Notre Dame Boxing: Supporting Holy Cross Missions Since 1931

Photos provided by the Holy Cross Mission Center.

Boxing at the University of Notre Dame, founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross, is about much more than competition in the ring. Through its two student-run boxing programs, the Notre Dame Men’s Boxing Club and the Notre Dame Women’s Boxing Club, Notre Dame combines athletic achievement with a commitment to service and fundraising for Holy Cross missions in Bangladesh and East Africa, whereas of 2026 more than 240 finally professed priests and brothers live and minister alongside the people of the areas.

Founded by the legendary Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne in 1920, the Bengal Bouts tournament’s proceeds have supported the Holy Cross missions in Bangladesh since 1931. Student boxers train and compete while the funds support education, parish life, healthcare services, and social outreach at Holy Cross ministries in Bangladesh. The funds generated through the Men’s Boxing Club, which has its tournament each spring semester, have helped build schools and healthcare clinics, while also providing educational opportunities for students from economically disadvantaged communities. Through these efforts, the Men’s Boxing Club seeks to address poverty by supporting the work of the Congregation of Holy Cross, which serves some of the most vulnerable populations in Bangladesh.

The Notre Dame Women’s Boxing Club was established in 2002 and shares the same mission of service. In partnership with the Holy Cross Mission Center, participants raise money for Holy Cross missions in East Africa, particularly in Uganda. Through ticket sales for its Baraka Bouts tournament in the fall semester, advertising, and donations, the Women’s Boxing Club has supported Holy Cross Lake View Senior Secondary School in Jinja and St. Joseph’s Hill Senior Secondary School in Kyarusozi. Their fundraising efforts have helped expand educational opportunities, including the construction of a girls’ dormitory and classroom facilities, helping to sustain these institutions’ strong educational reputations in Uganda.

Together, the Notre Dame Men’s and Women’s Boxing Clubs embody the Congregation of Holy Cross’s Mission of educating both the mind and the heart. While students develop discipline, resilience, and confidence through boxing, they also learn the importance of service to others. For generations of Notre Dame students, boxing has become a powerful way to make a lasting impact both inside and outside the ring.

Click below to find the dates for the next Baraka Bouts tournament in the fall and Bengal Bouts tournament in the spring. We look forward to seeing you there!

Provided by the Holy Cross Mission Center, June 2026