Z’s Boxing Gym trains a Golden Gloves champion
Z’s Boxing Gym in Annandale has produced a champion boxer.
Nandintsetseg (Nandin) Myagmardulam brought home a champion belt from the Golden Gloves of America national competition in Tulsa, Okla., on May 16.
That’s the highest achievement in the U.S. for amateur boxers, says Eric Zimmerman, Nandin’s coach and the owner of Z’s Boxing Gym. Nandin beat Zoe Hicks in the female finals in the 119-pound weight category.
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A citizen of Mongolia, Nandin, age 38, moved to the U.S. three years ago. She had already won several international boxing competitions, including a bronze award in a world championship, and had been recognized by the government of Mongolia as Sportswoman of the Year.
“I took up boxing when I was 15 because I wanted to protect myself, then I developed a love of the sport,” Nandin told Annandale Today through a translator.
Nandin lives in Arlington with her husband, also a boxer, and her 6-year-old daughter. She works as a nail technician and has also worked at Z’s since it opened in early 2025.
“I hope my daughter will follow me and learn boxing,” she said. “Women need to learn to protect ourselves.”
Nandin now plans to become a professional boxer. She is looking for an agent and sponsors.
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At the Golden Gloves, “Nandin was the only boxer representing the Washington, D.C., region and delivered an incredible performance on a national stage,” said Joanna Bonilla, a coach at Z’s Boxing Gym. “She is also currently ranked #10 in the country, making this accomplishment even more remarkable.”
“We believe Nandin may be the first female from Annandale to earn this honor, which makes this achievement especially meaningful for our community and for young girls who now have someone local to look up to in the sport of boxing,” Bonilla said.
Zimmerman notes that the most famous American boxers, including Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, and Sugar Ray Leonard, all started with the Golden Gloves.
Z’s will close for a week for renovations, beginning this weekend.