Lafayette boxers beat the odds again The late, great Sherman DePew would have been proud of the Lafayette Boxing Club. For the second time in the past three years, the Lafayette fighters won the team title at the Indiana Golden Gloves Championships in Indianapolis. DePew coached the Twin Cities Boxing Club, which eventually morphed into the Lafayette Boxing Club. DePew had a big heart and genuinely cared for his young fighters. As a teenager, Terry Christian trained with DePew. Christian has said many times that being a boxer kept him out of trouble. Christian has faithfully carried on DePew's ideals as the coach of the Lafayette Boxing Club. "I really see amateur boxing change some of these kids over time," Christian said. "It can change their attitude and it can change their life. "Some of these guys will never ever win a title, but they will learn about themselves and about life." With limited resources, the club has trained out of Christian's backyard shed and his one-car garage. This year, the club trained and sparred in the basement of assistant coach Brian Raub, one of DePew's grandsons. For years, DePew, who died in early 1997, also trained his boxers at his home. The beat goes on. This year, Christian put together a coalition of local boxers from other trainers to represent the Lafayette Boxing Club. That move resulted in a record entry list for Lafayette -- 22 boxers, including 12 rookies. Hats off to trainer Robbie Abner Tovar, a former DePew fighter, and fighter/coach Mark Coletta for bringing a few of their boxers into the Lafayette club. "Without both of them on board, it's very unlikely that we would have finished first," Christian said. The Lafayette individual champions were Jose Perez, 132-pound Sub-Novice; Julian Chua, 165 Sub-Novice; Carlos Molina, 125 Junior Open; and Al Lewis, 178 Sub-Novice. The club's motto is "No gym, no money, no uniforms and no excuses." However, it looks like the club will be getting new uniforms, thanks to a female boxing fan in Indianapolis. "We looked kind of ragtag compared to some of the other clubs," Christian said with a laugh. He said the woman was going to buy 15 uniforms for the club. Who knows? Maybe a local business or individual will help sponsor the Lafayette boys. A standing ovation for the Lafayette Boxing Club. You guys are simply amazing. And good luck to Ray Lucies, a Lafayette Jeff graduate who won his fourth consecutive Golden Gloves title representing the Frankfort Boxing Club. Lucies took the 178-pound Open crown and will fight for Team Indiana from May 4 through 10 in the nationals in Salt Lake City. written by: Bob Scott at Journal & Courier, boscott6@yahoo.com or 217 N. Sixth St., Lafayette, IN 47901
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Video from 2010 Indiana Golden Gloves.
