Upstarts Exemplify the Ackerman Spirit
In ringside interviews at the Dodge Ackerman Memorial Bouts, Santa Clara boxers reflect on how the sport has impacted their lives
The rumble of boxers’ careful footwork on the floor of the ring was replaced by the clamor of the crowd as Jacob Lesny, president of the Santa Clara boxing team, raised his arm in victory. Lesny’s fight was the first of seven Santa Clara wins this past Sunday at the annual Dodge Ackerman Memorial Bouts in Malley Center.
Fighters represented the University of Washington, San José State University and the University of Southern California at Santa Clara’s only home tournament.
The event commemorates the life of Dodge Ackerman, a renowned Santa Clara boxer who passed away from cancer in 2003 at 23 years old. As a freshman, Ackerman won the 1999 147-pound weight class National Collegiate Boxing Association championship.
“He's an example of that underdog spirit, and that’s what we try to embody,” said Lesny, mouthguard in hand, after his formidable win. “Especially at this event.”
That mentality was undoubtedly present at this year’s competition, with six of the eleven Santa Clara boxers competing in the first fights of their lives.
In his last year of law school, Chris Bittel is approaching the end of his time boxing for Santa Clara. But the influx of fighters makes him optimistic about the future of the team.
“It’s corny, but it gives me hope,” he said. “There are tough people at this school.”
Decidedly one of these tough people, sophomore Bianca Martinez, a first-time competitor, brought palpable energy to the room. After a seemingly devastating first round, the boxer’s strength of spirit enraptured the crowd as she kept her opponent on the ropes throughout the third round of her enthralling bout in an astonishing comeback.
“Boxing is a battle within myself,” Martinez said, the sweaty picture of hard-earned victory. “You get into this mindset, this zone where you push yourself harder and work beyond your limits. I didn't feel myself doing that this first round. I told myself, ‘you have to win these second two.’ And I did.”
Many of the boxers echoed this sentiment, describing the sense of fulfillment they attain through challenging themselves in such a demanding sport.
“It gives me something to fight for,” said Bittel. “It gives me something to strive for. It gives me the knowledge that I can do something that’s really terrifying. Getting in the ring, once you go through that, you realize there’s no reason you can’t do anything.”
Senior Brandon Salgado finds a serenity in the sport that’s evident in his post-fight demeanor. His first-ever official match was the fourth fight of the day–and the fourth win for Santa Clara.
“Boxing is really good for the mind, for mental clarity,” he said. “It’s a form of meditation.”
For junior Connor Merhav, boxing is a method of expression that the home tournament provided an outlet for. After an electrifying bout that had the crowd chanting his name, he stood with friends, happy to have fought in the presence of peers.
“It’s a way to be myself,” Merhav said.
The triumphs of exhibiting their love for the ring would have been impossible without the team’s commitment.
“It’s an opportunity for us to show what we’ve been training so hard for,” said Bittel. “We forgo eating our favorite foods, we train on the weekends, we give up time hanging out with our friends. On fight day, it feels liberating, in a sense. Like, this is what we did it for.”
The fighters’ immense efforts paid off, with the team winning seven of their eleven matches–exemplifying the underdog spirit Dodge Ackerman represents to the team.
“We went two-and-four at this event last year,” Bittel said. “I don’t think any of us were expecting this.”
While the Dodge Ackerman Memorial Bouts allow fighters to put their passion and work on display, the event most of all pays homage to the boxer whose time in the spotlight was cut short.
“We have a privilege to be able to participate,” said Salgado. “We’re competing for those people who can’t.”