Isaiah Hall 3namez Sports interview on Detroit boxing

The Isaiah Hall 3namez Sports interview with host Keith Jason covered Hall’s loss in his only amateur bout at the 2022 Michigan Golden Gloves, why Claressa Shields inspired him to cover Detroit boxing, and how he built a journalism career at WDIV Local 4. Hall also spoke about Lincoln High School football, a breaking-news story that changed his view of the newsroom, and his recent engagement.

What did Isaiah Hall say about Detroit life and his first breaking-news story?

Isaiah Hall named Sweetwater Tavern’s wings and fries among his Detroit favorites, but his most vivid early newsroom memory was far more serious: a report that an abducted two-year-old had been found. The experience showed him how quickly an assignment desk must establish what happened and what information it can responsibly share.

Detroit favorites and a family connection to Flint

Asked for music to play at a sporting event, Hall chose Lil Boosie for his energy. At Sweetwater Tavern, he recommends the wings, their slightly spicy sauce and the fries. His family is from Flint, and he called them a General Motors family, though he also recalled owning a Chrysler 200. Given his choice of a GM vehicle, he picked a Cadillac CT5.

The breaking-news call that stayed with him

Alongside sports producing, Hall has worked in newsroom logistics, listening for breaking news around metro Detroit and relaying developments to colleagues. On his first breaking-news story, he heard over a scanner that an abducted two-year-old had been found in an alley. He remembered the newsroom shifting immediately to locating the scene and checking what could be reported. That urgency, he said, changed his understanding of how news works.

How did Isaiah Hall help the Lincoln Railsplitters in 2017?

Isaiah Hall recalled two plays against Bedford that helped Lincoln High School win a game important to its 2017 playoff position: a block that cleared the way for quarterback Cam Thompson’s touchdown run and a roughly 22-yard catch on third down. Hall said the victory helped the Lincoln Railsplitters secure a home playoff game.

Bedford was a physical opponent, Hall said, and he was injured during the game before returning. On Thompson’s run, Hall came from across the field to reach a defender pursuing the quarterback. He later made the third-down catch, and Lincoln scored on that drive as well.

Hall also remembered what happened after that season began with two losses. At one demanding practice, he felt the team commit to changing its course; he said Lincoln then won about 10 straight games on its way to a district championship. His message to current Lincoln players was to stay together, keep competing and enjoy the time they have left playing football.

How did Isaiah Hall become a sports journalist at WDIV Local 4?

Isaiah Hall entered Michigan State University studying kinesiology, then switched to journalism after two years because he wanted to keep working around sports and found writing suited him. After graduation, an internship at WDIV Local 4 led him from high school football articles to newsroom production and assignment-desk work.

Changing direction at Michigan State University

Hall’s first major involved the study of human movement and subjects connected to physical therapy and athletic training. He found the science courses difficult, particularly physiology, and moved into journalism. Much of his early journalism work centered on writing because reporting opportunities were limited in 2020. He left college knowing that writing stories was a skill he could build on.

From a football internship to the assignment desk

Hall applied to WDIV Local 4 after his mother told him the station was hiring. He did not expect to get the internship, but soon began writing articles tied to its weekly high school football coverage. Afterward, he became a producer trainee on a one-year contract, learning to write television scripts, assemble rundowns and help on the assignment desk.

Those duties grew into full-time assignment-desk work and sports producing. Hall emphasized that his boxing articles were not initially a primary assignment. He began pursuing them because he loved the sport and saw Detroit fights he wanted to cover.

What did Isaiah Hall say about his amateur boxing career?

Isaiah Hall took up boxing in his senior year at Michigan State University and lost his only amateur bout at the 2022 Michigan Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids. He felt he started well but tired in the second round; looking back, he believes cutting too much weight contributed to that fatigue.

Hall took a university boxing class twice, learning the fundamentals and choosing to spar and train. The second time, he became an amateur boxer fighting out of Crown Boxing Gym in Lansing. His Golden Gloves bout took place at the DeltaPlex Arena, where he competed at 139 pounds.

He said he accidentally cut down to 136 pounds and would not cut that much if he could do it again. Before the fight, he also faced a concern about high blood pressure that briefly put his participation in doubt. He remembers his coach praising his first round and asking how he felt; Hall’s answer was that he was tired. Spectators noticed it during the next round.

Although he lost, Hall said preparing for and entering the ring gave him a lasting respect for fighters and mattered to his mental health. Explaining why he still values the sport, Hall put his strongest conviction plainly:

boxing changes lives flat out

What did Isaiah Hall say about Claressa Shields and Detroit boxing?

Isaiah Hall said Claressa Shields inspired him to tell more Detroit boxing stories because he felt her achievements were not getting enough attention. He began covering local cards on his own initiative at WDIV Local 4 and believes the city could again become a major boxing hub, with young fighters adding to its momentum.

Meeting Claressa Shields at WDIV Local 4

Before interviewing Shields himself, Hall met her when she visited the station for an interview with an anchor. She let him hold her gold medal, and he told her he had fought. Hall placed his first interview with her around late 2023. With both his parents from Flint, he said Shields’s connection to that city made her story personally meaningful as well as professionally compelling.

Detroit fight cards and future venues

Hall started writing boxing articles when Detroit fight cards were being staged at Wayne State Fieldhouse. He praised Salida Promotions for competitive matchups and said its events offered an atmosphere that could appeal to casual fans. Looking ahead, he pointed to fights at the Fox Theatre and Little Caesars Arena as signs of Detroit’s potential. In particular, he thought the Fox’s distinctive setting could help attract more boxing events.

Kentrell Rouser and the younger fighters

Hall also singled out Kentrell Rouser for his dedication at a young age. He had followed Rouser’s work to regain his form after an injury and found that resolve inspiring. Hall praised the fighters around him and gave special recognition to LJ Harrison and Tony Harrison for their work in Detroit’s boxing community.

What advice did Isaiah Hall give about media careers and his engagement?

Isaiah Hall advised aspiring media workers to be authentic, start with the skill they do best and keep developing the rest. His engagement has also changed how he thinks about his future: he said preparing for marriage has made him reflect on his faith and the responsibilities he wants to meet.

Finding a role behind the camera

Hall said a person does not need to be an on-camera personality to work in news. Producers build newscasts, while photojournalists tell stories through the camera. Both can be entry-level paths, and he considers learning those jobs valuable even for someone who eventually wants to appear on camera.

His broader advice was to find a subject and format that fit, then keep working at them. Someone confident in writing but not yet comfortable speaking on camera, he said, can prioritize writing while improving their camera skills. Finding a voice takes time and sustained work.

Planning a marriage

Hall said proposing to his fiancée felt more pressured than interviewing Shields, despite months of preparation. The couple had not set a wedding date when they spoke. He said the engagement had changed how he approached the future and made him consider how he and his fiancée could grow in their faith and honor God in their marriage.

Who is Isaiah Hall?

Isaiah Hall is a former amateur boxer and a Michigan State University graduate who works as an assignment/content editor at WDIV Local 4. His journalism includes sports coverage, particularly stories about boxing in Detroit.