When your career hits a dead end, it often helps to step outside your comfort zone and be brave. That’s exactly what Melina Maibaum did—and now she’s living her big dream as a boxer in the U.S.
It’s early in the morning. The alarm clock rings insistently, but Melina Maibaum opens her eyes only slowly. It was a short night. The young boxer could hardly sleep because she was so excited. For a brief moment, she has to remind herself that none of this is a dream. In just a moment, Melina will be picked up for training by former professional world champion Shawn Porter. Not in Germany, not in her familiar surroundings, but in Las Vegas—the ultimate mecca of boxing.
The dream lives on!
Melina rubs her eyes, smiles, and says, “Let’s go! This is exactly what you’ve always dreamed of.” For the 27-year-old professional boxer from Neuenstein (Baden-Württemberg), this moment is far more than just another training session. It’s the reward for years of hard work, setbacks, and decisions that many would have hesitated to make.
With a record of 14 wins in 15 professional fights (one loss), including six knockouts, Maibaum has long been one of the most successful German female boxers in the super bantamweight division. But at some point, she asked herself an honest question: Is what I’m doing right now really enough to reach my full potential? No, was the answer. So she decided to step out of her comfort zone. And she did something that very few would dare to do: She wrote to Shawn Porter.
You can find the full story about Melina Maibaum in the latest issue of BOXSPORT! Now available in the BOXSPORT app! Click here to subscribe!