Undefeated and hungry for more, Philly boxer Atif Oberlton is ready to eat with trainer Shar’ron Baker by his side

Boxing is a whispered sport. Hardly anything about the game is overt. Six years ago, the murmurs would come furtively to Atif Oberlton, trying to sway the promising light heavyweight from Shar’ron Baker, a woman trainer who learned the sport from the foot of two masters, English “Bouie” Fisher and Brother Naazim Richardson.

The pair trained Hall of Famer and all-time great Bernard Hopkins for much of his career. What they knew was passed along to her.

Under Baker’s tutelage, Oberlton, now 24, took a major step to a new level when he won an eight-round decision over Russian Artem Brusov on national TV on Showtime’s ShoBox: The New Generation from the Wind Creek Events Center, in Bethlehem on Jan. 20.

Many trainers through the years have tried prying the undefeated southpaw Oberlton (8-0, 6 KOs) away from Baker. And it’s what you figured — she’s the rare woman trainer in a man’s game.

Oberlton, who takes a very cerebral approach to a very brutal game, was not about to be persuaded.

“I didn’t care that Shar’ron was a woman training me or not, and I didn’t care what anyone had to say,” said Oberlton, who is promoted by Reading-based Marshall Kauffman. “It’s been a while since someone has approached me about training me. But it used to happen. They used to say, ‘She’s a woman, she can’t help you.’ There were a lot of people who gave up on me.

“I had a trainer who quit on me. I thought the guy was always going to be my trainer. I lost a national tournament and the communication was bad. There was too much yelling and I’m an emotional guy. I don’t respond to yelling and screaming. I’ve been with Shar’ron for six years and not once did we ever get into a shouting match.

“Shar’ron is a great teacher. We have a great rapport because we discuss things. She’s committed to me. I’m committed to her. She knows the sport. As I said, I don’t really care what anyone else has to say. She’s my trainer.”

The 6-foot-3 Oberlton, a graduate of Paul Robeson High School, had a distinguished amateur past. He won a couple of amateur national tournaments, but when he lost a national tourney at 18, his original trainer, whom he didn’t want to name left him, and others quickly approached.

He gravitated toward Baker.

Baker, 65, a candidate for the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame, has been involved with boxing for 47 years. She was with Oberlton when he won the national Golden Gloves a second time. He would compete in national tournaments, calling Baker to let her know how he did and asking her for advice.

A graduate of William Penn High School for Girls, Baker wanted to box when she was 18, but in 1976, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission was not ready to sanction women’s boxing. The late Sam Hickman was her trainer and after years of boxing in the gym, she grew frustrated by the ignorance of the times and her lack of opportunities.

That’s when Hickman brought up the possibility of training fighters. After his passing, she was fortunate enough to work alongside Fisher, and after his death in 2011, she began working exclusively with Richardson, before he died in 2020.

Fisher and Richardson were the types you climb a mountain to see wearing a monk’s tunic — a pair of boxing Yodas with raspy voices and old-school ideologies.

She channels them.

“I was taught very well,” Baker said. “I can still hear Brother Naazim saying, ‘Swim without getting wet,’ ‘smart and sharp,’ ‘pop the chain,’ ‘swipe his nose,’ ‘tip your hat.’ Atif reminds me of the old-school fighters in a lot of ways. He’s not only into his craft, but he also studies the old-timers, he talks boxing, watches boxing, he is boxing. He doesn’t drink. He doesn’t smoke. He doesn’t do drugs. I’ll never have to worry about Atif Oberlton on a Saturday night hanging out in the middle of a club somewhere.

“He leads a clean life — and he’s also a sponge. You tell him something one time and he’ll go out and do it.”

When Oberlton is not tearing up opponents in the ring with his power, he’s an accomplished clothes designer who once feared a Brother sewing machine.

“I always loved looking good since high school,” he said. “I always liked creating new and unique looks. As I got older, I started advancing making my own clothes. It’s when my girlfriend got me the sewing machine. That thing sat there for years before I finally conquered the fear and started using it.

“I’m going to buy a new sewing machine after this fight.”

Oberlton’s fight with the 31-year-old Brusov (12-1, 11 KOs) took Oberlton into new terrain. He approached the fight with a simple game plan: Box Brusov and beat him up.

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The victory marked the second straight undefeated fighter Oberlton beat. The victory showed Oberlton could win by boxing, as well as using overwhelming power. He got hit more than he would have liked, though Oberlton used his jab well against an opponent with an extensive amateur past.

“It was a tough fight and I think I showed my character,” Oberlton said. “This Russian guy was no slouch. It was a challenge and I’m happy that I took that challenge. Basically, I learned how tough I am. I faced a lot of adversity leading up to this fight, with my gym burning down, changing my training schedule, and I had to rearrange my whole routine. A lot of people afterward said they liked my jab, but I’m my harshest critic. I thought I would have done a far better job with my jab.”

His coach isn’t concerned. She knows he’ll get there.

“Atif is like a coach’s dream,” said Baker. “When you have a fighter who is willing to be taught, willing to put the work in, and willing to go the extra mile, it makes your job so much easier as a coach.”