‘Harder, harder, harder.’ How this Columbus teen won a national boxing title

Naseia Richardson-Moore was just 8 years old when he found himself face-to-face with a rapid-fire southpaw, overwhelmed by the barrage of punches.

“I didn’t know what to do,” he recalled in an interview last week with the Ledger-Enquirer. “I just went in harder, harder, harder until I got it right.”

That defining moment propelled the now 19-year-old boxer and Columbus native from childhood sparring sessions to bouts on a national stage.

In May, Richardson-Moore represented the Southeast region at a tournament in Tulsa, Oklahoma, taking home the 2025 National Golden Gloves Championship in the Elite Male 154-pound division. He now has over 90 wins under his belt.

Richardson-Moore said he was glad the weeklong tournament and his first time competing at the elite level ended in triumph.

“I trained hard and do what I do,” he said. “It felt good that I accomplished it.”

Richardson-Moore is no stranger to victory. In 2022, he secured the National Silver Gloves Championship title in the 132-pound division.

His secret? The young fighter said it’s pretty simple.

“You gotta maintain your weight. Eat right. Stay in shape. That’s it,” he said.

Boxing family

The champion comes from a boxing family and grew up watching his parents train in a boxing gym. His father, Remerson Moore, is a former Golden Gloves Championship winner who began training him at a young age. He also is trained by his mother, Queenetta Richardson, and by his coach at Haygood Gym, Rick Carrillo.

Richardson said watching her son box on a national stage was stressful yet exciting.

“It’s definitely nerve-wracking to be a mom and coach at times and watching Naseia compete,” she told the Ledger-Enquirer. “But I feel confident that [he] knows what [he’s] doing. So it’s fun.”

Richardson said she is glad to see Richardson-Moore doing what he loves. She has an important role in allowing him to continue that — making sure he is eating right, getting the proper amount of rest and doing what he needs to do in and out of the gym.

Richardson-Moore also credits his 17-year-old brother, Kaleil Richardsoon-Moore, for getting him where he is. Kaleil said he is his brother’s “right-hand man” and training partner. He plans to follow in his brother’s footsteps and hopes to one day become a professional boxer as well. For now, he is happy to watch Richardsoon-Moore compete.

“My big brother really makes me proud. He’s really my idol,” Kaleil told the Ledger-Enquirer. “Every time I see him doing big things like this, … it makes me happy. I want him to continue being great.”

Training regimen

Richardson-Moore trains for four hours and runs four-to-five miles nearly every day. He also began attending Georgia Connections Academy, an online public school, to meet the sport’s time and travel demands.

“It’s not just fighting,” Richardson-Moore said. “It’s a lot of technique and skill. You have to be smart. You have to eat right.”

Carrillo has been training him since he was 9 years old. Richardson-Moore is Carrillo’s second Golden Gloves champion. Carrillo said watching the teenager grow up in the gym has been a joy.

“He’s a great kid. He’s like a family member,” Carrillo told the Ledger-Enquirer. “He’s always been very respectful when it comes to the gym, and he works really hard.”

Three professional scouts now are interested in Richardson-Moore, Carrillo said.

Richarson-Moore’s aunt, Chiara Richardson-Moore, said he is the family’s inspiration.

“Naseia is a young man [whose] determination has always shined through,” she told the Ledger-Enquirer. “He has been one of those kids you didn’t have to tell him to do his homework. You didn’t have to tell him to go to the gym. His self motivation is like nothing I’ve seen before.”

Richardson-Moore can be an inspiration to Columbus, too, she said.

“It’s important for people to know we have national champions who live right here in Columbus,” Chiara said. “It’s important for them to see it because, if you see a thing, you can be a thing. And so while my nephew is extremely humble, … I want him to know it’s a big deal. I hope this helps someone else to see what is possible.”

What’s next

Richardson-Moore is training for a spot on the USA Boxing team, where he would compete to be on the Olympic team before turning professional. Outside of boxing, he sees himself becoming an electrician.

And he has some advice for the next 8-year-old who gets in the ring with a savvy lefty:

“Learn the basics as much as you can,” he said. “Just stay focused. Stay out of the way. Stay in the gym.”