Revere Boxing’s Sophia Raso heading to USMC basic training

By Melissa Moore-Randall

On a hot August afternoon, Revere Boxing Outreach is buzzing with students getting in their workouts, sparring and hanging out with their boxing family. Hidden in the back of the gym, quietly working out on her own, Sophia Raso is getting in the last of her workouts.

A Revere High School Class of 2025 graduate, Raso, 18, will be shipping off to the U.S. Marine Corps Boot Camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, for the next three months. Raso joined the USMC looking for a challenge and a way not to limit herself in any way.

Sophia joined the boxing program when it first operated out of an office inside Revere High School in 2020. A member of the Revere High JROTC, she was originally part of a small group of girls who started with the program. She continued to follow the program from its original spot at RHS, its larger space at the former McKinley School and now at its new location at 200 Winthrop Avenue.

Raso credits female Revere Firefighter Tyler D’Angelo with giving her the encouragement to stick with the program. In return, D’Angelo has high praise for the soon-to-be Marine: “I had the pleasure to start coaching Sophia at a pivotal time in her life. She was young and very reserved but motivated. Over the years I have had the opportunity to watch her grow into a strong, exceptional woman that I could not be more proud of. I am saddened to not have around but there is no doubt she is going to do great things. I wish her nothing but the best.”

As Raso gets ready to head down south, she says she will miss her family and her freedom but is excited to see what happens during her three months in basic training.

Revere Boxing Outreach is a nonprofit boxing program for Revere students ages 12-18. Revere Police School Resource Officer Joe Singer and professional boxer Greg Vendetti started the program in a 20 x 20 space at Revere High. It is a nonprofit organization designed to uplift the youths and families in the city of Revere. Revere Boxing Outreach creates a safe and welcoming environment under the guidelines of the USA Boxing Athlete and Non-Athlete Codes of Conduct and USA Boxing’s SafeSport Policy Handbook, which focuses on recognizing, reducing and responding to misconduct in sport. In collaboration with USA Boxing, Revere Boxing Outreach endeavors to teach all participants the character, confidence and focus they need to become resilient and diverse champions, both in and out of the ring. If you would like more information about the boxing program, you can email them at Re******************@***il.com