Causeway Classic introduces inaugural boxing tournament, packing new punch for Sac State, UC Davis rivalry
SACRAMENTO -- The 70th annual Causeway Classic, a football tradition between UC Davis and Sacramento State, introduced some new action this year to their long-standing rivalry.
On Friday, the first-ever Causeway Boxing Classic hit the ring, with the Aggies and Hornets hosting matchups alongside other teams from across the region. Then Saturday afternoon, the two football teams take the field at Hornet Stadium.
"The football teams have had this ongoing rivalry for years, decades. Boxing is a sport that's small in the college community, so having something like this, it really brings attention to the sport and to the team," said Aishwarya Santosh, president of the UC Davis Boxing Club.
"We've got to kick off this weekend properly. We have to take the win here then take the win tomorrow. It's going to be big. I'm excited," said Hector Fajardo, director of operations for Combat U at Sacramento State.
The tournament comes as earlier this year Sacramento state launched Combat U, the first university-backed development program for combat sports in the country.
"It's been 50 years since we've had collegiate boxing at Sacramento State and we get to kick it off with this big event," Fajardo said.
From months of practice to entering the ring, both teams were grateful for the spotlight on the sport.
"We've never really fought in a venue like this, with an audience this big. This is huge for college boxing and for UC Davis," Santosh said.
Friday night's event featured a full card of fourteen fights with boxers also competing from other colleges including the Air Force Academy, Cal Berkeley and USC.
"I'm expecting a lot of action. These kids have been training very hard," Fajardo said.
Kickoff for the Causeway Classic is at 2 p.m. Saturday at Hornet Stadium. You can watch the game on local KMAX31 and ESPN+. Learn more about the storied matchup between these two teams at this link.
