PENDLETON, Ore.-Pendleton Boxing Classic 3 is coming to the Pendleton Convention Center August 29 and 30.
Fighters from around the Pacific Northwest, as well as Canada and Hawaii will compete in Pendleton, with 197 boxers currently registered for the event, according to Rob Brooks, Head Coach at the Pendleton Boxing Club.
Fighters of all ages, from 8 years old to 35 and up, are eligible to fight at the Pendleton Boxing Classic, with matches based on age and weight of the fighters.
“The Pendleton Boxing Classic provides the atmosphere of a really big event,” said Brooks. “There’s a really supportive crowd that appreciates how talented these fighters are, and the heart they have.”
Pendleton Boxing Club
The Pendleton Boxing Club, located in the basement of the Pendleton Recreation Center, offers boxing for everyone, from kids to adults, with a focus on hard work, discipline, integrity, dedication, commitment and respect.
“Everyone’s here for a different reason and they all have different personalities,” said Brooks. “We’re like a family, some just need a place to go, some do it to stay in shape, and others get really competitive.”
A Pendleton Boxing Club membership costs $30 a month for college age and below and $45 a month for adults, with a daily drop-in fee of $10.
Members of the Pendleton Boxing Club are all USA Boxing registered fighters, who attend classes and train during the week and occasionally travel to events, tournaments and fights on weekends.
Seven Pendleton Boxing Club members are on the fight card for Pendleton Boxing Classic 3, including Andrei Hendershot, Ean Carroll, and Nizhonia Toledo.
“We’re building champions in life,” said Brooks. “If we can get some Ws in the ring along the way, that’s great.”
Andrei Hendershot
Twelve-year-old Andrei Hendershot, who fights at 112 pounds, will be looking for his first win at the Pendleton Boxing Classic.
For Hendershot boxing is a family affair and his stepfather, JR Lopez, will also be fighting in the Pendleton Boxing Classic.
“If my dad weren’t a fighter, I never would have been,” said Hendershot. “At first, it was ‘you’re going to learn self-defense’ but then I realized I was good at it and wanted to do it competitively.”
Hendershot’s first fight, a narrow loss, was at Northwest Nationals in Pendleton four years ago and now he’s back in the ring after overcoming some medical issues, according to Brooks.
Hendershot has been boxing since the age of four and credits the influence of his stepfather, and his own competitive nature with driving him.
“My dad’s older, bigger, more experienced and he’s helped me a lot,” said Hendershot. “He records my sparring sessions and we analyze them together.”
As he trains for the Pendleton Boxing Classic, Hendershot admits that he’s “pretty nervous” but also that he’s “ready to let off some punches.”
With wisdom beyond his years in the ring, Hendershot also knows that the Pendleton Boxing Classic is another step in his boxing journey.
“This is my first big fight, and I really want to win,” said Hendershot. “Hopefully it leads to more fights, though.”
Ean Carroll
Carroll will return to the ring after a two-year hiatus at the Pendleton Boxing Classic.
Carroll started coming to the Pendleton Boxing Club in 2015 and fought nine times before taking a long break due to work and family commitments.
“My training has been a lot better than in the past, as a teenager I was just messing around,” said Carroll, who will turn 21 shortly before the Pendleton Boxing Classic. “This has been my first actual hardcore training, and I’m feeling really good.”
While Brooks ensures his fighters are fundamentally sound, Leo Leon, another coach at the Pendleton Boxing Club, works on technique and what works best for the personality of the fighter, and Carroll credits both men with helping him get ready for his next fight.
“You won’t find much more heart in a boxer than Ean has,” said Brooks. “He’s still looking for his first win and has stayed at it for so long and made some changes with Leo.”
Carroll, who fights at 168 pounds, knows that amateur boxing is all about action, especially with three round bouts, so he plans to think of the match just like a sparring session and block out the crowd.
“I think I’m going to win and hopefully I do something extra impressive to get fight of the night,” said Carroll.
Nizhonia Toledo
Toledo first came to the Pendleton Boxing Club in 2014 and boxed off and on through high school.
Now 22, Toledo is back in the ring after having two kids and has been training for her first fight at the Pendleton Boxing Classic for seven months.
“I’ve always had an interest in boxing,” said Toledo. “I love that it’s an outlet, a way to heal from trauma, something where I could prove myself.”
Toledo credits Brooks, Coach Leo, and her family for being there for her throughout her journey in the ring, and says her faith has also helped a lot.
A registered member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR), Toledo is also an artist outside the ring.
Toledo painted the artwork featured on the poster for the 110th Anniversary of the Happy Canyon outdoor pageant and wild west show at the Pendleton Round-Up this year.
T-shirts featuring a design created by Toledo will also be available for purchase at the Pendleton Boxing Classic.
“I hope I really show out, come out of my shell and surprise my coaches,” Toledo said of her upcoming fight. “I’d like to win but it’s about the experience. Hopefully even if I lose, I show the potential of carrying boxing further.”
Pendleton Boxing Classic 3
Two rings will be set up in the Convention Center for the tournament, with 35-40 fights per ring on the first day, followed by 20-25 the second day.
“It’s going to be entertaining,” said Brooks. “These fights are three rounds of straight go.”
A lot of moving parts go into hosting a two-day tournament, according to Brooks, who acknowledges the event wouldn’t be possible without the support of local sponsors.
Hill’s Meat is the main sponsor of the Pendleton Boxing Classic, with other sponsors including Good Shepherd Health Care System, Made To Thrive, and CHI St. Anthony Hospital.
Boxers will be fighting for championship belts, and in a nod to the City’s rodeo heritage, championship belt buckles will be awarded for the male and female fight of the night on both Saturday and Sunday, as well as one for the outstanding boxer of the tournament.
“Come out and see the purest sport around right now,” said Brooks. “Support the kids who put in the time and effort and get to show their heart.”
Pendleton Boxing Classic 3 is August 29 and 30 at the Pendleton Convention Center, with fights starting at 1 p.m. on both days.
Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door.
