It's been two years since Kingsville's Tiago Balteiro strapped on a set of boxing gloves and it's been a steady rise to the top for the teen since.
The 16 year old's father Gilberto and his uncle are both talented fighters, with his father competing in the World Championships. Balteiro followed in their footsteps, winning a Junior National Championship only to find himself on the national stage again competing for Team Ontario at the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer AB.
Balteiro took it all in at The Westerner Park Centrium for the opening ceremony Friday night.
"I had goose bumps to be completely honest ... straight chills, it was unreal. You see everyone in the stands supporting you and cheering you on and you just feel on top of the world," he says.
The Ontario Winter Games Gold Medalist calls Kingsville home and trains in Amherstburg at the Fighting Island Boxing Club.
"I'm from a small town and all these kids [his teammates] are from Toronto, they don't even know where Kingsville or Amherstburg is. It's amazing to put my town on the map," he says.
His father also serves as one of his coaches and Balteiro is certain his dad will be right there in the ring with him.
"He's been more nervous than me I feel, I could just see it in his face the last couple of days before I left, he's really stressing about it," says Balteiro. "He just wants to see me win and that's what I'm going to do for him."
Balteiro's first match is against Seamus O'Brien of Newfoundland at 8pm ET Sunday.
Tune into TSN for live coverage of the games, Balteiro's fights will be live streamed through the Canada Winter Games website.
If he makes the final round, fights will be broadcast on TSN 3 on Wednesday at 9:30pm ET.