Sports

CROWLEY - Boxing fans in Crowley and the surrounding area will have a chance to see some live action soon.
The Crowley Boxing Club will hold its Fourth Annual Rice City Invitational Amateur Boxing Show on Saturday, Aug. 5, with first bell at 2 p.m. at the International Rice Festival Building at 717 W. Mill St.
The show gives Crowley Boxing Club’s young athletes a once-a-year chance to compete in front of a home crowd.
“Our boxing program is year-round and our boxers train four days a week. We travel to compete at least twice a month, oftentimes more,” says Crowley Boxing Club Coach Saja Hoffpauir, “so that tells you how hard these kids are working.
“Right now we have a great group of kids. All of them have winning records. Last weekend we participated in the USA Boxing Southern Association Tournament and came home with three champions. We are talking about young athletes that have been competing at state, regional and national levels.”
According to Crowley Boxing Club Coach Arthur Scott, the show will bring boxing clubs to Crowley not just from Louisiana, but from neighboring states as well. Teams from Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida travel here for the annual event.
Generally the show boasts more fights than state tournaments see.
The club is hoping for a large turnout at the show.
“We want to have the Rice Festival Building full of folks cheering our young boxers on,” says Hoffpauir. “These kids keep Crowley on the ‘boxing map,’ and they look forward all year to for this chance to box at home.”
The Crowley Boxing Club is a (501)(c)(3) non-profit organization and is certified by USA Boxing. Members have to pay an annual fee to USA Boxing, but because Coaches Scott and Hoffpauir donate their time, training with the club is free.
The club welcomes participation from anyone interested in boxing, ages 8 and up.
General admission for the Aug. 15 show is $15 and admission for children ages five through 10 is $7.