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Part of what makes Sterling so proud of his accomplishments and so aware of where he fits historically, at least from a numbers perspective, is that there have been times when reaching these heights seemed unlikely and that continuing to compete was in question.
The bantamweight champion has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, the most prominent of which was the neck injury that required surgery following his DQ win over Yan and delayed their inevitable rematch. In addition to the neck issue and the customary bumps, bruises, knocks, and aches that every athlete accumulates over the course of a training camp and a career, Sterling admits that he went through the last two training camps dealing with a torn bicep tendon, and that ahead of this fight, he made some life choices designed to help maximize his ability to continue competing for the next several years.
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“This is the first training camp where I haven’t drank as a pro, which is crazy, but it’s very different for me,” offers Sterling. “I like to enjoy my life and enjoy training, and if training wasn’t fun and I couldn’t do the things I enjoy in life, to do such a hard sport that is so demanding in terms of sacrifices, I don’t think I could do it.
“Win or lose, I’m gonna get crazy after the fight,” he notes with a laugh. “But this is what it’s all about, man — chasing opportunities and trying to make a name for yourself. For me, I feel like I’m just living a dream to where sometimes I still wonder if this is my life, you know?”
This was always the dream — achieving championship success and reaching elite status, earning strong paydays that allow him to not only be comfortable himself, but to provide for others, as well — but it’s been a long road to get here, and reaching this point is never guaranteed.