How a bout with food poisoning led Thanjhae Teasley to the boxing ring

Thanjhae Teasley has always been determined to be a success story. He just didn’t know it would happen in a boxing ring.

Growing up in Bethlehem, Pa., or one of the other dozen or so places he called home, it was easy to see how things could have gone sideways. There were times when his mom was doing well financially and they had a nice place to live, but there were more times when he was “in the hood chilling” or living with cousins.

“I grew up in good times and bad times. A lot...