USA Boxing National High Performance Coach Nikki Burleson Named 2026 Hometown Hero by Visit Oklahoma City
by USA Boxing
Last week, one of USA Boxing’s National High Performance coaches, Nicole “Nikki” Burleson, received a major honor after being named a 2026 Hometown Hero by Visit Oklahoma City.
Burleson is one of Team USA’s dedicated boxing coaches for USA Boxing, serving as a USA Boxing National High Performance Coach while also running her own gym, Rival Boxing Gym, in Oklahoma City. She took over the gym in 2014 and has now led the program for more than 12 years.
After years of dedication to the sport and to the athletes in Oklahoma City, Burleson earned this prestigious recognition from Visit Oklahoma City.
“For me to be recognized by Oklahoma City, it is an honor,” said Burleson. “Boxing has given me so much throughout my life, and being able to give back to the athletes and families in this community means everything to me. This gym has always been about more than boxing.”
To Burleson, boxing is about more than just a competition. It is about the passion and family bond that the sport creates. The Oklahoma native believes the boxing gym gives boxers a place to belong and become part of a team. While leading Rival Boxing Gym for over a decade, she also joined USA Boxing’s High Performance staff in 2025, serving as an assistant coach in Colorado Springs.
In 2026, Burleson was named to USA Boxing’s National High Performance coaching staff, where she now works alongside Head Coach Billy Walsh and National Development Coach Edward Fonteneaux.
At Rival Boxing Gym, Burleson has coached six athletes to USA Boxing national titles, including Brandon Noriega, who later earned an invitation to Colorado Springs as part of USA Boxing’s Junior High Performance Team.
Burleson and USA Boxing’s High Performance Team are currently training at the United States Olympic and Paralympic Training Center as they prepare for their third international event of 2026. Team USA’s next competition will be the World Boxing Cup - Stage 2 in Guiyang this June.