Despite her youth, she has already learned one of the most important lessons in all sports – winning happens behind the scenes.

“You can’t just slack and then expect to be at the top,” she said. “So, working hard is really what it’s all about.”