An abundance of blood, sweat and tears is producing tremendous success and numerous champions.
Over the last five years, the UB Boxing Club has been transforming students with no previous boxing experience into masters of the ring. The UB boxing club is striving to provide organized boxing at the collegiate level, teach proper techniques in a controlled environment and set attainable goals for members through teamwork and discipline.
"We have produced 19 Golden Glove Champions coming out of the basement at Clark Hall," said Dean Eoannou, an athletic trainer and boxing coach.
Despite the lack of funding and bare bones equipment, Eoannou, who has 30 years of boxing experience, is still helping students reach new levels of success.
"We know what it takes to be able to compete and win" Eoannou said.
Boxing is a great exercise program that focuses on toning and strength. Students who never tried boxing in real life outside of video games can still join the club, get a great workout and release stress.
Current club members are enjoying the exercise by burning calories, gaining confidence and releasing stress.
"I got into it when I was in high school. It is a great way to channel stress; you let all your emotions out on a bag, and then you feel great," said Jared Callahan, a junior exercise science major.
Boxing is not only for the males around campus. Coaches are encouraging women to give the sport a try as well.
"One of my most memorable moments was when Wendy Casey won the championship in 2006," Eoannou said. "Wendy Casey was a junior math major when she won six championships after only two years of training."
Club Communication Director Okoa Kinsey, a senior environmental design major, hears comments from females about boxing being a male support because it requires power and strength, but believes that those comments are only myths.
"The common stigma about boxing is that it is a physical sport that emphasizes brute strength but it is really about strategy and technique," Kinsey said.
Beyond boxing and physical training, the club is participating in community activities that can help make a difference in the city of Buffalo. The club helps inspire children at the Big Brother, Big Sister Organization of Erie County.
The leadership at the UB boxing club is looking for role models who can benefit from the club and make a difference in their communities.
"We look for someone who can learn, someone who can physically implement what they have learned and someone who make themselves an asset to a broader community" Kinsey said.
Club classes are offered to all students Friday and Saturday at the Richmond gym, located in the Ellicott Complex, starting at 6 p.m.
"It is a fun environment and I encourage students to try it," said Nicolas Cherchio, a sophomore exercise science major and club president.
Students who are more interested in boxing as a sport than an exercise program should try to attend classes at 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday at Clark Hall.
The Boxing Club is hosting a Black tie dinner for the champions at the Classic Five restaurant on Niagara Falls Boulevard on Nov. 5. Tickets are available for $25. The cost of tickets will be credited toward the club's membership fee of $50 for the students who are interested in joining. The fee covers six months worth of training.
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