For Steven Nigro, Managing Partner at TAG Financial Institutions Group, a leading investment banking firm in the insurance and financial services industry, boxing is not a metaphor borrowed for motivational effect. It is a discipline lived, practiced, and tested—four to six times a week, in gyms across 22 cities and six countries. And over time, the lessons of the ring have become inseparable from the way he approaches investment banking, leadership, and life itself.
Nigro’s relationship with boxing stretches back decades. He first joined a boxing club in college in 1980, drawn to the sport’s blend of athleticism and strategy. But the modern chapter of his journey began in 2016, sparked by a far more personal motivation. Out of shape and overweight, he took his eldest son’s suggestion to try boxing as a workout. What began as a modest, boxing-inspired routine quickly evolved into serious training as both saw results.
The commitment deepened when Nigro’s wife, Jin—herself a longtime boxing and fitness enthusiast—joined them at a gym centered on boxing and boxing-based conditioning. By 2019, boxing had become a family endeavor. Nigro was sparring regularly and helping his son prepare for Haymakers for Hope, a cancer charity that raises funds through sanctioned amateur boxing events. “Some families have coffee and read the paper on Sundays,” Nigro jokes. “For us, that seemed dangerous, so we sparred.”
What has kept him coming back is not simply the physical challenge, but the culture. Despite its reputation as a brutal sport, boxing offers a uniquely supportive community. Wherever Nigro travels for business or pleasure, his gloves, shoes, and wraps come with him. He finds a local gym, puts in the work, and is welcomed as part of a global fraternity that values effort and respect above all else.
At its core, boxing rewards three traits Nigro believes are essential to success anywhere: discipline, preparation, and persistence. Progress is incremental. There are no shortcuts. Improvement comes from showing up consistently, staying humble, and remaining mentally prepared even when the work is repetitive and unforgiving.
Those lessons translate seamlessly to the pressures of investment banking. Boxing, Nigro says, keeps him composed under stress. It teaches you how to take a hit without panicking, to stay balanced when things turn chaotic, and to keep moving forward. In high-stakes transactions, as in the ring, success depends less on a single dramatic move and more on executing dozens of small decisions correctly over time.
There are striking parallels between closing a transaction and winning a bout. Both demand endurance, timing, and sustained focus. Neither is won in a single moment. “You win by doing a hundred small things right,” Nigro says, “and staying sharp all the way through.”
Beyond business, boxing has reshaped how he approaches adversity. The sport forces practitioners to think several steps ahead, read situations in real time, and accept that sometimes taking a hit is part of making progress. That mindset has made Nigro more strategic, more resilient, and less fearful of setbacks.
Over time, boxing also became a vehicle for something larger. Nigro and his wife founded Tu Lucha Rising, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering at-risk youth through boxing, mentorship, and community engagement. The organization uses boxing as an entry point, but its real mission is building confidence, discipline, and a sense of belonging. Inspired by organizations like Ironbound Boxing in Newark—where Jin serves on the board—Tu Lucha Rising focuses on creating durable, community-centered impact.
For Nigro, the throughline is clear. Boxing restored his health, sharpened his thinking, and reinforced values that guide his professional life. Now, it has become a way to help others discover their own strength—inside and out—and believe in the possibility of a better future.
Investment banking is a financial service that helps companies raise capital by underwriting and issuing securities, providing advisory services for mergers and acquisitions, and facilitating the sale of securities.
Community engagement refers to the process of working collaboratively with community members to address issues that affect their well-being, often through initiatives that promote social responsibility and support.
Discipline in finance refers to the consistent adherence to a set of financial principles or strategies, ensuring that decisions are made based on careful analysis and long-term goals rather than impulsive actions.
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