Boxing – 1979 – Amateur – Bengal Bouts At University Of Notre Dame

The Bengal Bouts is an annual charity amateur boxing tournament hosted by the Men’s Boxing Club at the University of Notre Dame….which has typically aired on ESPN….with proceeds benefiting the Holy Cross Missions in Bangladesh….which begun in 1920 by legendary football coach Knute Rockne to condition football players in the off-season….when the tournament later expanded entry to any member of the student body.  Under the guidance and direction of Dominic “Nappy” Napolitano….the charity aspect of the event flourished while following the Men’s Boxing Club mantra that “Strong Bodies Fight, that Weak Bodies May Be Nourished.” 

The training regimen requires novice boxers to receive instruction and conditioning in the fall….and returning fighters begin their mandatory workouts during an intensive 6-week period prior to the tournament.  In current times, the Men’s Boxing Club membership has swelled to include over 230 students….which ranges from first-year undergraduate students to graduate and law school students…. where in the participants fight across 12 weight classes.  In 2010, the Bengal Bouts helped generate a donation of $100,000 for the Holy Cross Missions in Bangladesh….which surpassed the $1,000,000 donated throughout the program’s existence. Originally held in the Notre Dame Fieldhouse….the tournament is currently held in the Joyce Center (JACC).