UCLA Club Sports

BY VINNY LAVALSITI
UCLA Club Sports Beat Writer

The Bruins' club boxing program will be making history this weekend.

UCLA club boxing will be hosting the National Club Boxing Association (NCBA) West Regionals Thursday through Saturday. It will be the Bruins' first time hosting such an event and the pinnacle in the program's development.

Coach Tony Gonzalez started the program as an undergraduate student in 2008 and now he gets to see his competitors on the penultimate stage at the John Wooden Center this Thursday.

"I'm really proud and excited to see where we are and how far we've come along," Gonzalez said. "At one point, we were at Drake (Stadium) running up and down the stairs, (and) to finally getting recognized by club sports, getting into Wooden and now we're hosting this show on campus, for me, it's a moment of pride."

The UCLA boxing program has roughly 50 fighters and 7-10 competitive fighters who have boxed in matches throughout the quarter – a far cry from just one competitive boxer a year ago.

Dylan Mahood – a fourth-year economics major and competitive boxer in the 139-pound weight class – has been a member of the boxing program for two years with a record of 3-4.

As the only boxer on last year's competitive squad, Mahood said he used the time to prepare for what it's like to perform in front of a crowd. This year, he's been honing in on his skills to reach his ultimate goal.

"That was the goal when I first started: Win a national championship," Mahood said.
 

Mahood said his cardio training this past month has been crucial for his preparation for NCBA's.

"You want to make sure your cardio is up and you're running and you have good muscle endurance," Mahood said.

Chloe Beverina – who is in the 147-pound weight class – is another boxer to keep your eye out for this week. Beverina is 3-0 in her three matches this year and Gonzalez said she'll be a force to be reckoned with come Thursday.

"I expect (Beverina) to win the whole thing outright, to be honest with you," Gonzalez said. "Chloe is super athletic, listens, is coachable. I expect her to run through everybody."

Mahood and Beverina are three bouts away from advancing on to the NCBA Finals held in Reno, Nevada. 

Gonzalez believes the NCBA West Regionals will provide valuable experience for the rest of the competitive boxers.

"I have a mix of underclassmen and seniors, so a lot of them have had their first fight," Gonzalez said. "As long as they learn and gain experience, that's great, and if they advance, that's even better."

NCBA West Regionals Schedule
Day	Match
Thursday	Quarterfinals   7 pm - 9 pm
Friday	Semifinals   6:30 pm - 10:30 pm
Saturday	Finals   6:30 pm - 10:30 pm

Gonzalez – who has been training his boxers three days a week out of Box 'N Burn gym in Santa Monica, California – hopes the NCBA West Regionals furthers the program's legitimacy.
 
"I would love for this event to be such a hit it's an annual thing," Gonzalez said.