West Philly's Fulton goes for gold in Russia

 The closer Stephen Fulton Jr. inched toward the 6-foot-high mirror, the wider his eyes grew.

He was shirtless and sweating as he shadowboxed in the late afternoon inside West Philadelphia's James Shuler Memorial Gym.

Fulton's trainer, Hamza Muhammad, was stuck in Center City traffic, forcing the 19-year-old amateur boxing champ to begin on his own.

Muhammad was told long ago that you need to "get your guys used to working without you."

Fulton's eyes locked onto his reflection, and his feet danced atop the wood floor as his punches battered the air.

The national champion was alone, but he was comfortable. And he will be alone again as he travels without Muhammad to Russia this week for the World Combat Games.

The Games will run from Oct. 18 to 26, and Muhammad said he is unable to leave his job for that long. Fulton's first bout is Sunday and boxing ends Oct. 24.

Fulton, who goes by "Scooter", will represent the United States at 123 pounds in his first major tournament since he captured the 114-pound Golden Gloves title in May. USA Boxing ranks Fulton as the nation's second-best amateur bantamweight.

"I feel good, feel experienced," Fulton said. "Probably when I get over there, I'll be a little nervous and homesick, but I never let that get in the way of my fighting."

He will compete without headgear, which he did at the U.S. Championships but not at the Golden Gloves. New rules are eliminating headgear in amateur boxing and the change is pushing Fulton more quickly toward a professional career.

Why take the same punishment without the pay, Fulton rationalized.

He planned to compete for a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic team, but now expects to turn pro within the next year.

"Everybody wants to get paid for what they do. Everyone wants to make money," Fulton said.

In April, Fulton finished second at 123 pounds at the U.S. Championships. But he said he weighed only about 119. He plans to weigh in at exactly 123 for the Combat Games. With weight, Fulton has added muscle and power to his punches.

"He's filling out as a boxer and as a man," Muhammad said. "He's getting stronger and more mature."

Russia is not Fulton's first trip alone, as he flew by himself to Las Vegas four years ago for the Junior Golden Gloves. Muhammad said he took the then-15-year-old Fulton to the airport and put him on a plane and "he came back with the belts."

It showed that the fighter could work on his own, and it now leaves no doubt for Muhammad that Fulton can do it again .