Feature

Nevada Wolf Pack boxing at the University of Nevada, Reno isn’t the athletic club that gets the most recognition from the school or its athletic department, but the club is rich in history and has already earned five team national championships, including a 2015 National Collegiate Boxing Association victory in Miami.

The team trains at its Fourth Street gymnasium, which is only a few blocks away from where the famous Jack Johnson vs. Jim Jeffries heavyweight title fight took place on July 4, 1910.

But after a disappointing performance last week at the Eldorado Reno Resort Casino in Reno against the Air Force team, assistant coach Pat Jefferson said the Wolf Pack is lacking in conditioning.

Jefferson, who plans to intensify the training after an annual boxing event next week in New York, hopes to return the current team to the prestige of an organization that has produced boxers like three-time Nevada collegiate national champion Joey Gilbert; David Schacter, who in 2008 became the only four-time National Collegiate Boxing Champion in the history of the university; and Mike Schellin, brother of current UNR Boxing coach Pat Schellin. Schellin is considered one of the greatest collegiate boxers of all time, according to UNR literature, achieving an unprecedented 32-0 career record for the Wolf Pack in 1966-1968.

With current defending national champions J.J. Mariano and Garrett Felling on the roster, Jefferson and head coach Dan Holmes are optimistic about the upcoming national championships in Seattle in the spring, with hope of regaining the team’s reputation as an unbeatable national contender.

Clockwise from top: Zack Smith mentally prepares himself for a practice sparring match in the UNR gym on Fourth Street in Reno.

Nine days before fight night, boxer Jose Ayala pays strict attention to his weight. A regimented routine of diet and exercise are crucial to the boxers’ physical condition on fight night. If a boxer is unable to make his weight on the night of the fight, he will not be allowed to compete.

Garrett Felling and Zack Shipton pose before sparring in preparation for Shipton’s upcoming fight. Although they are in different weight classes, they train together in order to prepare one another for contingencies that can arise during an actual fight.

UNR head boxing coach Dan Holmes poses ringside before the fight wearing his collegiate national championship shirt, a title that the club won earlier this season.

RN&R photogRapheR eRic MaRks takes his caMeRa iNto the RiNg with Nevada wolf pack BoxiNg

This page, clockwise from top: UNR boxers Zack Shipton, Jose Ayala and Gabe Mejorado gear up to prepare for their call to the ring.

Nine days before fight night, boxer Jose Ayala mixes up his cardio and weight training with floor routines and stretching. Pictured here doing knuckle pushups after sparring, he pushes himself to extreme physical limits and focus.

UNR boxer Jose Ayala gets gloved up and checked by coach Jared Santos. All boxers must be fully geared up with head protection, mouthpieces and gloves securely in place before entering the ring.

Zack Smith hits the speed bag as he trains at the UNR boxing club’s Fourth Street gymnasium. The speed bag is just one of the many training techniques the boxers use to prepare for a fight.

This page, clockwise from top: UNR boxing has a rich tradition of highly trained fighters and national championships including UNR fighter Ricky Jackson. Jackson, who was one of the best fighters the club ever produced, was a two-time national boxing champion for UNR. Jackson was killed in a motorcycle accident in the 1990s.

Kirk Jackson ducks a strong left hook from teammate Zack Shipton during a practice sparring match. Jackson, who trained hard for his fight the following week, was defeated during the actual bout after having a point deducted because of a controversial punch.

Zack Shipton trains for his fight with coach Jared Santos under the watchful eye of referee Vic Drakulich. Drakulich volunteers his time at the gymnasium in addition to being an officiator sanctioned by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

Zack Shipton trains for his fight with Coach Schellin, whose brother Mike was the only boxer in UNR history to ever go undefeated with a record of 32-0 in 1966-1968.