The gloves are not coming off, but instead are going on as Sigma Chi Fight Night returns Nov. 14 to the Nacogdoches County Exposition Center for a night of amateur boxing that will benefit local youth.
And a lot of extra time has been spent this year on conditioning, strength and technique for those who plan to participate, according to Eddie Lacey, Sigma Chi member and a boxing coach at the Nacogdoches Boys and Girls Club, where the youth boxing program will benefit from the fraternity fundraiser.
Keith Lansdale/The Daily Sentinel |
Fighter Christopher Akabue trains with boxing coach Pedro Gonzalez from the Unidos Boxing Gym.
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In past years, the Fight Night participants have mostly been "under trained," according to Lacey, who is running the event. But the fighters signed up this year have been much different and have spent a lot of time getting ready for some good clean rounds of boxing.
"These guys have put in a lot of work, and they are very dedicated," Lacey said. "They actually look like boxers, and they won't just be going in there slugging.
"Some of them, being athletes, have been conditioned pretty well," he said. "Three one-minute rounds won't be too hard for these guys."
The most work has focused on maintaining that conditioning and working on technique, Lacey said.
"A lot of these guys fundamentally are sloppy," he said. "But the guys who have been coming consistently — you can tell the difference."
The fighters are also training side-by-side four days a week, three hours a day, and they sometimes train with, or next to, the fighter who could be their opponent come Fight Night.
"Some of the fighters are getting some outside training," he said. "But I've pretty much seen every single one of them."
Jared Taylor from the Nacogdoches Shen Chuan School and Pedro Gonzalez from the Unidos Boxing Gym have also been helping Lacey train the boxers.
"They have been a huge help," he said. "Their experience has really made the difference in making this work."
Lacey has been struggling with the lack of funds for the youth boxing program since he first started working with the Boys and Girls Club, he said, and he believes that training adults may be the key to raising money for the youth program. Lacey charges $35 monthly for his adult training program.
"And of that $35, $25 goes to dues and $10 goes to sponsor a child in the Boys and Girls boxing program," he said.
If all goes as planned, Lacey has visions of working to establish a mentor program that would work directly with the adult boxers and the children they sponsor.
Christopher Akabue is one of the fighters training with Lacey who was happy to help with the event.
"I fought in it last year, and I saw that all the proceeds went to good causes," Akabue said. "I wanted to fight in it again this year and help out Eddie and the Boys and Girls Club."
Akabue, a senior majoring in computer science, won his fight last year and said despite the time he's been spending in the ring, he's not really a boxer.
"I just do it to get in shape and have fun," he said.
He does his best to stay in shape for Lacrosse, he said, as one of the players on the Stephen F. Austin State University team.
Akabue has been working with his upcoming opponent, Zach Gagnon, a sophomore majoring in accounting.
"He's a big boy and an all-state wrestler," Akabue said. "I know he's conditioned, so I know it will be a good fight."
Gagnon returned the sentiment about his opponent.
"He's a big man, and I have my work cut out for me," Gagnon said. "I've been training hard, and he's been training hard so, I'm looking forward to it."
He has experience in Muay Thai, a Thailand version of kick boxing, he said, but has limited experience in a boxing ring.
"I wrestled in high school, and my friend is a trained fighter, and I would always train with him," Gagnon said. "But I haven't done any boxing."
Despite the lack of experience, Gagnon said he's ready for Fight Night.
"I just want to get out there and compete," he said. "I'm not really nervous; I'm just ready."
Tickets are $10 for general admission and $30 for VIP seating. Tickets are available at SFA in front of the business building, or at Sports Shack.
General admission tickets are also sold online at the Nacogdches Expo Center Web site at nacexpo.net, where $1 will be taken off the price.
