At the University of Notre Dame, there is no dearth of beauty. When morning fog rolls across the lakes, when the Blessed Mother glistens atop the dome, or when the bells of the Basilica call campus to prayer, the beauty of Our Lady’s University is made abundantly evident. But such aesthetic marvels are merely superficial examples of what makes Notre Dame such a special place. Beneath the golden sheen, virtuous citizens are formed, lifelong friendships are made, and service of God and neighbor is encouraged each and every day. This is the beauty of Notre Dame, a beauty which reveals itself differently to every student. As my time as an undergraduate draws to a close, allow me to tell you how the beauty of Notre Dame has most strongly been made manifest in my life, namely through the Notre Dame Men’s Boxing Club.
My earliest memories of Notre Dame come from childhood, when my family would travel to watch my brother Jack (‘13) compete in Bengal Bouts, the ND Men’s Boxing Club’s annual tournament. When Jack graduated, I did not quite understand just how much my older brother had accomplished. He had become just the twelfth Notre Dame boxer to earn four consecutive championships and an undefeated record. His trophies, plaques, and photographs adorned our basement for years. But when I chose to attend Notre Dame, boxing was the last thing on my mind. I did not know where I would find my place at ND, but I had not considered following in Jack’s footsteps in the boxing program.
As luck would have it, I found myself at ND Boxing’s table at a club fair, signed up on a whim, and was immediately hooked (much to the chagrin of my mother; sorry, Mom). I quickly fell in love with the camaraderie which I found among my teammates, with the mentorship of the club’s captains, and the feeling of being a part of something greater than myself. After rehabilitating a broken hand, and finding a good deal of success in the tournament, I was eliminated by the tournament’s eventual champion (whom I now consider a dear friend). After congratulating my opponent, I returned to my belongings and wept profusely. Leading up to each bout, I had been able to bond with my older brother, talking with him about training, strategy, and preparation. But at this moment, I was left alone to face an opponent with which he had never wrestled: defeat.
My sophomore year, I returned with newfound vigor. As luck would have it, I suffered an ankle injury which kept me from participating in the Bouts. Returning to campus in January, I avoided the gym and silently left the club. I tried my best to cope with my inability to participate, investing my time and energy elsewhere. But when the tournament rolled around, every fiber of my being wanted to be back in the ring to fight as I’d once been able. In my freshman year, I had been forced to reckon with defeat. In my sophomore year, I was sidelined altogether.
In the fall of my junior year, I studied abroad, and trained on my own so as to be able to fight in the spring. Upon returning to campus in January, I went to great lengths to ensure my participation. After rigorous training and eager fundraising, I fought my way to the Bengal Bouts Finals, and was pitted against a formidable opponent.
But in between the Semifinals and Finals, there was a month-long gap. During this time, the camaraderie of Bengal Bouts came to life before my eyes. During this month of training, I was able to get to know all 24 finalists, the men training diligently beside me every day, preparing to fight in Purcell Pavilion. Among them was my opponent, Eddie Couri (‘27), whom I came to know as a man of high character, impressive faith, and remarkable intellect. Unfortunately, the Bout did not go as I had hoped. I lost the hard-fought match in a split decision, and Eddie earned his first Bengal Bouts title.
It was as though no time had passed since the end of my freshman season, for once again, I returned to my belongings, sat down on the floor, and wept. This time, even more tears were shed, for I had come that much closer to earning the title for which I had worked tenaciously. But I gathered myself, hugged my family, and enjoyed the rest of the evening from the stands.
My senior year was fundamentally different from any year before, for at the end of my junior year, I was selected to serve as a captain. With this role came responsibilities such as training new boxers, leading fundraising initiatives, and writing the Club’s monthly newsletters. Most importantly, my being a captain labeled me as someone to whom boxers could turn with questions, comments, or concerns. More than in any other year, I was able to be a mentor, a brother, and a true teammate. Bengal Bouts had already begun to feel like a family before my selection as a captain, but once I stepped into the role, the familial bonds with my brothers in Notre Dame Boxing were solidified. I was able to stand in boxers’ corners during the tournament and advise them as they fought. I found indescribable joy in sharing my knowledge with others and helping them to achieve their potential.
Once again, I fought my way to the tournament finals. Once again, I was matched up against Eddie Couri. Once again, we had a month-long break between rounds. And once again, my hand was not raised at the end of the Bout.
When I exited the ring, I didn’t melt down as I had thought I would. I felt a strange serenity as I walked. Oddly enough, tears didn’t pour down my cheeks as they had before. I immediately tried to make sense of the bizarre peace which had overtaken me. Why was I not taking this loss as hard as I had each time before? Then, I had a profound realization.
Every time I stepped into the ring, every time I showed up to practice, every time I sent an email to a potential sponsor, I knew that Bengal Bouts and its 96 years of hallowed tradition were about more than my own success. It is not personal glory or achievement which has earned Bengal Bouts its place in the tradition-rich canon of Notre Dame. Rather, Bengal Bouts stands out for its nuanced beauty: the tournament changes lives for the better halfway around the world. Bengal Bouts provides students an arena in which they can push themselves to their very physical and spiritual limits. Bengal Bouts helps form strong and lasting friendships, and makes each and every boxer proud to be a part of something greater than himself.
I joined the Notre Dame Boxing Club out of mere curiosity, and heard countless times that boxing is only one piece of what the club is about. Little by little, as I kept my sights on winning a Bengal Bouts Championship, personal challenge, charitable impact, and tight-knit brotherhood shaped me without me noticing it.
I didn’t end my career the way I had imagined. I didn’t end my career with my hand raised. I didn’t end my career with a champion’s jacket. And I didn’t end with a material contribution to the pile of trophies that had lined my basement since my youth.
But for some reason, after it was all over, my eyes were dry. I was content in knowing that I had been a part of something truly special. I had mentored younger boxers, made some of the best friends of my life, and competed at a level I never thought possible. As I look back on my time in Bengal Bouts and think about the countless hours which I invested in the club, I can say without reservation that it was time well spent. I would not have wanted to pour my heart, soul, blood, sweat, and tears into any other organization, and I would not have wanted to do it with any other friends beside me.
Thank you to my family for traveling to cheer me on. Thank you to my friends in Dunne Hall and Coyle Hall for always being in my corner. Thank you to the Bengal Bouts coaching staff, especially Coach Joey Quinones, who has supported me inside the ring and out, as well as Coach Pete Bottini and Coach Sean Sharpe for helping me to be my very best. Thank you to Rev. Tom Eckert, C.S.C., and his team at the Holy Cross Mission Center for reminding us why we fight, and showing us how our efforts make a difference in the lives of those in need. And thank you to my teammates, each of whom I deeply respect for having the courage to step into the ring.
I give thanks to God for allowing me to attend Our Lady’s University, and for giving me the gifts necessary to participate in this one-of-a-kind tradition. Notre Dame is a spectacular place, seemingly more beautiful at every turn.
But nowhere has its beauty been more clearly revealed to me than in the Notre Dame Boxing Club.
Shakti Shahosh,
Ryan “Rango” Lally, ‘26
Provided by Ryan Lally, Bengal Bouts Captain, and the Mission Center, May 2026.
