On Saturday, boxing returns to the Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC) with "Rivals in the Ring," as college students headline a nine-bout amateur boxing showcase. The card is sanctioned by USA Boxing and features student-fighters from USC, UCLA, U.S. Air Force Academy, UC Riverside, El Camino College and Crandall University.

In the main event, Gabriel Ponce (USC) takes on Russell Klug (Air Force) in a 136-pound fight, and the winner will be awarded the inaugural WBC collegiate title. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. PT, and tickets can be purchased here.

The Ring caught up with Omar Lopez, head coach of the Trojan Boxing Club at USC, and Dan Shapiro, who serves on the Board of Advisors at LAAC and is a co-promoter of the show, to learn more about how amateur boxing is growing at the collegiate level.

Omar Lopez: Collegiate boxing occupies a unique space in American college athletics. Unlike sports such as football, basketball, or wrestling, boxing is not currently an NCAA-sanctioned championship sport. Instead, competitive collegiate boxing operates primarily through organizations such as the National Collegiate Boxing Association (NCBA) and the United States Intercollegiate Boxing Association (USIBA), both under the auspices and regulations of USA Boxing.

The NCBA was established in 1976 and USIBA in 2012. Most recognized college boxing programs, approximately 80 to 90 in the country, operate as student-led clubs or club sports, rather than varsity athletic programs. They often receive limited institutional support and rely heavily on student leadership, dedicated coaches (mostly volunteers), alumni, and community partnerships.

At USC, we've built a program that goes beyond simply teaching students how to box. Our philosophy is centered on developing what we call the scholar-boxer – a student-athlete who demonstrates the same discipline, accountability, resilience, and commitment to excellence in the classroom, personal lives, and community as they do in the ring.

Our club provides opportunities for students with different levels of interest and experience, from those pursuing boxing for fitness and personal development to those committed to competing at the highest levels of collegiate amateur boxing. I often remind our students that boxing is what brings us together, but education, leadership, and character development are what make the experience transformative.

Omar Lopez: I believe collegiate boxing is experiencing an exciting resurgence. Across the country, we're seeing students embrace boxing not only as a competitive sport but also as a vehicle for personal growth, community, and belonging. What's particularly encouraging is that this growth is occurring largely from the ground up. Students are organizing clubs, recruiting coaches, building programs, and creating opportunities to compete, often with very limited resources.

At USC, I've witnessed firsthand the tremendous appetite students have for boxing, particularly after the pandemic. They come from different academic disciplines, backgrounds, and athletic experiences, yet they find common ground through the challenges and discipline of the sport.

There's also something particularly compelling about boxing in today's college environment. In a world where so much of our interaction happens through screens, boxing demands presence, accountability, courage, and genuine human connection.

That said, collegiate boxing still faces significant challenges, including funding, access to facilities, institutional recognition, and opportunities for competition. But those challenges make the commitment of these student-athletes and coaches all the more remarkable. Collegiate boxing is alive and well. I believe we're witnessing the early stages of a renaissance, and the challenge now is building the infrastructure to sustain that momentum.

Omar Lopez: The fighters competing at Rivals in the Ring represent something special – serious student-athletes who have chosen to pursue one of the world's most demanding sports while simultaneously navigating the academic expectations of higher education at top universities like UCLA and USC, amongst others.

These are amateur boxers, but there's nothing amateur about their preparation, dedication, or commitment. Some have aspirations of competing at the national amateur level and potentially transitioning into professional boxing. Others may ultimately pursue careers in medicine, engineering, law, business, social work, or other professions. What they share is a willingness to test themselves in an environment that demands extraordinary discipline and courage.

At USC, we have students pursuing demanding academic programs while dedicating significant time to training, conditioning, sparring, and competition. They are learning to manage adversity, accept constructive criticism, support their teammates, and perform under pressure.

I would caution against characterizing these athletes as simply college students dabbling in boxing. Anyone who has stepped into the ring against a trained opponent understands the level of preparation and commitment required. These are scholars who box and boxers who are scholars. Their future careers may take them in different directions, but the lessons they learn through boxing will stay with them for life.

Dan Shapiro: Before moving to its current historic location at 7th Street and Olive Street in downtown LA, the Los Angeles Athletic Club hosted boxing events, dating all the way back to 1880. Actually, boxing was the first sport to host any type of open competition at LAAC. Back then, the fights were more of an exhibition that the gentlemen of LAAC would put on during social events. The other big competition of the day was billiards, which followed the boxing matches.

LAAC are civic, business, and community leaders, as well as artists, artisans, executives, law and medical professionals, filmmakers and musicians. We’re finance, communications, and education professionals who are dedicated to downtown LA.

Dan Shapiro: There’s been a complete turnover on all sides since the previous incarnation of Rivals in the Ring. LAAC, USC Trojan boxing, and UCLA boxing all have had completely new leadership since 2019, so it took a while to connect all the dots and find all the appropriate parties.

Less than a year ago, at one of our monthly Board of Advisors meetings, LAAC director Najeeb Shamsid-Deen expressed an interest in reviving Rivals in the Ring and bringing live boxing back to LAAC. Once he put it out there, it was only a matter of time before putting Rivals in the Ring back together.

There is every intention of turning Rivals in the Ring into an annual event at LAAC and inviting top collegiate boxers from around the U.S. to compete in our ring on the John R. Wooden Award Court.

Dan Shapiro: It’s been essential to work with USA Boxing. There’s kind of no other way to put on this event, at our club, with collegiate participation without their sanctioning. Fortunately, they still remember the previous boxing events at LAAC prior to the pandemic, so it was kind of an organic reintroduction as we revive Rivals in the Ring.

In regard to the WBC, it’s really exciting to have their support. I remember seeing the WBC Money Belt for Mayweather vs. McGregor up close, and holding the WBC Frontline Battle belt for the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones exhibition, so it’s totally an honor that the WBC would bring their collegiate belt to LAAC. It kind of lends instant credibility to the event, which is certainly helpful considering it’s been seven years since the last Rivals in the Ring.

Omar Lopez: Events like Rivals in the Ring have the potential to fundamentally change how collegiate boxing is perceived. For too long, collegiate boxing has operated largely outside the public spotlight, despite the remarkable stories, rivalries, and talent that exist across college campuses. By bringing student-athletes into a prestigious venue like LAAC and presenting collegiate boxing with the professionalism and atmosphere typically associated with major boxing events, we're creating an opportunity for audiences to experience the sport in an entirely different way.

The event combines the excitement of traditional college rivalries with the drama and intensity of boxing. You don't necessarily have to be a lifelong boxing fan to appreciate the courage of a student representing their university in the ring. I also believe these events can serve as a bridge between collegiate athletics, the broader boxing community, alumni, and people who may have never attended a live boxing event.

As the head coach of USC's program, I see this as an opportunity to demonstrate that collegiate boxing deserves greater visibility, stronger institutional support, and a permanent place in the conversation about college athletics. We're not simply putting on a boxing show. We're building a platform for collegiate boxing and introducing a new generation of fans to the sport.

Dan Shapiro: I definitely hope this event will inspire at least one person to join a boxing class at LAAC. I’ve been training in boxing and kickboxing for 15 years, and it’s definitely part of the fabric of my lifestyle. I also hope Rivals in the Ring will convert people into fight fans. A lot of people don’t even know how much they love boxing and combat sports until they attend a live fight. It’s a great experience, and a very different atmosphere than football, baseball, basketball, hockey, etc. Finally, I hope people take away a new connection from the evening, and meet someone new in the downtown LA community. LAAC is really a great meeting point and hub in downtown. It’s a place where business and community happen, so hopefully Rivals in the Ring can be the backdrop of some fruitful friendships or relationships.

Omar Lopez: My hope is that people leave Rivals in the Ring with a deeper appreciation for the young men and women who step into that ring, and for the transformative power of boxing. Of course, everyone wants to see exciting fights, competitive matchups, and memorable performances.

But the true significance of this event extends well beyond who wins or loses. As a professor, social worker, higher education administrator, and boxing coach, I've spent much of my professional life working with young people and helping them recognize their potential. Boxing has been one of the most powerful tools I've encountered for teaching resilience, humility, discipline, accountability, and respect.

One of the most meaningful things about collegiate boxing is that two students can compete fiercely against one another and then embrace afterward, recognizing the courage and sacrifice each made to get there. That mutual respect is something our society could use more of. I also want people to recognize the extraordinary individuals behind the gloves. These are future engineers, healthcare professionals, educators, entrepreneurs, and community leaders who are learning lessons through boxing that no classroom alone can teach.

And perhaps most importantly, I hope the event inspires universities, alumni, sponsors, and the broader boxing community to invest in these programs and the students they serve. Years from now, most people won't remember every result from this card. But I hope they'll remember the courage of these student-athletes, the pride of representing their universities, and the realization that boxing can be a powerful force for personal and social change. That's the legacy we're trying to build.