A lot has changed since the last time I spoke with Avious Griffin in late-2023. Today, the Las Vegas welterweight is still unbeaten, still rising in the division, and he’s about to headline a Thursday event at Sony Hall in New York City against Jose Luis Sanchez.

More importantly, these days the talk is about his present and future, and not necessarily his well-documented past. And he appreciates not having to repeatedly revisit the worst year of his life.

“It's a complete 180 turnaround,” said Griffin, who spent 11 months in jail for a 2017 murder he didn’t commit but was ultimately exonerated in 2020. “My mom always believed in me. And it's just magnifying to see how everybody else has grown to believe in me or grew to take a liking to me and want to see what's next. Because those situations that I went through, a lot of people don't make the turnaround that I did. A lot of people don't make it out of those situations. A lot of the people commit suicide. A lot of people give up. A lot of people do a lot of things. And I just did the unthinkable.”

In a lot of ways, he did. Griffin, 31, was 4-0 as a pro when he was incarcerated, and after an ordeal like that, picking up where you left off is a lot easier said than done. But he did, to the point that he’s now 16-0 with 15 knockouts, and when he fights Sanchez for the WBC USA welterweight title, a win will put him in the Top 15 of the WBC. That means a title shot is within reach, an amazing story that will make a great book one day, and one Griffin plans on writing.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t tough days. Recently, Griffin lost his trainer Charlie Ibarra, something that hit home to him and many in the boxing community.

“Yeah, my coach died,” said Griffin. “He committed suicide like two, three weeks ago, and death is a big trauma slash PTSD part of my life. I'm 31 years old and off the top of my head can count 15-16 close people that I was encountering on an everyday basis that's not here no more.”

There are no words to say. Sorry just doesn’t cut it. And Griffin’s got a fight on Thursday. But he carries on. It’s all he knows.

“It affected all of us in our own little way, but for me, it kind of affected me the most because BoMac (Brian McIntyre) put Charlie in my life to be my coach every day in Vegas,” he said. “I've been with him for two, three fights now and he was able to make my last fight, which I was very happy about. I know he wanted to be a part of the show.”

Griffin pauses, then continues.

“It just lets you know how real mental health awareness and mental health problems are,” he said. “It’s crazy how sometimes people can just show up every day and do their job and smile in your face, but really have bigger problems deep inside. It affected me in its own way. I kind of felt like, damn, did I not make him feel comfortable enough? Was I not a good enough friend to make him feel like he can talk to me about it? Because there was nothing I wouldn't do or give him. So yeah, it had my head down. But he’s going to be watching above as we compete the mission Thursday.”

That mission is keeping Griffin focused, and being in NYC early to watch his teammate Keyshawn Davis win his first world title last weekend was a boost as he took in the big fight atmosphere up close and personal, seeing what could be his if he keeps winning.

“Being this close to it definitely makes it feel reachable, makes it feel possible,” he said. “I'm happy just to be a part of it and to be blessed to be around successful people that's moving in the right direction in this boxing industry.”

Griffin is moving in the right direction, and he’s doing it the right way. That makes him a dangerous man at 147 pounds, where he’s already eyeing champion Mario Barrios. First things first, though, and that means keeping his focus on Thursday night and winning one for his coach, as well as his biggest fan.

His mom, Sabrina Bowerman.

“I think about the smile that this puts on my mom’s face,” said Griffin. “I think about how she wasn't smiling when I was incarcerated during those times. And now, just to see her big smile as her son is driving and going in the right direction, that's love. That's the biggest happiness of it all, and it makes me want to just keep doing the right thing.”