Maria Ferrese is not a typical teenage girl.

Her idea of fun is working on a family friend's farm near her home in Mars.

The work is long and hard, but it keeps the 15-year-old in shape, both physically and mentally.

It's a good thing, too. Her hobby in the evening requires a lot of both.

When she's not working the fields, she's working on her jab. When she's not going to farmers markets, she going to gyms, honing her rapidly improving boxing skills.

"I thought it would hurt worse getting hit," Ferrese says. "I was surprised how it really didn't hurt."

Instead, it is Ferrese who has done most of the hurting since starting her career in October after being urged on by her boss at the farm, Lisa King.

King also is a boxer and encouraged Ferrese to come to Olson's Gym in Valencia to give it a try.

She did and she trains as much as six times per week.

"A lot of her work ethic comes from working on the King farm," said Mike Olson, Ferrese's trainer and owner of Olson's Gym. "She works so hard in the gym. Her work ethic is unparalleled."

Ferrese has had four bouts already in her career and she has won two of them. Her two losses were narrow defeats.

Her two wins, though, were brutal TKOs.

"I'm pretty strong," Ferrese said. "I'm pretty powerful, so I can usually beat people up."

Olson said Ferrese's style lends itself better to the pro ranks rather than the amateur fight game.

"She's a human pit-bull," Olson said. "She reminds me of Rocky Marciano. She has courage under fire. That's something you can't teach."

Olson said in her four fights, no one has been able to hurt Ferrese.

The losses, he said, came from poor footwork and the nature of amateur boxing.

"In amateur, it's all about scoring points," Olson said. "I've re-watched her fights and the one she lost against a girl who had been fighting for two years she lost because she kept getting her feet tangled and falling down. It looked like she went down because of a punch, but that girl never hurt her.

"She has the tenacity to be a pro fighter."

Ferrese said she eventually wants to turn pro, but now she's focused on the Junior Olympics, which begins Monday in Brownsville, Texas, and runs through June 25.

Ferrese fights in the 132-pound Female Cadet division.

She doesn't know what to expect when she travels to Texas. Olson won't be able to go with her and neither will her family.

And there is no guarantee she even will get to fight if there are no other girls in her weight class, although that is very unlikely.

"I could get anywhere from one to five fights," Ferrese said. "Maybe none. I have no idea what to expect."

Ferrese stepped up her training in preparation for the event. She went to the gym run by former Pittsburgh Steelers lineman Craig Wolfley in Bridgeville to spar Wolfley's wife, Faith, who has several karate and toughman titles to her credit.

Ferrese already has set some high goals for her amateur career.

"I definitely want to win at least two championships," Ferrese said.

Olson believes that is very attainable.

"At this time next year, she will be a Golden Gloves champion," Olson said. "A year after that, she will be a state champion."

But the road will be rough. She is still learning the sport, particularly the intricate footwork. She is also learning how to have some thick skin.

Ferrese already has experienced some strange looks and feedback about her boxing career.

She often spars against boys and holds her own.

"She roughs them up," Olson said.

Fans also have heckled her at some of her bouts.

"Not to be conceited, but I'm pretty good looking," Ferrese said. "They yell, 'You should be dancing instead of boxing.'"

Ferrese chooses to do her dancing in the ring.