Although the sport of boxing is often associated with Olympic Gold medals and high priced title bouts, battles inside the squared circle are also popular within the Brigade of Midshipmen.

Brigade boxing was established in 1942 and remains a popular sport at the academy. Although boxing once topped the list of the Naval Academy varsity athletics, today midshipmen boxers participate on club sport and intramural levels. Tonight, 20 midshipmen boxers will meet competitors in the ring for the Brigade Boxing finals.

“We had a packed house with standing room only during the semi-final bouts held Feb. 5,” said Jim McNally, academy boxing coach. The semi-finals were the precursor to tonight’s event in Halsey Field House. “The finals always provide an exciting tournament,” McNally continued. “We always have a number of former academy boxers attending the event. Some of our guys now in the Marine Corps come here from TBS (The Basic School) in Quantico, VA.”

Midshipmen were boxing on the intramural level in the fall months, according to McNally. In October, several competitions were held in which 58 midshipmen boxed in 12 different weight classes. The boxing weight classes begin at 112pounds up through 190 pounds – to the heavyweight level.

A quarterfinal event was open to midshipmen boxers on Feb. 1, which was then followed by the semi-finals.

The winners of tonight’s Brigade Boxing finals will join the Navy’s Boxing team as it competes on the intercollegiate level. A regional competition will be held at the Virginia Military Institute on March 26-27, followed by national competition on April 2-3 at the University of Nevada at Reno. Nearly 30 universities compete on the intercollegiate level.

“We will have at least 12 people on the academy team,” said McNally. Though we don’t have anyone in the 125-pound weight class boxing tonight, we will have a mid boxing in that weight class once we establish the academy’s team.”

McNally is working with a fairly young team this year with only four seniors lacing up their gloves. One of the premier bouts tonight will occur when two-time boxing champion Midshipmen 2 nd Class Shane Voudren enters the ring against last year’s brigade champion, Midshipmen 3 rd class Eric Stenzal. Midshipmen 2 nd Class Matt Watt is also a returning champion. He will meet Midshipmen 3 rd Class Art Wills. Another returning brigade champion is Midshipman 2 nd Class Alex Bullock. Bullock, who took a year off after winning the brigade boxing competition during his plebe year, will face Midshipmen
3rd Class John Bobo.

The Brigade Boxing finals begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Halsey Field House and are open to the public.