Are you ready for Golden Gloves?

Are you ready for Golden Gloves?
Amateur boxing tournament open for February registration

After a long fall semester full of strenuous finals coupled with that gen-ed class that was a lot harder than your friends said it would be, many of us anticipated being able to focus on what really matters over winter break. For most of you, that meant either the Bears or the Blackhawks. However, all over the Chicago-land area athletes were preparing for something different. The Chicago Golden Gloves, the largest tournament for amateur boxing in Chicago, is scheduled in early March with registration in mid-February. Whether you're relatively experienced, never stepped in a ring, or even if you just want to watch, Golden Gloves has something to offer the boxing fans out there.

Registration for boxers who want to enter will be from Feb. 19th through 21st. Exact times of registration are to be announced on their website (www.chicagogoldengloves.com) in mid-January. It is open to male and female fighters, you do not necessarily need to belong to a gym, but you must be from 16 to 34 years old.

The tournament, sponsored by Corona and HOY!, will be held March 3-5, 10-12, and 17-19, while championship bouts will be held April 7-9. For spectators, exact ticket pricing and details are available on their website in mid-January, however ticket prices typically range from $10-$15 for the initial bouts, and $20-$50 for the finals. Tickets will be sold exclusively at the door. As for any event, it is better to get there early to ensure availability.

Both registration and the tournament will be conducted at Gordon Tech High school at 3633 N. California, a mile east off the 94 Addison exit. Followers of Chicago Golden Gloves will notice it has moved from St. Andrews school. According to the website, this will allow for more free parking. The Gordon Tech High School President, Kelly Jones has said, "We are excited to open our doors to the Golden Gloves and bring the sport back for all to enjoy."

The Chicago Golden Gloves website also stresses the organizations commitment to instilling lifelong values in there fighters. By getting them into boxing, they help instill a sense of discipline, self-resect, and accomplishment to the young men and women. More tangibly, they also donate a percentage of their revenue to gyms lacking equipment and offer college scholarships to boxers.

Former Chicago Golden Gloves Champions include Cassius Clay, better known as Mohamed Ali, Sonny Liston, Rod Blagojevich, and Former Attorney General Jim Ryan. Could one of the boxers of the 2011 tournament someday be listed with these fighters? You might actually see the next champ (or politician) come March, or may even fight them. Even if you've never seen or followed boxing in the past, the energy of the crowd and excitement the bouts offer an experience you won't soon forget. And with 10 dollar tickets, supporting a worthy cause, and considering it's sponsored by Corona, there's really no reason not to come down.