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Seabees from NMCB 17 Deliver a 'Knockout' Performance at Fight Night
Story Number: NNS080612-08
6/12/2008

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kenneth W. Robinson, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 17

AL ASAD, Iraq (NNS) -- Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 17 delivered knockout performances at Fight Night, May 16.

The boxing bouts, held every third Saturday of the month, are hosted by 325th Army Combat Support Hospital (CSH) and Moral, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) at Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. The bouts are open to military as well as civilian DoD employees.

Representing NMCB 17 for the evening were Builder 1st Class Steven Vargas, Utilitiesman 3rd Class Zachary Bowens, Builder 3rd Class Ed Collins, and Construction Mechanic 3rd Class Andre Agbayani.

"It's a great morale booster for all service members that choose to participate," said Religious Program Specialist 3rd Class Manuel Leal, The Seabee trainer and corner man. "It gives all the boxers an opportunity to participate in a competitive sport that they otherwise might never do back home."

Leal, a boxer himself, tends to the boxers of NMCB 17.

"As the trainer and corner man, I pump up the competitor to make them feel confident. Like Rocky's coach said, 'You're gonna' eat lighting and crap out thunder.' That's what you want in a corner man, you want to give the competitor the confidence that he can take on the world, and the rest is up to him," said Leal.
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The competitors officially weigh in the day before their bouts. On the day of the bout, competitors are given a medical brief, competition rules, and are reminded that the bouts are meant to be safe and are intended to promote fair competition and good fun.

The three-round bouts are closely monitored by a CSH medical staff member. After each two minute round, a medical physician performs an assessment of each fighter's wellbeing before the bout is continued. The referee also monitors each competitor during the bout to maintain safety and fairness. If all three rounds of a bout are completed without a knock out or stoppage by the referee or doctor, the judge's score cards determine the outcome.

"I love boxing; it's a great way to release stress, and it's also a great way to represent the battalion and get out and have some fun," said Agbayani. "It was nice to see everyone there from the battalion there supporting us. I don't think people realize how much it helps having all the battalion there cheering for us".

Collins was boxing in one of the heavier classes, at 188 pounds.

"Abayani told me about the bouts and I thought I would give it a try," said Collins, who ended his bout in the first round with a technical knockout. "I have always loved the sport, and since this was my first match, I didn't want to let the battalion down".

Collins trained for over a month and a half for the bout; doing heavy cardio-weight lifting, medicine ball training and heavy bag work.

"I'm going to keep boxing till the end of the deployment. It felt great to have the other Seabees supporting me," said Collins

For more news from Commander, 1st Naval Construction Division, visit www.navy.mil/local/1ncd/.