Boxing: Upcoming tournament hopes to showcase talented youngsters locally
Those around her have observed in Emani Stackhouse a metamorphosis, of sorts, over the last year.
Kariym Patterson remembers a shy girl who didn’t speak much when she first was enrolled for boxing classes at his gym. In fact, he said, Emani’s mother described her as timid and not quite sociable.
“She’s been with us for a year and a half, and we’re not seeing the same person,” Patterson said of the Poughkeepsie native. “According to her parents, boxing has changed her personality.”
The 14-year-old now is vibrant, talkative and full of confidence. She also has become a standout at the boxing club, one whose aggressiveness in the ring has peers and coaches marveling.
She’ll soon have a chance to become a winner, too, as Stackhouse will be on the card in the True Boxers Championship exhibition on Oct. 1. Hers will be one of the 15 bouts featured in the event, which was organized by Poughkeepsie-based APJ Boxing Club and will be hosted by Gold’s Gym LaGrange. The first match begins at 2 p.m.
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“She’s done great,” Patterson said of his pupil. “She’s sparred in front of audiences and, from seeing her perform, a lot of people are anxious to watch her in a match.”
Stackhouse will make her competitive debut in a 150-pound match against Olivia Ford of Pennsylvania. That will be one of two female matches in the showcase as Mina Eglit, another Poughkeepsie resident, will also be fighting.
APJ has rebound well in the last year, rebuilding its membership since the pandemic forced a shutdown. Membership includes about 30 kids who train there regularly, 10 of whom will compete in this tournament.
“It’s the kids who want to compete and have put in the work to reach that level,” he said of the upcoming youth bouts. “To see the progression of a kid who didn’t know anything about the sport, learn and develop skills, to the point where they can have a match, it’s a beautiful thing. It’s almost like watching the growth of your own child.”
Ty Stokes isn't his child, but certainly is a protégé, having been coached by Patterson for more than a decade. The 31-year-old will compete in the tournament’s main event, facing Ralph Clemente of Long Island at 178 pounds.
Clemente, a former junior Olympian, is the third-ranked amateur in the United States in his weight class.
“He’s very ready for this match and we’re pleased with the progression of his career,” Patterson said of Stokes, who intends to become a professional after this fight. “Ty has studied Ralph a lot and he understands who he’s facing, but he’s someone who rises to the challenge.”
The tournament is meant to serve as a platform for teenage hopefuls in the Mid Hudson Valley, said Patterson, who hopes to make it annual. The card includes local fighters — from Dutchess and neighboring counties — with challengers from as far as Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Winners will be presented a six-pound championship belt.
“Most of the popular tournaments are in New York City,” Patterson said. “The goal with this is to provide a stage for kids in this area to show their talent, and hopefully build some more excitement for boxing locally.”
Sponsors of the event include Indoor Organic Gardens of Poughkeepsie, Oakenshield Kitchens and the Dutchess County government, Patterson said.
There isn’t much concern for Stackhouse being apprehensive about her match, given the aplomb with which she faces most challenges.
“Her biggest strengths are confidence and fearlessness,” Patterson said. “No matter who she’s faced in sparring, she just goes forward and doesn’t back down. That’s something you can’t teach. She just has it.”
Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
True Boxers Championship
When: Oct. 1 at 2 p.m. (doors open at 1 p.m.)
Where: Gold’s Gym LaGrange at 258 Titusville Road, Poughkeepsie
Tickets: General admission is $20. Contact 845-453-3321 or Kariym845@gmail.com
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: True Boxers Championship to showcase several local young hopefuls
