Woman continues her brother's boxing legacy

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A valley woman is on a quest, inspired by her brother. Her brother Alexis Urbina was a champion boxer, tragically murdered. Now she's following in his footsteps and becoming a professional boxer.

25-year-old Sulem Urbina is anything but a quitter. After he brother's death, she questioned her relationship with the sport.

"It was very difficult to lace up the gloves and not having him along on my side not having him training with me running with me," said Sulem Urbina.

Sulem says now the ring not only honors her brother's past but is the center to her future.

"I feel like every time I step into the gym his spirits here with me. I feel like this is where he's the closest to me, and it's a bond even though he's gone we still share," she said.

Sulem is just weeks away from her professional boxing debut. She says life-lessons outside of the ring have prepared her for anything.

"Life is very difficult. You have your ups, your downs; you don't have control sometimes over the things that happen in your life. I think that you have control over how you confront these things," said Sulem.

Optimistic but humble, Sulem says even though boxing is everything to her, there is one thing that comes before all else.

"For me, my biggest goal is to take carE of my family my mother my father, my husband and my little brother," she said.

Sulem hits the ring Jul 30 for her professional debut. She also has another younger brother who hopes to go pro one day.