The boxing ring is a place where champions are born and where losing is not an option.
At Shippensburg University, there is only one name that rises above the rest — Terrance Griffin.
His name alone has the ring of a true boxer, but his accomplishments this year have taken that to a whole new level.
The SU senior has been in the boxing club since he was a freshman, but this year he fought his way to the National Competition. Griffin, who boxes at 139 pounds, was 9-2 on the season and placed third at nationals.
Club sports are different than sanctioned sports and it takes true dedication to compete. No one is going to say when to come to practice, that is totally optional.
With volunteer coach Travis Wylie by his side, Griffin was able to defeat all his opponents this season, but then lost his first match in regional play.
The SU boxing club fights against colleges such as Lock Haven University, Penn State University, West Point, the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy. They compete against the elite fighters in the military and are still able to put up a great battle.
The loss has only fueled Griffin’s intensity to keep competing after graduation.
For years Griffin has held a strong interest in boxing, and one needs that passion to get through the workouts and the heavy workload.
The Student Senate pays most of the way for the boxing club, but Griffin said that Wylie drives them to many competitions and he pays a lot.
Griffin said that boxing can be in anyone. He said, “Some do not know they have it, but anyone can do it if they try.”
When you are talking about the greatest fighters in the history of boxing, you can see that passion is what fueled them to be as good as they were. Griffin likes to let his opponents make mistakes and then he attacks. In a way he uses his lazy tactics to catch them off guard and then beat them mercilessly.
Finishing third in the national competition is a huge honor for Griffin, and he has shown the rest of the SU community that boxing is a big deal. It does not just spark an interest in him, but he is also really good at what he does.
Moving forward it would be nice to see Terrance Griffin fighting alongside the best in the world on the world stage.
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