Senior Joey Pickus emerged victorious over his opponents at the U.S. Intercollegiate Boxing Association National Tournament.
“I didn’t really know what to expect, but for collegiate boxing, it’s a close-knit, niche type of group. So one of the coolest parts about the atmosphere of it was just making all types of new friends,” Pickus said.
Pickus has been boxing for over five years and decided to put his training to the test at the tournament held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“I thought it was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I’ve been training all throughout college, so I thought, ‘I’ll never get this opportunity again.’ I thought I’d go out and do my best to compete for University of Tennessee, the best I could. And I was happy to bring home the championship,” Pickus said.
An accomplishment like this doesn’t come without discipline and training. Pickus regularly trains at Eppolito Boxing Gym, a boxing gym in Knoxville.
“I’ve been running five days a week. I’ve been lifting two days a week. I just ran the marathon. So, definitely a lot that went into it — running, boxing, training, watching film, eating right, sleeping right, hydrating right. There’s a lot that went into it,” Pickus said.
Eppolito Boxing Gym is more than just a training facility — it’s a home and a safe space for boxers of all levels.
“You’re not going to come to a boxing lesson and learn how to box. You learn how to box, and you get life lessons on top of that, which is super cool. And everyone here is super welcoming,” Jonah McMillen, a sophomore studying management, said.
Those life lessons and the gym’s rich history of boxers helped Pickus in the tournament, creating a strong support base.
“Coach Frank Eppolito and all the guys I trained with, I definitely wouldn’t have been able to do it without them. Such a great support base here, which I feel like is second to none here at this gym,” Pickus said. “Without my family and all my amazing teammates here, it wouldn’t be possible to achieve something like this. All those people were such a great support base for me, and they were with me every step of the way. I wouldn’t be able to achieve that without them.”
Pickus is graduating in May, and while settling into his future career, he still has his eyes on boxing. He plans to train for the Wisconsin Golden Gloves and have the same level of confidence that helped him win the national tournament in March.
“I came in very confident, but that confidence didn’t come out of anywhere. It came from the preparation I put into the tournament,” Pickus said. “I would definitely give my advice to prepare very hard. And that’s where you get your confidence from with boxing — go hard in the gym. Go hard on your runs. Eat right, sleep right and that’s where you get your confidence, which is essential when it comes to fighting.”
After a successful boxing career and a successful college career, Pickus remains a Volunteer at heart.
“It’s a huge honor representing the University of Tennessee,” Pickus said. “It’s definitely one of the greatest schools out there. It’s such a great honor.”
