The thought of being a brigade boxing champion dances in the minds of midshipmen. The dream is harbored by those who will tell about it – and those who wont.

Just knowing of some of those who have earned the title Brigade Boxing Champion such as Superintendent Rear Adm. Thomas C. Lynch and Deputy Commandant, Marine Corps Col. Terry Murray is enough to stand up the hairs on the napes of the want-to-bes.

The tradition of the Naval Academy’s boxing program goes far back into the history of the institution. Long before the concept of brigade boxing was born, Navy’s intercollegiate boxing teams coached by the legendary Spike Webb won several national championship in the 1920s and 1930s.

The start of World War II left the Naval Academy short on manpower. At the same time, other college teams were building their programs to strengths so great that officials felt Navy could no longer compete on an even level.

So, in 1942 the Brigade Boxing Championships were started. And the intra-academy program that has, in the past half century, grown in stature among those in “the yard” was on its way to becoming a major annual event.

The majority of competitors participate year-round in the Navy boxing program with most being members of the intercollegiate team. All those who vie for brigade titles get adequate training and instruction through the boxing program.

The tournament starts with box offs and the finalists come out of the semifinals bouts that are the first “public showing” for the participants.

“I think we’ll have some very interesting bouts in the championships,” said the Navy boxing coach Jim McNally. “I was very pleased with the semifinals when a lot of the people who have been coming to the Brigade Boxing shows for many years said this year’s was one of the best in a long while.

“I wasn’t really sure how good this years group would be because we lost some very good seniors from last year and our team is very young,” McNally said. “We only have three seniors fighting for the championships, but there are some very talented plebes and sophomores, which is good for the next couple of the years, too.”

Tonight, for the 52 nd year, the tradition of boxing at the Naval Academy will be carried on, as nine young men will be crowned brigade boxing championships.

The competitions get under way at 7:30 p.m. this evening in the Halsey Field House r. The champions will be decided in nine weight classes starting at 132 pounds and going to the heavyweight class.

Each bout is made up of three one-minute rounds. The fighters are awarded points for contracting their opponent with the front of their gloves, rather than for the power of their punches. Five judges score the bouts. The referee will separate the boxers to avoid injury and will stop bouts when one boxer appears to be injured.

While the boxing is often exciting and sometimes even frenzied, still and safety are two of the most important factors in the program.

Two champions are already known since they have no competition in the finals. Senior Kirk Loftus, a walkover champion at 112 pounds will engage in an exhibition match with 119-walkover champ Alex Salunga to start the evening of boxing.

Then comes what may be the best contest of the night. The 132-pound bout will pit Shane Voudren, a junior who has been champion in this weight class for the past two years, against sophomore Eric Stenzel, who won the 125-pound title last year.

The 139-pounder will be Pete Jensen, a sophomore who surprised Davidsonville’s Mike Huber in the semifinal, against Art Wills.

Alex Bullock, who won a championship as a plebe only to get out of the boxing program last year, will go against lightweight football player John Bobo in the 156-pound clash.

Chris Browning meets Scott Kraft for the 165-pound title and Chandler Comford faces David Fink in the 172-pound bout.

The two seniors who will see action tonight will be Troy Turner, going against John Ohman at 180 pounds, and Joe Wiendl, who meets Matt Reimann for the 190-pound title.

The heavyweight match up, which McNally and his assistant Ron Stutzman feel will be one of the best contests of the night, has football player Wes Philbeck against Matt Jackson.