Lord of the Ring

By JOSN Matt Jarvis

Trident February 27, 2004

When Adam Mallo steps into the ring tonight, he’ll face an opponent who could knock out his hopes for an especially sweet victory.

Mallo, a first class midshipman from 9^th Company, hopes to become only the 11^th four-time brigade-boxing champion in 63 years. He’ll face Midn. 3/C Will Reclade in one of the 11 matches featured in the brigade Boxing Championships, 7:30 p.m. at Halsey Field House.

All midshipmen learn some boxing techniques, but for most the sport is just part of physical education classes. For others, it is an art form, said Mallo. “Some people can draw, others can sing. Everyone has something they are good at doing. The more I learn about boxing, the more of an art it becomes to me. When I step in the ring, it isn’t about slugging my opponent to see who is tougher, its about making the match into a work of art.”

He compared a bout to a chess game. Players plan each of their moves strategically to trap the opponent in the end.

This three-time brigade-boxing champ was second in the nation for his weight class in 2002 and third in in the nation for his weight class in 2003. Boxing instructor and coach James McNally said Mallo bring his own style to the ring which most of the time works to his advantage, but sometimes causes him to fail.

“We only have three tow-minute round bouts and that is what has hurt him in the past as far as winning a national championship,” McNally said.

“Mallo loses the first round sometimes because he spends too much time studying the guy, trying to figure out where his weakness and instead of coming out strong at the beginning.

“We have worked with him this year, teaching him to just come out swinging and make his adjustments on the run. He always finishes strong, but you can’t waste a round at this level. Her has got the skills, and he always adapts to whatever his opponent does to him in the ring.”

Mallo’s leadership skills and willingness to teach his fellow boxers a thing or two in the ring. Sets him apart from his counterparts, said McNally.

“He is a captain right now, and he is a good leader. Everyone has their own leadership style and the type of leadership he possesses is like no other. He has taken a lot of younger guys under his wing and has done a great job teaching them the skills that are bringing them along in this boxing program.”

“It has been awesome for me this year watching the improvements of all the guys I have helped around me on the team,” said Mallo.

Many of the boxers on the team have adapted skillful techniques in the ring, he said, resisting the amateur urge to “knock the other guy senseless.”

Boxing is a constructive program, McNally said, teaching hard work, discipline and leadership to students.

“The most important lesson boxing offers is putting the guys into a controlled stress environment. Boxing is the best activity we have that puts midshipmen through an environment of controlled stress where they get to think and react under fire.

“Someday these midshipmen are going to come to a point in their career where they will have to make a life or death decision under intense pressure. Boxing teaches them how to handle themselves in these types of situations,” McNally said.

Mallo said the intense nature of the sport and the physical and mental demands boxers encounter in the ring are actually what keep him motivated. “It is difficult most of the time, but the rewards outweigh the disadvantages.”

“he is working hard because he wants to win a national championship and go out on top,” said McNally.

“There is nothing like boxing when you win. You can’t create a drug that duplicates the high you get when you win a boxing match. It is you and him. It’s a dangerous sport, and you’re doing it in front of a lot of people. If you lose, there is no one else to blame but yourself and if you win, you’re the man.

“I am really confident that Mallo is going to be a four time brigade champ and I expect some that is good enough to be a four- time brigade champ to go on and at least bring home one national championship,” he said.

Mallo is boxing and will always be part of his daily routine and someday he might even become a boxing coach, but right now he’s looking forward to graduation and reporting to the Marine Corps Basic School in Quantico, VA.

“He is going Marine Corps, so I would call him a pretty mean lean fighting machine,” said McNally.

“I feel awesome right now. I feel healthy, I am in shape and I’m going to win,” said Mallo.