Meanwhile, Porter - whose bodyweight ballooned to 300 pounds after his career ended - fought as light as 210 and as heavy as 261 as a pro, according to. But he gave the one he won last year to Porter, partly out of appreciation for his mentorship and partly because it was too big to fit the 5-foot-10 1/2, chiseled Collins, who played running back for Terre Haute North High School's football team in the early 2010s. Former cruiserweight Trevon Childs - who grew up in Terre Haute and trained at Sweatbox for a while - went 2-0 after winning one fight in 2018 and one in 2019, but he was listed as a resident of Indianapolis at the time.īack to Collins, you might think he'd own two IGG jackets now. kidding, kidding), is believed to be the last Terre Haute boxer to fight professionally, competing in 24 bouts from 2001 through 2011. Porter, who will turn 50 this month (that's ancient.

Benna died in November 2011.Ĭan Collins become the second from Terre Haute? It's too early to tell, so Porter says he just needs to keep working hard. Porter said Terre Haute has had only one national Golden Gloves champion ever and that was Johnny Benna in the 135-pound class in 1938 in Chicago, so it's been a minute. If Collins goes to the nationals at least once or twice, he thinks he'll be ready to turn pro.

To be more specific, Collins wants to step up to the Indiana Golden Gloves' Open heavyweight division - 'Open' means each weight-class champion can advance to the national Golden Gloves tournament - so that will serve as the best of the best competition among Indiana amateur boxers.

But someday - perhaps in 2024 or 2025 - he hopes to receive cash money in exchange for his pugilistic performances. Employed by Hopebridge Autism Therapy Center, Collins was trained and accompanied to the annual tournament by Sweatbox owner and retired pro boxer James Porter, a frequent subject of columns past.įor his recent efforts, Collins earned another Indiana Golden Gloves jacket, a sure-fire way to signal 'don't mess with me' while entering a store.

David Goes to School by David Shannon