Sweat Box fighters represent at largest Fight Night

Photo By 1st Lt. Nathan Lavy | Soldiers with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 224th Special Troops Battalion, 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), display unit pride at the largest-ever Fight Night in Memorial Hall Feb.19 at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq.  

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, IRAQ

02.20.2011

Story by Sgt. Glen Baker 

224th Sustainment Brigade

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, Iraq — Eight fighters from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 224th Special Troops Battalion, 224th Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), known as the “Sweat Box” fight team, competed at the largest-ever Fight Night event in Memorial Hall Feb. 19 at Contingency Operating Base Adder, Iraq.

More than 600 service members and civilians were entertained by 24 fights lasting a total of four hours. Two of those fights featured female competitors.

Hosted by the soldiers with the 67th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade from Lincoln, Neb., fighters assembled from various brigades and locations in Iraq and Kuwait to compete in the mixed martial arts contest.

Four out of the eight Sweat Box fight team fighters won their bout.

Sgt. Fermin Gonzalez, support operations non-commissioned officer with HHC, 224th STB, and a Seal Beach, Calif., native, won his fight by applying a guillotine choke to his opponent, said that he trained hard for his fight.

“It was rigorous training using hands and pads-combination punches for three rounds plus,” said Gonzalez. “It’s very intense training, because once you get in here, you’re training for a marathon. Then once you come into the ring for fight night, it will be a lot easier for you.”

Gonzales said that he focused on nutrition prior to his fight. “I watched what I ate to maintain a healthy, balanced diet,” he said. “I stayed away from the greasy stuff – a lot of greens, a lot of colors on the plate.”

Gonzalez also praised his trainers for their contribution to his success. “I want to thank 1st Sgt. [Victor] Oliveros who’s the individual trainer for boxing, and the individual trainers for mixed martial arts or ground fighting, Master Sgt. Steven Cutler and Staff Sgt. Enrick Reyes,” he said. “Sweat Box rules.”

Staff Sgt. Raymond Solis, ammunition supply sergeant with the 224th Sust. Bde., and a San Diego native, described his pre-fight training regimen.

“I worked even harder and cut down even more weight,” said Solis, who won his fight by technical knockout. “I went to the gym in the evening right before practice, and then after practice, I did cardio. Monday was chest and triceps, Tuesday was biceps, Thursday was shoulders and traps [trapezius], Friday was legs, and Saturday was all cardio.”

Solis had a special message for those who supported him. “I appreciate all the support from all the units and everybody around here,” he said.

Two other Sweat Box fighters won their bouts: Spc. Michael Ferguson, signal systems support specialist with the 224th Sustainment Brigade, and an Inglewood, Calif., native, won by arm bar; Spc. Christopher Stafford, intelligence analyst with the 224th Sustainment Brigade, and a Buena Park, Calif., native, won by technical knockout.

Four other Sweat Box fighters participated in Fight Night: Sgt. Marco Alamillo, medical logistics non-commissioned officer with the 224th Sustainiment Brigade, and a Redlands, Calif., native; Spc. Melissa Borjas, storage system manager with the 224th Sustainment Brigade, and a Santa Ana, Calif., native; Maj. Arnold Carrillo, brigade munitions manager with the 224th Sustainment Brigade, and a Van Nuys, Calif., native; and Maj. Robert Mathews, commodities officer-in-charge with the 224th Sustainment Brigade, and a Sacramento, Calif., native.

• Date Taken: 02.20.2011
• Date Posted: 03.06.2011 05:54
• Story ID: 66562
• Location: CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, IQ