Irish Creed Exclusive: Fighting Irish in the Ring

Four years before he led the Fighting Irish to their first national championship on the gridiron, head football coach Knute Rocke started a tradition that has since taken on a life of its own and become a central part of the Notre Dame experience.

Two Notre Dame men fight during a recent Bengal Bouts tournament

Beginning in 1920, boxing quickly became a favorite pastime for the collection of “tough gentlemen” that exemplified the ideal student at Our Lady’s university.  In 1931, boxing coach Dominic “Nappy” Napolitano brought the burgeoning popularity of the sport in line with the mission of service that Notre Dame had inherited from the Congregation of Holy Cross.  Since then, the annual amateur boxing championship known as the “Bengal Bouts” has trained countless Notre Dame men to become fighters in the name of charity in order to fund Holy Cross Missions that provide education and serve the poor in Bangladesh.  The official motto of the Bouts, a quote from Nappy himself, boldly states: “Strong bodies fight, that weak bodies may be nourished.”  In today’s world of sports, where little if anything at all remains sacred, Notre Dame Boxing represents competition in its purest form.  Each year, a new band of fighters contribute their blood, sweat, (not tears), tenacity, and toughness, not in the name of glamour, but out of the deep respect they have for everything at Notre Dame worth fighting for.

Throughout their history, the Bouts have not gone without recognition.  Described as “what boxing can be like at its honest best” by SI columnist Bud Schulberg in 1955, the tournament has seen its fair share of talented fighters along with the occasional guest appearance from the likes of Mohammad Ali and Rocky Marciano.  A long line of distinguished champions has come out of Notre Dame, and many have gone on to great accomplishments at the next level. 

Recent Notre Dame alum Mike Lee, a Bengal Bouts captain in 2008 and 2009 and three-time champion, has already amassed an impressive resume as a professional fighter during the short time since graduating in 2009.  He was crowned as the Chicago Golden Gloves Champion that same year, and has since earned a 3-0 record with two KOs as a 175lb Light Heavyweight.  He is currently trained by Ronnie Shields, who once worked with the likes of Evander Holyfield, Mike Tyson, Pernell Whitaker, Arturo Gatti, and Juan Diaz. 

On November 13, Mike defeated Keith Debow by KO as an undercard to the Super Welterweight World Championship in Cowboys Stadium on a night which featured an impressive victory by the biggest name in boxing right now, Manny Pacquiao.  I recently had a chance to ask Mike about his impressions of the fight and his days at Notre Dame:

TheNDleprechaun:  What fighting experience did you have before boxing at Notre Dame, and how did the Bengal Bouts influence you as a fighter?

ML:  I was brought to a boxing gym in Chicago when I was 16 but most of my boxing career began once I got to Notre Dame.

TheNDleprechaun:  What did it mean to play such a prominent role within a tradition that began during the days of Knute Rockne? 

ML: Being a part of the Bengal Bouts was incredible and becoming a three-time champion was an honor because the program has had so many great fighters and a strong tradition that I'm just glad to be a part of.

TheNDleprechaun: What one moment stands out as the highlight of your boxing career at Notre Dame, and in your career in general?

ML: The highlight of my Bengal Bouts career was winning the 175lb championship my junior year. I fought another Bengal Bouts captain who was the best fighter I had faced so far, so winning was a big deal for me.  Coming out in front of over 75,000 people in Cowboys Stadium was a dream come true and honestly pretty difficult to describe.  I remember feeling really loose, relaxed and strong.  I came out to "Good Life" by Kanye West and just fed off the energy of the crowd.  Fighting in front of large crowds in the JACC at ND definitely prepared me for moments like that.

TheNDleprechaun:  On the same day that your Fighting Irish upset Utah in Notre Dame Stadium, you were rocking the Blue and Gold along with a Notre Dame flag during the biggest fight of your life. What influenced you to rep your alma mater like that on Saturday?

ML:   I have always worn the blue and gold gear from head to toe for all my professional fights. Notre Dame was such a huge part of my life and the amount of ND fans and alumni who have supported my career so far has been amazing, so it's just my way of showing my appreciation. Plus the gear looks great, so that doesn't hurt.

TheNDleprechaun:  Glad to see that you’re staying Gold and Blue through and through.  Finally, what are your plans for the future?

ML:  I plan on having a huge year next year, continuing to learn and get better every fight and finish out the year 10-0 and highly ranked in the Light-Heavyweight Division. The boxing world/writers have been very complimentary of my style and performance so far so I plan on keeping that up.

Many thanks to Mike for taking the time to catch up with Notre Dame nation.  Congrats on your latest KO and best of luck as you continue to represent the Fighting Irish in the ring.  Follow Mike’s career at www.mikeleeboxing.com

Bringing Down the Horse

#7 Notre Dame defeats #22 USC
in second round of NCAA Championship

Mounting the Trojan Horse

This Saturday, while most of the Fighting Irish faithful were packing marshmallows, shot-gunning beers, and praying to the powers that be for a Senior Day victory; the ladies of Notre Dame futbol were taking it to our traditional football rivals inside the walls of Alumni Stadium. After playing “our most complete 90-minute performance of the season,” (according to coach Waldrum), the Irish left the field with a sound 4-0 victory emblazoned on the scoreboard.

ND began their domination early; with a goal by senior Rose Augustin recorded at 7:12. Just 74 seconds later, senior Lauren Fowlkes struck a low shot from the top of the six, finding the inside of the right post. In the fifty-eighth minute, Fowlkes tallied an assist with a cross to junior Melissa Henderson, who connected with the net on a low shot to the left. Henderson contributed her own assist off another cross from Fowlkes, with a quick flick to freshman Adriana Leon who connected from inside the six. On the defensive end, senior keeper Nikki Weiss managed to shut down the Trojan offense with three saves over 83 minutes, until sophomore Maddie Fox relieved her – the Irish defense remained strong, however, and keeping USC scoreless until the final whistle without Fox registering a save.

This win finds the Irish in the Sweet 16 Round of the NCAA Championships for the seventh season in a row and the fifteenth time overall in the program. The fourth-seeded Notre Dame squad is slotted to face the top-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels in Chapel Hill at 5:00 on the twentieth. The Tar Heels have claimed the NCAA title for the last two consecutive years and hold an all time 12-4-2 record over the Irish. Despite this seeming disadvantage, ND is 3-1 against UNC in Chapel Hill and managed a 1-0 win on their last trip in 2008. After elimination at the feet of the Tar Heels in the Quarterfinals last year, however, the Irish are ready to wreak their revenge. This motivation, combined with their experience and exponential talent, gives Notre Dame a competitive edge over North Carolina – an edge that will hopefully land the Irish in the Quarterfinals, and pave the way to another NCAA Title.

-IrishGirl10