Herron, who boxes at 141 pounds, has been in 11 bouts this season and was the unopposed champion in the Region 4 tournament in March at Wadena.

This isn’t the first time the name Herron has been associated with boxing in the Brainerd lakes area.

Tom Herron, Blake’s grandfather, sparked a revival in the Golden Gloves program in the 1960s. He was involved in the sport for 53 years before passing away in 2003.

The Herron connection to boxing doesn’t stop there. Blake’s coach is Tom’s son Troy Herron, who’s Blake’s uncle.

Did family tradition play into Blake’s decision to pick up boxing at the age of 11?

“My family never pushed me. My friend wanted me to try it, and we’ve been boxing ever since,” Blake said of his friend, Nate Rubin.

Rubin isn’t a stranger to success in the ring either. The 132-pound competitor hasn’t lost in Minnesota for three years and was the top boxer in the Upper Midwest from 2010-2012.

Since taking up the sport, Herron has led a steady career path.