Could This Brilliant Morehouse Student Become The Next Mike Tyson?

Atlanta’s Morehouse College has a strong reputation for producing some of the world’s greatest Black thinkers and professionals. But one college junior is looking to put the school on the map for something else: boxing.

Chad Pitts discovered the sport as a nine-year-old boy growing up in Alabama, the state that produced boxers like the legendary Joe Louis and Deontay Wilder. But while Pitts showed interest in the sport early on, he explained to UATL that resources in his childhood were very limited. Still, that didn’t slow him down one bit.

You don’t necessarily need a degree to become a professional boxer. In fact, most of the greats like Muhammad Ali, Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson bypassed college altogether to pursue their boxing dreams. One of the few examples of a professional boxer with a college degree is James “Bonecrusher” Smith, who graduated from Shaw University before his career took off in the ’80s.

However, Pitts is trying to change that narrative — not because it’s required of him, but because his dreams of going to the prestigious HBCU were just as big as his dreams of becoming a boxer.

“Since I was 14 years old, I always knew I was going to Morehouse,” Pitts told UATL.

With boxing always on his mind, he was determined to make his passion for education and sports work no matter what.

“They were gonna have to work out together in some sort of tandem,” he said. “I just see it adding to the prestige of what Morehouse is and how we can dominate any field and endeavor.”

And he is doing just that. Following in the footsteps of well-known Morehouse men like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Spike Lee and Samuel L. Jackson, Pitts is now paving his own way while maintaining his academic excellence. According to reports, Pitts currently has a 4.0 GPA as an economics major, along with his current No. 5 ranking nationally in his weight class.

“It’s really just understanding that there’s non-negotiables throughout the day and there’s negotiable,” the 20-year-old explained. “Making sure you’re doing the extra work that you need to do.”

Unfortunately, the extra work means Pitts doesn’t get to live a typical college experience, including going on vacation for spring break like his classmates. But, he says, he wouldn’t change it for a thing.

At just 20 years old, Pitts is considered one of the top amateur boxers in the country. With recent wins at both the Georgia Golden Gloves and an international USA Boxing tournament, the junior is on his way to becoming the next big thing in the sport. Although he still has a few semesters left at Morehouse, Pitts told the outlet he has big dreams for his professional career even after boxing.

“At some point after I’ve done everything that I’ve wanted to do in boxing maybe run for a position in the House of Representatives [then] try to become a senator,” he said.