Grand Forks AFB Airman’s Passion is in the Ring Published Dec. 31, 2013 By Tim Flack 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Airman 1st Class Hugo Degan laughs when he describes his first day working out in a boxing gym in Grand Forks city. The 19-year-old native of Tampa, Fla., had already had five years' experience training as a fighter. But he had trained since he was 14 as a kick boxer, and was used to delivering vicious kicks and elbows, in addition to the barrage of punches. When the coaches at the gym here saw his unorthodox stance - best described as wide-open, with his hands lower down than boxers are usually taught - they assumed he was a foreign-trained fighter. "Is this guy Brazilian?" they asked, jokes the dark-haired Degan, a member of the 319th Force Support Squadron who works at the Dining Facility as a cook. Grand Forks Air Force Base is Degan's first duty station, and he knew he wanted to find a gym after moving here. He took his time, looking to find the right place to train. He had met another airman in the Fitness Center on the base, and they decided to join the off-base gym at the same time. They also talked another friend into joining so she could box, too. Degan said he had to adapt to boxing, learning to change his stance and to move a lot more in the ring. "It was kind of hard to get used to," he said. "It was a tough transition." He said that kick boxing is more stationary, with the fighters exchanging bone-smashing kicks. "Boxing is all about dodging and moving around," he said. His experience in the ring kick boxing paid off for Degan, who hopes one day to fight professionally. Two weeks after joining the gym here, his coaches invited him to start sparring. Two weeks later, they told him he was ready for his first amateur fight. On Nov. 21, he entered the ring ready to do battle. Even though he lost to the more experienced fighter, he was hooked. "I definitely want to do it again," Degan said. Degan said the benefits of having a hobby like boxing range from improved cardio conditioning to an enhanced sense of discipline. He said that some people mistakenly assume that folks who train to fight are more likely to be the aggressors out of the ring. "Training gives you a whole new view on what fighting is about," he said. "You'll think twice before you do something stupid." Degan said he also really enjoys the camaraderie he experiences with his fellow fighters, saying that joining the gym allowed him to really connect with the off-base community. "Once you start sparring with people, you get respect from them and you learn to respect them even more," he said. "I'm pretty attached to the fighters at the gym."