After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the Lemoore Recreation Center will rumble once again.
Boxers from all over the Valley, including Bakersfield, Tulare, Visalia, Merced, Madera, Hanford, Armona and of course, Lemoore, will duke it out during the return of the annual Rumble at the Rec on Saturday, Sept. 17.
“It’s a really big day for Lemoore and Hanford. You rarely get to see live boxing out here unless you see it at the [Hanford Police Activities League] or us — and it’s us this time,” said Lemoore Boxing Club coach Jason Glaspie.
More than 20 matches are already on the card in various age and weight classes with more to be added.
Every bout will be sanctioned by USA Boxing, meaning every fight will have consequences and every boxer will go into the event looking to improve their official win-loss records.
All fights will be three rounds. However, younger fighters will fight one-minute rounds, teens will fight two-minute rounds and adults will fight full three-minute rounds.
Championship belts will be awarded to the fighters of the night.
Glaspie will be coaching three fighters during the event — James Moran, 18, David Vale, 14, and Eric Santamaria, 29.
The Lemoore Boxing Club’s competition fighters train five days a week. Glaspie coaches about 30 boxers, mostly children, daily and about 10 of those are training to box competitively.
“We’ve produced some good talent out of here,” Glaspie said. “It’s a really good outlet for kids. Not everybody comes in here wanting to compete. I’d say 10 percent want to compete and the other 90 percent are here to get in shape, learn self-defense and build character — stuff like that.”
Glaspie has been coaching at the club since 2010 and helped start the Rumble at the Rec in 2013. In that time, he’s helped shape a lot of fighters, some of whom have gone on to have notable careers.
“Our highlight fighter was a fighter named Eddie Sanchez who fought here for about 10 years,” Glaspie said. “He went all the way from the bottom to fighting on ESPN at the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas just last year.”
The event will also feature local food vendors.
The fights begin at 2 p.m. Sept. 17 at the Lemoore Rec Center, 711 Cinnamon Ave., Lemoore. Weigh-ins are scheduled for 8-10 a.m. There is a $15 admission fee for spectators. Children 5 and under are free.
