The oft-maligned and controversial sport of boxing has been making headlines as of late.
In the world of reality television, Sugar Ray Leonard and Sylvester Stallone's "The Contender" and Oscer de la Hoya's "The Next Great Champ" have been grabbing ratings, and in Washington, D.C., the Senate has recently approved the development of a United States Boxing Commission, designed to strip boxing moguls such as Don King of the power that they so recklessly wield.
But boxing may be closer to home than what many Dartmouth students think.
Last Saturday, five Dartmouth fighters took to the ring in front of a wild crowd of 900 Big Green fans for eagerly anticipated "Fight Night 2005."
The event, sponsored by the Programming Board, sought to raise funds for the College's very own Dartmouth Boxing Club.
The only female Dartmouth fighter to compete on Friday, Kendri Cesar '08, defeated her opponent by decision.
Simon Trabelsi '08 won by technical knockout after he severely blooded his opponents, and the referee decided to stop the fight.
"Trabelsi and Kendri dominated their fights, showing greater skill and toughness than their opponents," Phil Klay '05 said.
Hernan Ortiz '05 had a slightly tougher time than his fellow classmates, taking on an opponent who preferred to grab rather than box. In the end, though, the Dartmouth pugilist gained control of the fight, winning his match by decision.
Rookie fighter Michael Young '06 dominated his opponent in the first round but drained all of his energy. Young finally dropped out in the third frame, losing by TKO.
"Michael Young's fight was his first, against an opponent with two knockouts," Klay said. "He showed amazing heart, slugging it out and even knocking down his opponent. That was a tough match-up for him, and he performed incredibly.
Klay faced off against a more experienced boxer more than 20 pounds heavier. Though he managed a strong effort, Klay ultimately lost on the judges' score cards.
A bit of drama left one contender out of the ring.
Because his birth certificate "magically disappeared," boxing officials refused to let Ryan Bivins '08 register for his match.
"I have never been so embarrassed in my life," Bivins said.
Though Dartmouth's boxers surpassed most expectations on Saturday, the most surprising part of the evening had nothing to do with anything that went on inside the ring.
The crowd reaction was great," Ortize said. "They loved it and were real into it. We made fans out of some of the people in attendance.
"One kid said that in his five years at Dartmouth, this had been the best event he had gone to and that we should do it more often."
Boxing has an illustrious history at Dartmouth that dates back to the 1930s, when the nation went through a fighting frenzy. The Dartmouth Boxing Club was founded by Corey Ford in his North Balch Street basement in 1949 but initially floundered under the College's struggling athletic department.
After being reorganized in 1955, the club won nine state titles in three years -- all under Ford's guidance.
However, shifting attitudes and interests in boxing instigated Dartmouth to de-recognize the club in 1963.
In 1998, trained amateur boxer and Dartmouth graduate student Craig McGray sought support from Dartmouth alumni to revive the organization. Among those who rallied behind McGray's cause was Kery Davis '79.
Davis, Senior Vice President of Sports Programming for HBO and a pick for Black Enterprise Magazine's "50 Most Powerful African Americans in Sport," ran and continues to run the programming and contracting of HBO's World Championship Boxing and Boxing After Dark series.
Between a little scrounging and a few accommodating alumni like Davis, McGray gathered enough resources to provide basic training materials for the club.
By organizing "Fight Night 2005," Dartmouth's current crop of boxers lifted McGray's vision to the next level.
The Dartmouth Boxing Club boasts a membership of around 50 that increases steadily every year.
