Brian Norman Jr. isn’t the only champion in the greater Atlanta, Georgia area.
In March, two members of the Morehouse Boxing Club earned first place in their respective divisions during the National Intercollegiate Boxing Association’s National Championship in Macon, Georgia. Elijah McLean defeated Glenville State University’s Aaron O’Connor to earn gold in the 168-pound Men’s Open title and Kaleb Hudson beat the University of Washington’s Evan Lee to win the 140-pound Beginner B crown. By doing so, Hudson and McLean became the first boxers from a historically Black college or university (HBCU) to win a national title under the National Intercollegiate Boxing Association.
The Morehouse Boxing Club was created in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic by Morehouse College student Jacobey Bell. Over the last four years, it’s grown into a club with over 200 members and nearly a dozen competing fighters.
“When I came to Morehouse my freshman year, my entire family moved to Savannah, Georgia, three hours away. I have three siblings who have been my best friends my whole life, so being without them was tough. I had to find a new family. That’s how the boxing club started,” Bell said. “I sent a message in the class of 2024-2025 group chat saying, ‘Hey, I’ll be downstairs boxing at the dorms today if anyone wants to join.’ Each day, more people showed up. One day, we had about 200 people watching us spar. We got in trouble because it was during COVID, but the school saw the potential.”
With boxing clubs reemerging at Grambling, Tennessee State, Morehouse and several other HBCUs, the sweet science is seemingly making its way back to the forefront at these historic institutions.
