Taliyah Rodriguez
Taliyah Rodriguez, a 13-year-old high school student, and has brought home the Gold Medal from the Olympic trials which were held in Wichita, KS during June 22-29, 2024. Taliyah is a boxer with the Billings Elite Amateur Boxing Team, managed by Steward Strever, and will be entering the 9thgrade at Billings Senior High School this year.
Taliyah weighs in at 124 lbs. and actually fought in the 132 lb. class. She won the Gold Medal in her second bout, going the distance, yet giving her opponent 2 standing eight counts with “body shots” to the mid-section.
Taliyah has been developing her “body shots” for the last two years. Body shots are offensive punches used in amateur boxing and other martial arts. They are used to “break down your opponent.” A well-placed body shot is delivered with a punch or a kick to the mid-torso or either side of an opponent’s, ribs. The most devastating punch is delivered to the right side under the rib cage, the liver. A punch to the liver, a “liver shot,” will not only break down an opponent’s resolve, but can actually knockout your opponent or for certain will put that opponent on the canvas in excruciating pain.
A Standing 8-count is a safety requirement for the referee required by USA Boxing Safety Rules. It gives a boxer an 8 second rest period, and is actually a referee’s time period to evaluate a boxer’s ability to continue, even if the boxer is on his/her feet. The referee has the option, and
requirement, to stop the fight if their immediate evaluation gives the referee a sense that the boxer cannot continue to the bout’s completion of 3 rounds. Taliyah has developed her body punches to the point that even with a protective rib cage, her punches are felt to the utmost, evidenced by this writer that has had the honor of working with her and helping her with her body shot techniques. She has at times knocked the wind out of me.
Rodriguez has been on the Honor Roll at Riverside Middle School for two of the four quarters of school year 2023/2024, and the President’s Academic Award, in addition to school studies, she enjoys basketball and track. Taliyah is interested in one of the trades at the Billings Career Center.
As an amateur boxer registered with the United States Amateur Boxing Association, she is rated as Number 2 nationally in her weight class. Coach Stacey Limberhand lauds Taliyah’s efforts, as this feat is not easily achieved, but it is a testimony to the dedication of developing her boxing skills, the love of her Marshall Arts Craft and just plain hard work. Limberhand and Randy Bear Don’t Walk accompanied and cornered Taliyah in her matches at Wichita.
Boxing and wrestling are considered “American Martial Arts.” For interest in amateur boxing, Stewart Strever can be reached at: 406-647-4001.
