The University of California, Riverside’s (UCR), Highlander Gloves, a boxing club, has achieved success in national competitions, including the women winning the United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association (USIBA) Team Championship last year. Not only that, through their partnership with the Riverside Police Foundation, they assist at the Raincross Boxing Academy, offering free boxing lessons and tutoring to the local youth. Creating a partnership with the community that gives back to the next generation and also helps develop club members.
Economics Associate Professor Joab Corey, coach and faculty advisor of Highlander Gloves since 2017, shared how in the 2022-2023 season at the USIBA hosted tournament, the National Championship tournament, the women’s team finished first and men’s team finished fifth. This year the team holds aspirations “that both teams can finish as high as first in the country.”
This quarter, the team assembles six days a week for an intense ten-week training camp. They practice Monday through Thursday in the evening, and on the weekends as the sun rises from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. The boxers undergo demanding training sessions which involve intense cardio for warmups, calisthenics, conditioning and a lot of bag work. Preparation for the season includes a few sparring sessions, where the team goes out to box against other teams like at the California State University, Northridge (CSUN), University of California, Irvine (UCI) and University of Southern California (USC).
The tournament is a significant goal for the team. This year’s USIBA tournament is hosted at Houston, Texas and is the team’s moment to shine. Corey explains how for many people this is the first time they are going to a tournament and how it will be one of the “highlights of their college career outside the classroom” as one of the defining moments of their life.
Team Captain, Carlos Rivera, has been boxing with the university team for two years. Right now he aims to set an example for his fellow teammates, bettering not only those around him, but also himself. Creating a conducive environment for unity and teamwork, the figure he maintains is one where he lets them know that “it’s okay to ask me for advice and to try to help them do as much as you can.”
The Fight Team Captain, Rian McCreary, has also been boxing at the university for about two years now. To prepare for the tournament she has been staying behind after practice to do extra drills and build up her strength. Last year was McCreary’s first time competing at the USIBA tournament, and she got three fights out of the tournament. However, in her last match, she lost by split decision, with the judges unable to come to a consensus for who had actually won the match. This year McCreary is in the same weight class as the girl she had lost the match against and looks forward to a rematch.
At the tournament last year, Rivera comments that he feels as if it went well. This year, putting aside his anxiety and nervousness, he is prepared to really focus on his matches. During practice he has been reflecting on his previous sparring sessions, taking apart his motions, figuring out what worked and what does not work and is working on getting better with each day.
The Highlander Gloves President, Benjamin Perez is pumped up for his redemption arc at the tournament this year. This year he is looking forward to dominating his matches, putting in a lot of time and effort to make up for last year’s tournament.
The community built at Highlander Gloves is truly a special one that encourages everyone to support one another and improve. Their practices are full of support and exceptional effort. Perez reflects on how at the start the team did not really know each other well, but now they have “found community.” He has watched them “before and after practices, talking, having a good time, making friends.” Through their shared time the club has instilled within it a sense of camaraderie and respect.
Corey holds high hopes for the team, “the thing about this group is that they have to give back to the community to be part of this club. So you have good people, doing good things for the community, who are also full-time students who have made a commitment to represent a university at this championship tournament, and are really pushing themselves to do it in the best possible way. I’m very proud of it.”
This year Highlander Gloves looks like it is off to a great competition season. The team is pumped and hopes are high. This tight-knit community has put in the hours, constantly pushing each other to exceed boundaries and now they aim to bring back championship belts.
