With the boxing season coming to an end, Shippensburg University’s boxing club has had a strong season, with two members of the team competing at nationals.
Brett Pastore and Tylik Guilford competed at the National Collegiate Boxing Association Championships in Seattle, Washington, April 7–9. Guilford qualified for nationals by winning the East Coast Regionals boxing tournament, while Pastore was the regional runner-up.
Guilford became the first male to win the event from SU in over 20 years and upon winning the tournament, Guilford was named the Most Outstanding Boxer at the tournament.
“This is the third year I’ve worked with them,” SU boxing coach Travis Wylie said. “I love working with great human beings. Brett is the hardest working guy I have ever coached. Tylik is just a great guy. I love working with those guys.”
“Winning regionals was a good feeling and it gave me a lot of confidence going into nationals,” Guilford said.
“It also means a lot to me, to be recognized as the Most Outstanding Boxer out of plenty [of] talented individuals.”
Guilford came into nationals riding a ton of momentum, but unfortunately fell in the national quarterfinals to a University of Nevada boxer.
“Making it to nationals now means nothing,” Guilford said.
“Yes, it was a great experience, but winning nationals is the only thing that matters to me, personally. On a positive note, I loved every minute of being in Seattle, surrounded by great athletes and good sportsmen like myself.”
Pastore started out Nationals with a strong victory. Pastore was in for a challenge against the hometown University of Washington boxer. Pastore won the match and advanced to the National Semi-Finals, where he lost in a close split decision to the returning national champion, Dan Gibson of West Virginia University. This marked the second consecutive year that Pastore took third-place at Nationals.
“Nationals are a great experience. Last year we were in Florida, this year we were in Seattle. We get to travel all over and face some of the best fighters in the nation and it is just a phenomenal experience,” Pastore said.
Both Pastore and Guilford are determined to be the best boxer in the country and both put in countless hours preparing for matches.
“I didn’t have the season I wanted,” Pastore said.
“I really wanted to have a national title. I really wanted to be a two-time champ. I wanted to do it for my coaches and my team. That didn’t happen this year, as I ended up taking third place again. Next year I’m definitely bringing it home.”
Coach Wylie said of Pastore, “He got the right mindset and intangibles you can’t teach. I’m honestly proud and it shows what kind of work ethic he has. I’ve never seen a guy so disciplined. Third isn’t good enough for him. He’s got the right mentality.”
“Training is intensive and it includes a lot of cardio and endurance training,” Guilford said. “It’s tough, but it feels good knowing you can stand in the ring against the best.”
“I do a lot of training,” Pastore said.
For Pastore and Guilford, a lot of the training is cardio based. The training includes swimming, sprinting and sparring. The boxers also train by getting into the boxing room for a few hours each day, hitting the mitts and the heavy bag to get ready for boxing matches.
“As far as the training they are going through hell and back. They are pushed really hard,” Wylie said.
“The idea is to push them harder than what they will experience come fight night to make fights nights easier. The only way to experience it is to get into the ring.”
For Pastore, a member of the university’s wrestling team, mixed martial arts is something in the near future.
“I had a few [mixed martial arts] fights scheduled last summer and they fell through,” Pastore said. “This summer we’re working on getting me some mixed martial arts fights, some kick-boxing and some other experience, so this summer I will definitely have my first mixed martial arts fight.”
With both boxers coming off phenomenal seasons in the ring, the future is bright for both athletes.
“My goal for next season is to win Nationals. Simple as that,” Guilford said.
With an endless amount of training and crazy amount of determination, Pastore and Guilford are imposing their will and working harder than ever to become national champions come next season’s end.
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