Two Fort Mill teenagers who have been learning to box at the feet of a local pro both stepped into the ring last Saturday to face live fire for the first time.

Alex Friday, 15, and her brother Keiten Miller, 17, have been training with professional heavyweight Ryan Shay for the past few months. The two were part of an amateur card at the FML Boxing Club in Eutawville.

Unfortunately for the petite Friday, who weighs in about 105 pounds, there were no women available in her weight class. So, she boxed in what amounts to an exhibition against Tameka Williams of Rock Hill who outweighed Friday by 30 pounds and stood a good few inches taller.

"I think that I did great," Friday said. "I was a little bit nervous, but I think that I did my best out there."

Miller, a heavyweight, also had to deal with the unexpected. He had been training for a bout with an opponent that was three inches shorter than him, but faced Fredrick Wright of FML Boxing, who is three inches taller and held a weight advantage as well.

"I don't think that I did my best," Miller said after losing his first official bout.

"I am disappointed with my footwork and I need to get my stamina up."

Miller and Wright opened up the first round trading punches back and forth. Wright was warned twice early in the bout for hitting with an open hand. After the warnings, Wright took control of the fight and landed a few shots to the head.

"He got hit once and it reeled him a little bit," said Shay. "He did a good job out there for his first fight, but needs to work on his conditioning and throwing more punches and better combinations."

Miller was able to rebound and hit Wright with a few shots and some nice combinations. At the end of the first round, Wright caught Miller with a combination and Miller was given a standing eight count. The bell sounded shortly after that and Wright opened up the second round by connecting on a few punches. The fight was stopped and Wright was awarded the TKO early in the second round.

"He was a very tough opponent," Wright said after the match. "I was able to overcome it, but if he trains harder, he can get a lot better. "

Miller will next fight Oct. 11 at the Ned Pollack Memorial in Charlotte.

"I am disappointed with the outcome, but all of it is a learning experience," Miller said. "I will use it to get better."

In her exhibition against Williams, Friday had to withstand a flurry of wild punches to the head at the opening bell. Every time Friday would try to counter, Williams used her reach advantage and held her off. Friday was warned twice for punches to the back as she tried to answer Williams' barrage.

Toward the end of the first round, Friday started to get more comfortable in the ring. She finished off the first round with a few powerful overhand rights to the head of Williams.

"She rocked the girl a few times when she caught her with the overhands," Shay said. "She made it up to my expectations and I am very proud of her no matter what."

As the second round opened, Friday came out of her corner and stunned Williams with another overhand. After Williams wildly swung punches to the head, Friday again seemed to calm down and countered with body shots that started to take their toll on Williams.

"The overhands are my favorite punches to throw," Friday said. "I tried to use both shots to the head and to the body because once you start doing the same thing it is much easier to defend."

In the third and final round it was much of the same - Friday landing more body shots and overhands and Williams using combination punches to the head. In the end, the crowd of around 60 people gave both fighters a well-deserved ovation.

"She did a great job and it looks like she has trained real hard and knows what she is doing out there," said Mark Anderson, an amateur fighter for 21st Century Boxing Club. "She has to work on a few things out there, but after that she should be knocking people out. She has good techniques and you can tell she has been well trained."

The next chance for Friday will be Saturday, Oct. 4, in Charleston, when she hopes to make her official debut. However, Shay said he does not know if they will be entering that bout, but either way, Friday has a rematch with Williams scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Ned Pollack Memorial, a recreation center off Sugar Creek Road in Charlotte.

RING DREAMS: A family affair