USA Boxing announced that Shreveport, Louisiana has been selected to host the 2020 USA Boxing National Championship. The event will take place at the Shreveport Convention Center the week of December 5 through the 12. The event was previously scheduled to be held in Lake Charles before the devastation left behind by Hurricane Laura caused the organization to pivot.
“Hurricane Laura wreaked havoc on the city of Lake Charles and rendered their Civic Center inhospitable for this year’s National Championships. This came on top of the pandemic which already nearly wiped out the 2020 National Tournament calendar,” stated Michael Campbell, USA Boxing Events and Operations Manager. “Our events staff immediately pivoted and was determined to replace the event with as little disruption as possible for our coaches and boxers that had been training with their goals fixed on participating in this event to end the year. Shreveport stepped up quickly to provide us a great alternative within the same footprint as the planned event, therefore we could keep our same scheduled dates and remain in the great state of Louisiana.”
The event is estimated to bring $2 million in economic impact to the Shreveport-Bossier area and approximately 1,000 athletes.
“Shreveport, Bossier City, and the State of Louisiana are proud to host the 2020 National Boxing Championships in December,” said Kelly Wells, Executive Director for the Shreveport-Bossier Sports Commission. “Primarily, I would like to acknowledge my unwavering respect for Lake Charles and their investment in USA Boxing, which ultimately highlights Louisiana as a destination for national, elite sporting events.”
“On behalf of the Sports Commission team and Shreveport-Bossier community, I would like to thank the USA Boxing family for entrusting us with this incredible event, as well as Lt. Governor Nungesser, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, the Shreveport Convention Center, Hilton Shreveport and the local boxing community. We’ll deliver nothing less than world-class hospitality in sportsman’s paradise.”
USA Boxing will be utilizing an innovative approach to help keep boxers and the audience safe, including ways you may not have seen before. The organization showed off a unique helmet that will be worn by staff members to take temperatures of audience goers throughout the venue. Standard temperature measuring devices and social distancing will be maintained as well. With over 50,000 more square feet in the Shreveport Convention Center than in their previous location, they will utilize every inch to ensure the event is as safe as possible.
This year’s championships will also have other changes to help provide a safer and easier tournament experience for members, including staggered check-in days, set late coaches check-in hours, no general weigh-in, as well as a quota for all weight classes. All important changes and information will be released here.
Registration for the event will open Oct. 1. More information will be released in the coming days. You can learn more by visiting their website at www.teamusa.org/USA-Boxing.
