NEW ORLEANS (Nov. 10, 2016) – A new boxing club was formed here this fall at Dillard University, and now its members are trying to raise funds to, with the goal to turn the club into a competitive team.

Although Dillard has a martial arts club, Joshua Crevan, a freshman economy major from Bamberg, Germany, said he wanted something less artistic and more realistic. Crevan, the club’s president, said he began the club because he was interested in mixed martial arts or MMA fighting and found other students who also were interested around campus.

So far, the club has 12 members, including three females. The students train three days a week, including cardio, muscle-building and boxing techniques, according to Crevan. All of their training is done here on campus in the gym in the Student Union, but they are trying to train with an outside source, but Crevan said the club needs funds or possible sponsorship.

So far, he said, the club has not done much fundraising, and they are still looking into ways to fundraise as well as writing a proposal to SGA for funding.

Members want the club to eventually become a team that competes against other schools. Advisor Perry Brown, coordinator of recreation and student leadership, said the club has reached out to other schools with boxing clubs, such as the University of Alabama and Florida State. (Tulane University has a boxing club, but its focus is martial arts and not boxing.)

(BreAnna Salary contributed to this report.)