The Shippensburg University club boxing program will hold a boxing show inside Henderson Gymnasium this Saturday, the only home event scheduled for Shippensburg this season.
The club boxing team at Shippensburg is one of the founding fathers of the National College Boxing Association which was established in 1976.
The NCBA was formed after the NCAA dropped boxing as an intercollegiate sport in 1975.
The Raiders have had success in the past few years, posting three All Americans, all of whom placed third in the nation.
Former Raider boxer and current head coach Travis Wylie said the Raiders have a young, but talented squad this year.
“I have a really good, young team and anticipate this being the best team I have ever had as a coach, possibly the best team in school history,” Wylie said.
The boxing show will have 15–20 bouts combined, including male and female boxers.
SU has tough boxers on both the male and female side but one in particular that sticks out is Emily Appleman.
The 132-pound boxer has not lost a bout in more than two years and looks to keep her streak alive come Saturday night.
“She is a beast in a female sense. This is the first year that they are going to have women national finals,” Wylie said. “It will be a disappointment if she does not win nationals. She has that mentality and that’s what I love about it.”
Appleman won the East Coast Regional Championship last season at 132 pounds and looks to regain that title along with a national championship this season.
Two standout freshmen on the men’s side are Shaliq Ings who is currently 2–0 at 165 pounds and Tylik Guilford, the 147 pound boxer.
“They have a great work ethic for freshman and are very mature for their age. If they stick with it all four years they will not only be national champs but multiple national champs,” Wylie said.
The entire squad has been preparing since September for the bout this Saturday, practicing five days a week just for the chance to step into the ring.
“Blood, sweat and tears man. These boxers bust their ass and get little recognition for what they do,” Wylie said. “A lot of conditioning early in the season and throughout the year while fine tuning their skills.”
The boxing club will have some stiff competition come Saturday. The defending national champion Army team will make the trip along with, Navy, the Coast Guard Academy, University of Massachusetts, Lock Haven University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, West Virginia University and others.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. on Feb. 8 with the doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Ringside tickets can be purchased $8 while general admission tickets cost $6 on the day of the event. If you purchase your tickets ahead of time ringside seats cost $5 and general admission will be $3.
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