Boxers from the Good Fight Boxing Gym in Durango traveled down to Albuquerque on Jan. 28. One of the boxers, Andrew Flamm, had fought in amateur matches before, but for the rest of the gym members it was their first time stepping into the ring with an opponent for a bout.
“It was a lot scarier than I thought it would be,” said Cora ‘CJ’ Martin, a 16-year-old boxer at the Good Fight Boxing Gym located in the Main Mall. “The lights were so bright. But by the second round, I finally started getting into a groove.”
“For me, I was so nervous,” Isaiah, 17, said. “But once I put my gear on it went away, and I was focused on one thing.”
He described boxing as sort of like a runner’s high.
“Everything else goes out the window and you’re in a state of hyper focus,” Isaiah said. “It becomes fluid and smooth.”
Isaiah ended up winning his match, taking advantage of his opponent’s positioning.
“I landed a lot of left hooks,” Isaiah said. “He kept his hands low, and I exploited that. I had sparred so much that I was used to reacting; It was so much fun.”
“When Isaiah won his match, I think everyone got emotional,” coach Katy Kopec said. “Isaiah is a stand-up young man in every way. (He) represents everything that is good about sports and boxing. I love the intelligence Isaiah brings to his fights. He really studies film of himself sparring and constantly thinks about what he could do differently or better.”
Martin ended up losing her bout but left the ring with more confidence than when she entered it.
“I got quite a few (punches) in and knocked her down,” she said. “I know I’ll do better next time because now I know what to expect.”
“I am extremely proud of her,” Kopec said, noting that Martin was one of the few female competitors at the event. “It has been important to Cora that she represent female athletes well, and did she ever! I know she was very nervous, but she handled herself so well, and I think she had the best performance I’ve seen from her.”
Flamm, 25, had his original opponent pull out two days before the fight, but a different boxer stepped up to fight him.
“Andrew stayed positive and prepared, and luckily he was matched with another opponent,” Kopec said.
With a little more time, Flamm might have knocked out his opponent but still got his hand raised. He also mentors the younger athletes.
“He has been instrumental in helping these kids prepare,” Kopec said. “Andrew is the only one with amateur fight experience. He’s been a great role model.”
Onofrio “Nove” Tocco, 16, and Gavin Nicoly, 16, also fought in Albuquerque. They both had close bouts, but came up short.
“Each of our five fighters arrived prepared and conducted themselves with professionalism and confidence both in and out of the ring,” Kopec said. “They encouraged each other, were respectful to their opponents and managed a very long day and a bundle of nerves like absolute professionals.”
After the bouts concluded, the Good Fight Boxing Gym was honored as a team at the event.
“Being awarded ‘Outstanding Team’ was a high honor for us and one of the most special and affirming moments I have experienced in the history of our gym,” Kopec said. “Albuquerque is a big boxing town. This was a large event. Competitors came from multiple states. For our tiny gym in Durango, Colorado, to be awarded a team championship was very special. Not all of our athletes got their hand raised, but each match was very close and competitive.”
“The gym brought us together as a friend group,” Isaiah said. “We all support each other and that helps us build confidence. I hope more people from the youth class join us.”
Not everyone who trains at Good Fight, however, is preparing to step into the ring and throw blows.
Ashley Smith said she started working out at Good Fight three years ago when her son was 1-year old and then came back after she had a second baby.
“It helped my mental health exponentially,” she said.
Smith said she also tried skiing and mountain biking, but they didn’t necessarily click with her.
“I came in for one session and realized this is my thing,” Smith said. “I thought it was just for tough guys, but it’s a great workout and an amazing community”
Many of the people who train at Good Fight don’t actually box or spar with opponents. They just train like it.
“(Katy) actually discourages people from (sparring) until they’re ready,” Chris Hamilton said. “You can choose never to do it and still get the full benefit of the class.”
Even without having to dodge punches, the endurance and cardio aspect of the sport are challenging.
“It’s tough at first. My first two times I puked,” Isaiah said. “There’s definitely a learning curve, and it takes so much time to learn. There is always something to improve, but that makes it so enjoyable to come in here. The hardest part is linking everything together.”
Gage Morsette, a student at Fort Lewis College, however, has been boxing at the gym for about two years and looks forward to stepping into the ring.
“It’s awesome. I like that I’m training for something,” Morsette said. “I’m hoping to make a career out of it.”
“It’s fun, but it’s also risky,” Martin said. “It gets your adrenaline pumping.”
She also said she hoped more girls would join the gym and try the sport.
“We need more girls, especially younger girls,” Martin said. “It’s so much fun, and everyone is so supportive. And it’s super empowering.”
“Cora is going to be a superstar,” Kopec said. “I’m very excited because she is going to help us build a program in our gym for women who need a safe space.”
The boxers will continue training and next fight in Buena Vista in March. The first competition has them encouraged and looking forward to more.
“I think I’m most proud overall of how these individuals handled themselves,” Kopec said. “Each of them was able to keep calm, listen to instruction, and each one had a very good performance. Kudos to the fight organizer and promoters also. This was a wonderful event for us. (Our) five can’t wait to step back in the ring.”
