6/11/06 - article by Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@theadvertiser.com
Boxing boasts resurgence
Lafayette moves into role as state's 'capital of boxing.'
It may not be by one of the most recognized sanctioning bodies, but Lafayette is about to host its second
world boxing championship bout in less than five months.
Rarely does a month go by that there's not a professional boxing card at one of the nearby Indian casinos.
Blake Prevost, left, of Lawtell and Bobby Aucoin of Scott practice for Saturday bouts at
John Stutes' gym in Carencro. The two will face other opponents on Saturday at Blackham Coliseum.
Claudia B. Laws, The Daily Advertiser June 08, 2006
That's pretty good for a sport that many had counted out and rung a death bell in the not-too-distant past.
"There's so much more interest right now," said Kasha Chamblin, a late-blooming product of local amateur
boxing who has had a successful early career in the women's professional ranks. "There's more clubs, there's
more kids involved and the kids are starting a lot younger."
Claudia B. Laws/claws@theadvertiser.com
New boxer Keon Papillion, 8, of Lafayette watches his father box on
Friday at the Ragin' Cajun Boxing Club in Lafayette.
Lafayette and the surrounding area has long been Louisiana's hotbed for boxing, both on the amateur and
professional levels, but it's been decades since both the pro and amateur games have been so successful at the same time.
"Lafayette's the capital of boxing in the state right now," said Kerry Daigle, who's in his second career
as a local manager and promoter. "There are guys here right now that are main-event caliber fighters
anywhere in the country, guys that have developed a fan base and that people will go to watch.
"When that happens, it gives the young boys and girls some local guys to look up to. It's inspiring them,
getting them into the amateur programs. They're thinking that could be me up there with 6,000 fans yelling for me."
There will probably be that many fans on hand Saturday when Lafayette's "Bad" Chad Broussard defends
his International Boxing Union (IBU) world welterweight title in a Blackham Coliseum rematch with
Homer Gibbins of Atlanta, Ga. The two fought for the vacant title in the fledgling IBU rankings in
early February, with Broussard winning a unanimous 12-round decision before a large Blackham crowd.
Broussard has been a professional since 1989, winning his first 35 pro bouts from 1989-93, and began a
comeback three years ago that has led to a 12-1 record and the IBU belt he currently wears. He's a product
of the local amateur scene, one perpetuated for years by John Stutes' Stutes Boxing Club and Beau
Williford's Ragin' Cajun Amateur Boxing Club.
"For years it was just Mr. Stutes and I," said Williford, who attended the International Boxing Hall of Fame
festivities this weekend in Canastota, N.Y. "He (Stutes) has been such a huge contributor locally for so
many years. When everybody else went through lean times, he hung tough.
"For a while when everybody had empty gyms, the kids came to the two of us. Now, there's no question
there's been a resurgence. We've seen a huge jump in interest."
Part of that interest has been spurred by the recent professional successes of locally-based fighters.
Broussard heads up a group that includes Bobby "The Bayou Bomber" Aucoin of Scott, who'll fight for
an IBU regional title on Saturday's card, and former amateur standouts Blake Prevost of Lawtell and
Jeremy Duplechain of Church Point.
Prevost and Duplechain are also on Saturday's card as part of a group spearheaded by Daigle and Stutes,
one that has provided pro fighters for both local shows and for nearby casino cards.
"Some of these guys have become small franchises," Daigle said. "They've developed fan bases. There
are some great stories with a lot of these guys. We've pretty much rebuilt the pro industry here with
local talent, keeping the local guys here."
Chamblin's more than done her part in sparking local interest. She fought in the first-ever sanctioned
women's professional bout in Acadiana in 2004, winning her pro debut with a third-round TKO, and the
28-year-old is currently 6-0 as a pro heading into scheduled bouts in both July and August.
She's featured in an upcoming reality television series about women's boxing.
"All these shows have really helped the sport," Chamblin said. "A lot of people thought that
boxers were just guys who could use their hands. These shows have let people see that they're
people with a passion for their sport."
Chamblin also works with Williford and former world women's featherweight champion Deirdre Gogarty
in the Ragin' Cajun Club gym, one that recently moved into a new facility after years of searching
for a home for its amateur youth clientele.
"These kids work like nobody's business," Chamblin said. "They see the guys that have been successful,
the hometown heroes, and they get in there and get after it. We get a lot of kids coming in here
because of Beau's background, and their parents know that we work them hard but that they're doing
the right things. We check their grades, we make sure they're safe and they have a good experience."
The local amateur ranks has turned out more than its share of success stories, including boxers like
Kenny Vice, Eric Griffin, Shelton LeBlanc and Roman George in the recent past. That group was
instrumental in a heyday of local boxing, one now making a renaissance with local pro success
and amateurs like national Golden Gloves champion Brad Solomon and up-and-coming youth fighters
Christian Williford and Kient Martin.
"There's always been some very talented guys around here," Williford said, "guys that can be successful
on a national level. It sort of goes in cycles. When the local amateur programs are turning out kids
that are competing on the national level, it makes others realize they can do that, too."
Originally published June 11, 2006
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