Carolina Boxing Club celebrates 20 years of empowering Chapel Hill

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Surprisingly, the typical Carolina Boxing Club practice is filled with just as many smiles as right hooks and uppercuts.

For the past 20 years, the club has taught the fundamentals of boxing to Carolina students as well as participants of all ages from the Chapel Hill community. Some are lifelong athletes, while others come to the club with no prior experience.

“You get to see different styles of fighting and different ranges of athleticism,” said club president Digraj Pelia ’27. “Being in a club where you see people who all started at different levels and yet are all improving together, that’s really inspiring.”

That inspiration is at the heart of the club’s mission. Often perceived as a brutal sport, the club’s popularity isn’t due to the punches being thrown, but rather the feeling of empowerment for participants.

This is especially true for Shreya Shenoy, a senior business major who joined the club last year.

Aside from just the fundamentals of boxing, club members say they have also gained more self-confidence. (Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill)

“Gaining more self-defense skills is the most rewarding part,” Shenoy said. “As a woman, I think I needed that security and safety that comes with knowing how to handle yourself in a bad situation. The boxing club has given me that.”

Another common thread among the organization’s members is the sense of camaraderie.

 The club’s training area in the Eddie Smith Field House isn’t just where the sparring occurs. It’s also where participants and trainers support each other in learning different combinations, engage in thoughtful discussions and even banter one another.

Head trainer Sasha An ’26 believes this is a huge reason the boxing club has continued to be successful for two decades.

“This place is like a social community,” An said. “A lot of people have found friends through this club. We take the training seriously, but we’re also all fun and goofy and here to have a good time.”

“It’s so cool to see that this community is not only built with Carolina students. We’re building a relationship with all of Chapel Hill,” An said. (Johnny Andrews/UNC-Chapel Hill)

While many members participate for personal reasons or recreation, some compete in regional matches.

For those on the more competitive route, Carolina alum and current U.S. Army operations officer David Mossman serves as a coach, providing one-on-one lessons to various boxers during practice when he’s not in the ring.

MK Hackney, a trainer and secretary for the club, is one of those competitive participants. A senior exercise and sport science major, Hackney had no boxing experience prior to joining, but the club has helped her apply skills from playing high school sports to the discipline.

“When I first got here my freshman year, the trainers kept on pushing me to be better and eventually become a trainer myself,” Hackney said. “Before I came here, I had no experience in the ring. Now I’m a competitive member who’s winning fights.”

More than the wins, the Carolina Boxing Club is most proud of its diversity.

“We have retired boxers that show up, and we’ve even given lessons to little kids whose parents bring them to practice,” An said. “It’s so cool to see that this community is not only built with Carolina students. We’re building a relationship with all of Chapel Hill.”

View more photos from the club below and click to enlarge.