Soon, Baby Joe Mesi may not be the only thing that comes to mind when people talk about Buffalo and boxing.
A group of UB students started a new club - which was officially recognized by the Student Association on Jan. 29 - devoted to the sport, offering students the chance to duke it out in the ring.
"It was created to give people the opportunity to learn how to box - people who have never been exposed to boxing," said SA Boxing Club President Chris Colt.
Colt said that, despite being a new group on campus, the co-ed club already has about 80 active members. He said he has always been a fan of the sport and wanted to join a club at UB where he could learn more, but after a little research, Colt discovered that UB did not offer any clubs or intramural leagues for boxing.
"I found out they didn't have a boxing club here, but that you can make one," Colt said. "I took the initiative and started one from scratch."
SA Boxing Club meets in the basement of the Clark Hall Gym on South Campus every Sunday. Creating the club was only the first step of the process for Colt and his members. They renovated a dirty basement into a training facility, complete with various punching bags, weights, medicine balls and a locker room.
"When we first got here, there were cockroaches all over the place," he said. "It was a mess."
The club now has the necessary equipment, paid for by fundraising through events such as bake sales, carnivals and monetary donations.
The club meets with Dean Eoannou, their trainer and coach, who trains with members close to 10 hours a week. Eoannou has been boxing since the 1970s and now trains various groups.
Eoannou, who coaches the boxers in everything from stance and footwork to punches, said he believes boxing is more unique than other sports because of the higher level of confidence it requires.
"It takes a lot of courage to put on gloves and get in the ring," Eoannou said. "You're all by yourself with no teammates. When you're done, the kids walk different."
Members of the club said boxing is an enjoyable experience and has helped to boost their confidence. Pat Meier, a sophomore business major, is a beginner who joined after hearing about the club from a friend and seeing flyers around campus.
"It gives me a hobby. I've really learned a lot even though it hasn't been that long," said Meier.
"I've met a bunch of great kids down here, made some new friends and feel a little more confident being able to defend myself," he added.
Devon Lewis, a senior chemistry major, said she just started boxing last semester after joining the club.
"This is my first time (boxing)," Lewis said. "I feel like I can stand up for myself a little more, and I'm more confident in what I do. It also gets a lot of frustration out."
Heanyi Bob-Nwachukwu, a junior electrical engineering major, boxed prior to joining the club.
Bob-Nwachukwu said he likes how he can continue boxing at UB and that SA Boxing Club has better equipment than he used to use in his home country of Nigeria.
"I've waited for a long time for a club like this," said Bob-Nwachukwu. "I saw the flyers around and thought this is wonderful, this is something I want to do. We are all really good friends, we hang out with each other outside of practice. We also learn discipline and training with a great coach."
Colt said SA Boxing Club is still in its infancy. The group already has its goals outlined for next year, which they hope to accomplish with proper fundraising and help from SA.
"We have a couple of goals, one being increasing the amount of women that are members of our club, which is only 10 percent," Colt said. "We also want to create a team and expand our facilities and membership. We'd also like to get a ring in order to host our own tournaments."
That, Colt said, would benefit SA, too.
"SA would make a lot of money if they hosted events,' he said. "We feel the whole community of SA would make money if we hold our own events. Boxing is a spectator sport."
Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki
