You hear about people balancing careers with boxing. Yet, it is the norm for 30-year-old ‘Mighty’ Brook Sibrian.
The undefeated professional boxer with only three and a half years of boxing experience recorded her second win this past weekend. It was a third-round knockout over Nikkia Williams on Tom Loeffler’s 360 Promotions, with the card taking place in Commerce, California. This improved her record to 2-0 (1 KO).
Many might assume the balance would be boxing with a union job. For Sibrian, she balances being a part of the Wall Street Journal with her dream of being a world champion.
“So I actually create and manage custom ads on our site,” said Sibrian when explaining what she does for the Wall Street Journal. “So those ads that pop up on the Wall Street Journal, I am a part of a team that creates them for clients. We work with Amazon, BMW, and all types of clients, but I am in the advertising space.”
“I am full-time [at the Wall Street Journal] and have an amazing, amazing team that supports my dream…so the great thing about it is we are a global company. Our clients are on the East Coast, all of Europe, everywhere, so I actually work throughout the day. I wake up at four am, and I handle my e-mails and assignments from four to six. I have to do it that way so the East Coast gets it right as they are logging on. I do my runs, come back, get in there, and then by two, I do my training, and afterward, I come back and do what I have to do. It’s manageable. It is all about time management and prioritizing things.”
She moved to California as she enjoyed boxing. She had taken classes at Rumble Boxing in New York and New Jersey. Little did she know that entering the 818 boxing gym would lead to something much more in her life.
“I went to this gym called 818 Boxing in San Fernando, and that is where there were active fighters, pro and amateur. So once I started there, I met my now fiancé, ‘Mega’ [Jose Soto].”
Jose Soto is a well-respected pro who serves every function for Sibrian: Trainer, fiancé, cook, and manager. Soto does it all. He even put his professional career to the side for Sibrian. Yet, it was a major opportunity he got in his career that would change both of their lives.
“Mega and I moved from Coachella to L.A. The reason was that Marcos Caballero, (Roman Gonzalez) Chocolatito’s trainer, had reached out to Mega and said, ‘Hey, he is in camp. Do you want to spar?’ He was like, ‘Of course, that’s my idol.’ We ended up going to Coachella every weekend for two months.”
“From then on, he did two or three more training camps. We were already living here and were taking part in all of it. We spent every day in the trenches of training and got really close. I didn’t even know who he was when I met him. Remember, I had no knowledge of boxing up until this point, and now, not only do I learn about him, but I am literally rubbing shoulders and training next to him. I was learning from him. So for me, I fell in love with his style, but he was obtainable for me. He was next to me. I think that also helped me [progress so fast].
One of her recent posts from a media workout saw the legendary and iconic champion, Roman Gonzalez, comment the following on her Instagram post. “Future Champion in the name of God,” said Gonzalez via translation.
“Once I started to train, I figured I might as well train to compete, and that is where the idea for the amateurs came. Once it got started, there is no going back; let’s see how far we can take this.”
Her amateur career was very short. In fact, it lasted two years, and she was a two-time USA Boxing national champion in 2022 and 2023. Her amateur record was 22-3. She was ranked as the number-one 114-pound fighter in her division. She also qualified to represent El Salvador in the Olympics. That is a lot, especially for someone new to boxing.
She credits her upbringing to the person who is currently succeeding in the sport. “It started young as my mom was a teenage mom. Honestly, Mega and I joke about this often that I am not even supposed to be here…she was a fighter in her own right and her own world, and I never took it for granted.”
Despite limited experience, ‘Mighty’ Brook checks all the boxes to be a breakout star, from knockouts to an eye-catching appeal to a compelling story that follows her. Her limit is herself and only that. Brook Sibrian is one to watch.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye might not feel comfortable with his blindside protection early in the upcoming season. Following troubles at left tackle in 2024, the Patriots invested in the position by drafting LSU standout Will Campbell with the No. 4 pick in April's draft. Per Chad Graff of The Athletic, Campbell has been trending down at training camp this summer. "All eyes are on him every practice, which is a tough spot for a rookie," Graff wrote of Campbell. "So far, he’s been about what you’d expect from a rookie. He has some strong moments, particularly in the running game. But there have been struggles in the passing game. He’s been beaten for a sack in just about every practice, which isn’t great considering he’s usually on the field each practice for only 15 or so passing plays in full-team drills. "He tends to get beaten to the inside after oversetting, and it probably doesn’t help that the Pats don’t yet know who their left guard is next to him. Still, extrapolate those numbers, and that’s allowing two sacks each NFL game if you throw the ball 30 times. Not great." Graff believes the future is "bright" for Campbell, but doesn't think he will be a top-20 left tackle in 2025. NFL scouts had questions before the draft about Campbell's 32⅝ inch (or 33 inches, depending on whether one believes the league or LSU) arm length. Some suggested he'd be better suited to play guard in the league than left tackle. If Campbell continues to give up sacks, the Patriots might consider moving the 21-year-old to the interior part of the offensive line. Per OurLads, Campbell is projected to win the left tackle starting job for Week 1. If Campbell doesn't develop quickly in the preseason, Maye's progress as a thrower in the pocket could take a hit in the upcoming season.
The Golden State Warriors remain in a stalemate with Jonathan Kuminga. As a restricted free agent, the Warriors can match any offer sheet a team signs him to. However, that hasn't stopped teams from trying to acquire Kuminga. Among the teams that have pushed hard for Kuminga are the Phoenix Suns. ESPN's Shams Charania and Anthony Slater reported on Wednesday that the Suns have tried to acquire Kuminga. In fact, they have made "the most lucrative push via sign-and-trade" for Kuminga. The Suns can acquire players via sign-and-trade after waiving and stretching the last two years of Bradley Beal's contract. Doing so got them under the NBA's first tax apron, which permits them to do so. However, completing a sign-and-trade requires a willing trade partner to make it happen. While the Suns remain interested in Kuminga, pulling off a trade will be tricky for them because the Warriors aren't interested in what the Suns have offered for him. The Athletic's Sam Amick reported that sign-and-trade talks have gone nowhere because the Warriors don't want what the Suns are offering. "Per team sources, the talks between the Suns and Warriors have never progressed in any serious manner," Amick wrote. "So while it’s certainly notable that Phoenix is being so aggressive with its contract offer — four years and a combined $90 million, per ESPN — that part is irrelevant so long as Golden State continues to show zero interest in what the Suns have to offer." The Warriors have all the leverage because, with Kuminga as a restricted free agent, they don't have to agree to a sign-and-trade with the Suns or anyone else if the offer holds little appeal to them.
Let the (preseason) games begin. With the Detroit Lions-Los Angeles Chargers Pro Football Hall of Fame Game kicking off 2025 action, Yardbarker NFL writers mulled a player — past or present — on each AFC team who merits enshrinement in Canton. AFC East BUFFALO BILLS | LB Von Miller | As the NFL’s active leader in sacks (129.5), Miller — who's now with the Commanders — is a sure bet for the Hall of Fame even though he missed 14 games in three years with Buffalo. In 10 seasons with Denver, Miller earned a Defensive Rookie of the Year award, made eight Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams and was named MVP of Super Bowl 50, the last defensive player to win the award. MIAMI DOLPHINS | WR Tyreek Hill | His subpar 2024 season aside (81 catches, 959 yards, six TD catches), the 31-year-old receiver boasts a Hall of Fame resume (eight Pro Bowls and five first-team All-Pro nods in nine years). Hill led NFL receivers with 1,799 yards in 2023 and has six 1,000-yard seasons in his career, two fewer than Cris Carter, who spent the last five games of his Hall of Fame career with Miami. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | Kicker Adam Vinatieri | The NFL’s all-time leading scorer (2,673 points) narrowly missed induction as a finalist in 2025, his first year of eligibility, and will be an automatic finalist in 2026. Vinatieri, who retired in 2021, holds records for most field goals made in the regular season (599) and playoffs (56) and helped the Patriots win three Super Bowls before winning another with the Colts in 2007. NEW YORK JETS | QB Aaron Rodgers | The enigmatic passer disappointed as a Jet, but four first-team All-Pro honors, four NFL MVP awards and a Super Bowl MVP with the Green Bay Packers can’t be overlooked. Rodgers’ 62,952 passing yards are the seventh most in league history, and his 4.34 touchdown-to-interception ratio is the best of any quarterback, past or present. — Bruce Ewing AFC West DENVER BRONCOS | WR Rod Smith | Smith played a key role when the Broncos repeated as Super Bowl champions in the 1997 and 1998 seasons. The three-time Pro Bowler had 152 receiving yards in a 34-19 Super Bowl XXXIII win over the Atlanta Falcons, tied for the sixth most in a Super Bowl. The undrafted WR starred for Denver from 1995-2006, becoming the club’s career leader in receiving yards (11,389). KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | QB Patrick Mahomes | Star tight end Travis Kelce would be an excellent pick, too, but the Chiefs had won only one Super Bowl before Mahomes became the starter during the 2018 season. The 2017 first-round pick has won three Super Bowls and two MVPs in eight seasons with the Chiefs. Expect Mahomes, who turns 30 on Sept. 17, to keep bolstering his stellar resume. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS | QB Philip Rivers | Rivers, who retired as a Charger in July, never reached a Super Bowl during his career, but neither did former Chargers QB Dan Fouts. That didn’t prevent him from making the HOF in 1993. The same should go for eight-time Pro Bowler Rivers, who ranks sixth in career TD passes (421). LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | Guard Steve Wisniewski | It’s surprising Wisniewski isn’t in Canton already. Per Pro Football Reference, his HOF monitor score (76.58) is higher than that of HOF guard Mike Munchak (72.7). The former O-lineman is also a member of the HOF’s All-1990s team. — Clark Dalton AFC North BALTIMORE RAVENS | LB Terrell Suggs | Suggs, who played from 2003-19, and former Ravens guard Marshal Yanda were finalists for the 2025 class but missed out. Suggs was one of the more dominant pass-rushers of his era, accumulating 139 career sacks, earning seven Pro Bowl nods, one first-team All-Pro, a Defensive Player of the Year award and an NFL-record 202 tackles for loss. He was a key part of two Super Bowl winners. CINCINNATI BENGALS | QB Ken Anderson | The Bengals did not win a Super Bowl during Anderson’s career (1971-86), but that is pretty much the only thing separating him from other Hall of Fame quarterbacks, especially from his era in the 1970s. Anderson has an NFL MVP award and led the league in passing twice, completion percentage three times and passer rating four times. CLEVELAND BROWNS | Edge Myles Garrett | Garrett is still active, but it’s not hard to see the path his career is on. He has been the more dominant pass-rusher in the league from pretty much the day he arrived. He may not win a title in Cleveland, but he is going to finish as one of the best Browns players of all time and one of the best defenders of the modern era in the NFL. PITTSBURGH STEELERS | QB Ben Roethlisberger | Roethlisberger, who retired in 2022, does not have many individual accolades, but spending nearly two decades as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL and earning two Super Bowl rings will be more than enough to get him in. It is just a matter of how long he might have to wait for induction. — Adam Gretz AFC South HOUSTON TEXANS | DE J.J. Watt | Widely considered to be a first-ballot lock, Watt — who retired following the 2022 season — will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2028. His career could have been even better if not for several seasons being shortened by injury, but Watt is one of only three players to win three NFL Defensive Player of the Year awards. Few players were capable of changing the game the way a healthy Watt could. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS | Kicker Adam Vinatieri | The three-time Pro Bowl selection made 29 game-winning kicks in his career, including two that won Super Bowls for the Patriots. Vinatieri has four Super Bowl rings and could be considered the most clutch kicker of all time. There are four kickers in the Hall of Fame, and it is almost impossible to argue against Vinatieri becoming the fifth. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | RB Fred Taylor | The wait continued in 2025 for Taylor, a Hall of Fame finalist for the second straight year, but he did not get the nod. Taylor, who retired in 2011, ranks 17th in NFL history with 11,695 rushing yards and holds numerous Jaguars records. The only running back ahead of him on the all-time rushing list who is not in the Hall of Fame is Frank Gore, and he is likely to get into Canton eventually. TENNESSEE TITANS | RB Derrick Henry | Titans legends Eddie George and Steve McNair advanced in the Hall of Fame voting process for 2025, but there is a good chance neither will get into Canton. Henry, meanwhile, is already 19th on the NFL’s all-time rushing list with 11,423 yards and coming off a season in which he ran for 1,921 yards. Henry, who spent the majority of his career in Tennessee, should be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. — Steve DelVecchio
As the Packers look for answers to an underwhelming and underachieving pass rush, an unheralded rookie might be about to carve out a role for himself. Former university of Georgia standout, and Packers undrafted rookie free agent, Nazir Stackhouse is putting together a dominant start to training camp, and even head coach Matt LaFleur is taking notice. Packers’ Matt LaFleur Bullish on Nazir Stackhouse Stackhouse, 6-foot-4 and 326 pounds, might not just be in the mix to win a roster spot this summer but if his strong play continues throughout training camp and the preseason, he could find himself as one of the Packers’ starting defensive ends when the regular season kicks off in September. “He’s earning more and more opportunities. I think at some point, we’re going to have to see him get in there versus our [No. 1 offense],” said head coach Matt LaFleur. A three year starter at the University of Georgia, Stackhouse finished his five-year collegiate career with three sacks, nine tackles for loss, and 96 total tackles but has been a dominant force this spring and summer since landing with the Packers. Green Bay has built an ascending young roster with quality star power across the depth chart, but edge rusher may be one of the Packers’ remaining weaknesses. If Stackhouse continues on this trajectory, he might just be the next young player to emerge with a vital role in 2025. Follow Matt Lombardo on Threads at @MattLombardoNFL. To read more of our articles and in-depth NFL coverage, click here.