Weighing in at 165 pounds of 5 foot 9 inch feminine Asian

Weighing in at 165 pounds of 5 foot 9 inch feminine Asian American gusto, Dara Shen is one of the top boxers representing the USA today. She was a bronze medalist at the 2011 National Golden Gloves of America boxing tournament and a silver medalist at the 2013 USA National Championships. Moreover, Shen was an alternate for the 2012 London Olympics and a gold medalist for the 2012 Taiwan Olympic Trials.

We’re looking forward to Dara bringing more attention to women and the sport of boxing! Look for her on a medal podium near you!

ASIANCE: Please tell us a little bit about your ethnicity…Are your parents both Taiwanese? When did your family come to America?

Dara: My parents both came from Taiwan for college and stayed after getting married. I’m one of four kids, all born in San Francisco.

ASIANCE: How did you get your first name? Are you named after someone in your family?

Dara: Good question.. I’ve asked my mom several times and I’m not sure what the answer was. I think it’s from a baby book? Odd, since all the rest of my siblings have biblical names! But it fits because I’m also the black sheep of the family.

ASIANCE: How did you know that you had the talent and were on your way to becoming a competitive boxer? What significant event?

Dara: After my first nationals in 2010, I went home and really thought about what I wanted to accomplish in boxing and what I wanted out of my life. I sat down with my coaches and talked about the Olympics. They believed in me from the beginning. From there I made it a goal to qualify for the Olympics. There were a lot of hurdles and I had to dig down deep to ask myself what I was willing to sacrifice and how bad I wanted it. I made it all the way to the World Championships and was a hair short of qualifying. But I’m using my experience and disappointment as motivation to push forward for gold.

ASIANCE: Did you ever worry that the sport was too masculine for a pretty Asian American female?

Dara: Not at all. I’m not a fan of stereotypes; so any chance I get to prove them wrong, I’m game.

ASIANCE: What did your parents think of you breaking into boxing?

Dara: They hated it. Didn’t think it was a place for a woman, and that it had no tangible future. Even now, they’re anxious for me to retire.

ASIANCE: Do you know Ana Julaton? Would the two of you ever battle each other (same class – Not sure sorry!)?

Dara: I don’t know Ana Julaton, but I have heard of her. I am happy for what she is doing for our sport in the pro game. We’re pretty far off in weight categories, so I don’t think we’d ever fight.

ASIANCE: How do you stay motivated?

Dara: In my off time, I reflect a lot and watch a lot of boxing videos on TV or YouTube. While I’m training, it’s easy – just picturing my opponent and the satisfaction of beating her. I see the faces of everyone who doubts me and secretly wishes I would fail. That motivates me.

ASIANCE: What are your predictions for the Pacquiao/Rios fight in November?

Dara: I think it’ll definitely be an action packed fight. I like both fighters but I gotta roll with my man Pacquiao!

ASIANCE: Who do you admire in the boxing world? What women boxers are you a fan of?

Dara: There are so many women boxing pioneers that deserve admiration. Lucia Rijker, Christy Halbert, Christy Martin, Mia St. John, etc. have all done a lot for our sport in and out of the ring. The pros in our game now are still struggling to overcome hurdles and I admire them for paving the way for the next generation. In the amateurs my favorite to watch are Katie Taylor from Ireland and Mary Kom from India.

Raising an Olympian – MARY KOM

ASIANCE: What Asian American women do you admire? And why?

Dara: I’ll always admire my mom the most. We clash a lot because we are both very strong-willed and hardheaded. But if there’s anyone I know that can overcome the odds, it’s her. She raised four kids while putting herself through school. And while we didn’t have material luxuries, she gave us good habits while teaching us the value of hard work, discipline, and consideration of others.

ASIANCE: What music do you work out to?

Dara: In the gym, the coaches DJ and it’ll be anything from Sam Cooke to Meek Millz or whatever’s on the radio. When I’m running, I have my Pandora on 2pac, Jay-Z or DMX.

ASIANCE: What would you like to ultimately achieve in boxing? What do you need to achieve in order to retire?

Dara: Ultimately, I’d like to represent Team USA in international competition. My previous experience has been in representing Taiwan, a country I love and respect as my motherland. But the US is my home and I can’t retire until I have won gold here.

ASIANCE: Will we be seeing you in the next Olympics?!

Dara: Guess you’ll have to keep following me to find out! 😉

ASIANCE: What advice to you have for Asian/Asian American girls, or any girl for that matter, who wants to break into boxing?

Dara: Try it! The hardest part of starting out is walking into the gym. A lot of girls are afraid to get hit in the face. Boxing is a great workout regardless of whether or not you get in the ring. But if you’re interested in competing – just ask yourself how bad you want to do it. When you want it bad enough, you’ll know that the only person stopping you is you.

Photo credit Susan Hale Thomas