Hayden Jensen wants you to remember his name. His boxing match during Post 26 Big Horn Basin Boxing Club’s fight night on Monday was certainly memorable, as the Powell High School sophomore came back to win by judge’s decision after taking some serious shots to the body during the first round. 

“I felt pretty good out there, he hit me in the body kind of early in the rounds, and I felt it throughout the fight but I just kept fighting,” Jensen said. “I have heart, and I love this sport so much; I think it’s my life, and I see it as my future.”

Thanks to coach David Holland pushing him, Jensen said he’s ready to fight anyone at any venue, so he wants to get his name out. 

The fight night was an opportunity for Post 26’s boxers to show what they’ve learned since the club’s beginnings last winter in unofficial exhibition matches. It was also a fundraiser to help the club continue supporting its young boxers, ages 5-18, who are trained by the club for free. The club also encourages its members to be active in the community. Recently, members wrote letters to veterans and handed out letters written by Powell elementary school students to local veterans. It’s important to give back, Holland said, also mentioning the club appreciated the community support during the fight night. 

Boxing is a lifestyle, fighter Audie Marshall said ahead of his fight — instead of going home to play video games you begin to focus on boxing.

“You remember the last time you went sparring and you got beat up because you didn’t have the cardio … and it just becomes a thing to work on, and as you gradually keep working on it —  it just becomes a lifestyle,” he said ahead of the match. Marshall went on to win the fight, his first victory. He said he’ll be “even more prepared,” for the next one. 

Ahead of Jensen’s fight with Wyatt Dzialak of Cody’s Potter Self Defense Academy, Jensen was confident in his ability to win. He’s been training hard, specifically conditioning and technical training. As a fighter he likes to slowly break his opponents down, and audiences would see that during the match, he said.

Jensen, whose fight was the night’s co-main event, was one of roughly 42 fighters including his brother Logan, who also predicted a win. 

“I’ve been boxing since about May, so about half a year now. It’s been pretty fun, we’ve been learning quite a bit,” Logan said adding, “So I’m just looking forward for us to fight some more local guys to see how we are against them.”

Heading into the fight Logan had two losses under his belt as a USA Boxing sanctioned fighter — he came out of the exhibition match with a win.

“The win feels nice, it’s my first one, so I mean it always feels good,” Logan said with a smile.

The second round went to Logan’s opponent, he conceded, but in the third round, “I kept my composure, he was getting tired and I knew he was getting gassed, so I just broke him down and I won,” he said. 

The fighters are dedicated and they want to continually train, Holland said, but they are going to take a break during the holiday season, and sometime next year he hopes the club can host their first sanctioned fight.

There’s work left to do: The club’s officials need to become USA Boxing certified, all fighters need their cards and approved equipment, and a doctor must be on site. 

The state of Wyoming has a boxing ring, Holland said, that would be available to the club for a sanctioned event.This would also open the fighters up to talent across state lines. 

As the fighters enter more into the world of USA Boxing more opportunities open up, Holland explained, and as they build records they could qualify for silver and golden gloves.

“If we start qualifying for those national events it’s a different world out there,” Holland said.