Metcalf won the IBF Bantamweight World Championship, inspiring her community by balancing both professional boxing and motherhood.
DALLAS — It takes grit and grind to juggle multiple hats.
“I grew up here in Oak Cliff, South Oak Cliff, and I just was a person who had a lot of different hustles about me,” said Shurretta Metcalf, an Oak Cliff native.
Metcalf wears boutique, salon and mobile bartending owner proudly, but no other title is greater than mom.
“I try to show them that hey, you can be your own boss,” said Metcalf about her sons.
Her oldest son was diagnosed with autism at a young age.
“My son was born in 2005, so we don’t really know about autism like that at all,” said Metcalf.
She quickly had to learn.
“To be a young mom at night, crying, you don’t know what’s going on with your son. He’s just not talking. He loves. He shows emotions but only to you,” said Metcalf. “That was my first fight.”
It would be her last because to support her sons, she began boxing.
“I started in boxing in the underground circuit,” said Metcalf.
She goes by her childhood nickname, “Chiccn.”
“It was chicken sticks because of my skinny legs,” said Metcalf. “I just took the sticks off.”
With gloves on, Metcalf took a jab at the ring.
“It was probably like 2012. It started around that time, and I’m talking about no experience, no nothing,” said Metcalf. “I never knew how long two minutes was until you got a fight, two long minutes, three rounds.”
Watch Metcalf’s full interview below
It took no time for Metcalf to have a team in her corner. It’s made up of mostly women, from her mentor/promoter to her trainer, Christine Lopez.
“It is great to find a close-knit family of women who support each other. There’s no jealousy. We want each other to succeed,” said Lopez.
Success is all Metcalf sees as she’s gained the attention of notable boxers such as Floyd Mayweather.
And now she boxes professionally.
In October, weighing 118 pounds, Metcalf took the world stage, winning her new title, International Boxing Federation Bantamweight World Champion.
“My heart dropped because I knew it in my head like I know I beat her, but to hear them say ‘and new,’ I’m just saying it just made me have chills on my body,” said Metcalf.
Just five days after winning the belt, Metcalf turned 40 years old.
“It’s never too late. If you have a desire or a passion, go for it,” said Lopez.
Metcalf also finds ways to give back to her community. She rents out her salon to people who can’t afford long-term booth rentals. She also trains other boxers and is an advocate for domestic violence survivors and autism awareness.
“I’ve been manifesting my life about this ever since I started, and when I started seeing the bigger picture of everything, when I start seeing how people was being behind me and how much work I would put in, I said, yeah, this can’t go to waste,” said Metcalf.
She doesn’t let anything stop her, even when the goal seems out of reach.
“I can do anything…even if it’s something that I’m unfamiliar with. I’m unfamiliar with motherhood. I’m unfamiliar with autism, all that, and so I had to learn this,” said Metcalf. “It’s pretty much like fighting. You’ve got to be dedicated to whatever, and you put the work in no matter what.”
Now carrying the world belt and as a world champ, it’s still the title of mom that matters most.
