Photo By Staff Sgt. James Avery | Phillip Patrick, (left) an instructor of the martial art Capoeira, teaches Pfc. Chris...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas – At a small, nameless gym in the industrial sector of El Paso, grunts and yells accompanied by the urban thump of a large speaker set-up, can be heard streaming through the half open, weather-beaten double doors of this one-time warehouse.
Inside, the sound only gets louder, and the senses are inundated with the pungent odor of sweat and the stubborn humidity of the poorly ventilated space, despite the three large fans pushing what stale air they can toward a row of small, grease-stained, louver-style windows along the top of the brick and mortar wall.
In the midst of this mélange of punching bags, workout mats and mirrors stands Pfc. Chris Boyd, an amateur boxer who grew up in Columbia, South Carolina, where he learned the hard way about sticking up for himself or just running away. He chose not to let the bullies in his life take his power from him, and fought back.
Boyd took this new-found confidence and made it his passion. Rather than fight in the streets, he took it to the gym and then into the ring.
At 19, Boyd joined the Army as a food service specialist and is now stationed at Fort Bliss, assigned to Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, where he not only excels at Physical Readiness Training, but also as an amateur boxer during his off-time.
Boyd’s personal trainer, Sgt. 1st Class Emerson Hazzard Jr., a master resiliency trainer for the 32nd Air and Missile Defense Command, said Boyd shows a lot of promise as a boxer.
“He’s going to be one of the greats,” said Hazzard, watching Boyd practice jabs on a sparring dummy. “He’s got Army Golden Gloves written all over him.”
Training with Boyd is 21-year-old Spc. Anthony White, a human resources specialist assigned to 3rd Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment, 1st BCT, 1AD. He said he likes training with Boyd, as they will both be participating in the same two fights this year: the Fiesta De Las Flores Boxing Championship Aug. 30 and the Border Rumble Boxing Smoker Sept. 6.
“Boyd is a good guy, and he never quits,” said White, a native of Hull, Massachusetts. “I’m training for the same fights he is, so we get to bounce techniques off each other.”
Hazzard teaches a myriad of techniques to his students, but he has Boyd and White learn the basics of Capoiera, a mix of African and Brazilian fighting styles, from 28-year-old instructor Phillip Patrick.
“The more martial arts that you can know well,” said Patrick, a native of Toppenish, Washington, “The more choices you have in any fighting situation. In reflexes alone, Capoiera will teach them how to avoid blows from an opponent better than simple sparring would.”
Boyd and White are new to Capoiera, and neither is as graceful as Patrick. What they lack in fluidity; however, they make up for with power by working the heavy punching bags as if they were only half their filled weight.
“They learn where to hit for maximum efficiency, “said Hazzard, a 47-year-old South Carolina native. “I teach them to conserve power and at the same time get those critical strikes that lead to knock-outs.”
Boyd said he likes the training Hazzard puts him through, but it does take a toll on his free-time.
“Sometimes work goes past 5 p.m., but even if I’m late for practice, I’m always there. There’s not much room for anything else but training right now.” Boyd said, wiping sweat from his brow in-between chugging water from a fountain. “I want boxing to be my future, and this is how I plan to get there.”
Boyd, who sees this training as a stepping stone to his future, said this has been his plan for quite some time.
As the calendar runs out and the bouts get closer, Boyd said he would train everyday if it would help him win his first fight at Fiesta De Las Flores.
“This is my dream now,” Boyd said, looking into the distance and smiling to himself. “My life is going to be better now that I have boxing in it and the support of a good coach and other Soldiers.”
For more information about the Fiesta De Las Flores Boxing Championship, visit their website at webpoint.USAboxing.org.
For more information about the Border Rumble Boxing Smoker, visit Fort Bliss’ MWR website at www.blissmwr.com.
| Date Taken: | 08.21.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.03.2014 13:34 |
| Story ID: | 141041 |
| Location: | EL PASO, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 272 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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