ISU boxing coach Terry Dowd has been around boxing his entire life.

The 58-year-old learned the nuances of the sport when he was a boy, watching local boxing matches while living in an orphanage in Des Moines. The electric atmosphere and bright lights grabbed his attention and never let go. He’s hoping that Friday Night Fights is having the same effect on new fans of this generation.

“Boxing has been a big part of my life,” he said. “I grew up watching Friday Night Fights, and that’s where it started.”

The ISU boxing club hosts Friday Night Fights, a fundraiser in which members of the club fight against each other in the basement of State Gym. The weekly event is open to the public and free of charge, although donations are welcomed.

“It’s important for these guys. They work so hard, and Friday nights are for them to show their stuff,” Dowd said. “We have a ton of talented guys right now.”

Dowd continues to live with the aftereffects of a stroke that paralyzed the left side of his body a decade ago. Despite the physical setback, he remains the face of ISU boxing and wants to see it continue to grow in popularity.

“These guys work their butts off, and I’d like to see them get recognition for the time they’ve put in,” he said.

For Brett Welling, senior in Biology, Friday Night Fights is a chance to apply what he’s learned in practice.

“Aside from the fundraising, the biggest thing is that it’s a step above the sparring we do in practice,” Welling said.

“We had one national champion last year, and four national qualifiers,” he said. “We have a ton of talent on this team.”

Mike Bal, sophomore in pre-advertising, and Tony Sims, senior in architecture, both advanced to the national tournament in Reno, Nev., last season, along with Ryan Allan and Nick Nelson, who graduated after the season. Allan took the national championship, winning the title in the 156-pound class.

Dowd believes he could send anywhere from three to six of his fighters to the regional tournament this season, which will be held either in Chicago or Kentucky.

Among those fighters is Bal, the only returning member to fight at nationals last season. The 195-pound fighter returns after taking 5th place in Reno despite battling a case of mononucleosis during the competition. Bal finished one spot short of becoming the 46th All-American that has fought for Dowd. Only those who finish in the top four are given the honor.

“It was rough,” Bal said. “Hopefully this year will be different.”

Dowd is also expecting solid contributions from Welling at 175 pounds, Ben Peart, senior in industrial engineering at 185, Tony Brown, sophomore in mechanical engineering at 156, and heavyweight Ben Marcov, senior in operation and supply chain management.

Marcov suffered a season-ending knee injury at the regional tournament last season. Sims would be a favorite in the 165-pound division, but the National Collegiate Boxing Association has held him out of competition because of his previous boxing experience as a youth.

“He’s too good, I guess,” Dowd said. “They must be afraid of him.”

Fighters who finish in first or second place in their weight division advance to the national tournament in Reno. There are some exceptions for third place finishers, depending on the number of fighters within a weight division.

Anyone is welcome to join the club, which practices Monday through Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Club dues are $50.

Attendance at Friday Night Fight events typically ranges from 10 to 35 spectators. Despite the modest attendance figures, Dowd believes the sport is still in good shape.

“We have a very successful boxing program here at ISU,” he said. “Not many people know about it.”