DSAL Boxing Academy Brings the Action Home for a Night to Remember
More than 700 people filled Hayward Adult School in July for an exciting night of boxing as DSAL Boxing Academy returned home after two years of traveling to compete. This marked DSAL Boxing’s first boxing event at Hayward Adult School since 2019, giving our boxers the opportunity to step into the ring in front of the people who know and support them best.
For DSAL’s young athletes, competing at home made the night especially meaningful. Families, friends, community members, ACSO personnel, and special guests came together to cheer them on and experience the sport alongside them.
Four DSAL boxers competed: Juan Marcus Agcaoili (21), Alleybella Alvarez-Cruz (15), Damian Reyes (19), and Elijah Ceja (16). All four brought previous competition experience to the ring, but performing before their largest audience yet, with many loved ones watching them compete for the first time, made this a particularly memorable and intense challenge!
Our boxers brought their training, determination, and competitive spirit to the ring, with Juan Marcus, Alleybella, and Elijah each winning their bouts, and Damian’s bout coming down to a closely contested split decision that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats, with many spectators believing he had won. Every athlete put their skills to the test under pressure, showing the excited crowd what months and years of dedication and hard work can accomplish. Surrounded by cheers from family, friends, and supporters, our athletes made their hometown return a night to remember for the entire DSAL Boxing family!
Bringing the event home was more than a year in the making. DSAL Boxing invested in new equipment for the competition, including a custom DSAL Boxing ring cover, ring accessories, and competition boxing gloves. Coach Terrance worked closely with DSAL staff and management to turn his vision for a special hometown event into reality, with a goal of creating an experience that DSAL athletes and their families could be proud of. His planning and attention to detail helped make the long-awaited return to their home ring a memorable one.
“I wanted the boxers to experience a hometown event unlike anything they had seen before. DSAL Boxers have been competing on the road the past two years, and I made them a promise of a spectacular hometown boxing event in 2026 that they and their families would be proud of. This event would not have been possible without the unwavering community support.”
- Captain Terrance Montigue
Making the event possible was a true community effort, with people and organizations coming together to support the athletes and create a night the entire DSAL Boxing family could be proud of. Current and former DSAL Boxing coaches came together to support the athletes, alongside DSAL staff and volunteers, ACSO personnel, Hayward Unified School District staff, Alameda County Board of Supervisors representatives, and community partners.
Terrance also wanted to recognize the many individuals and organizations whose support helped make the event possible, including Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez, Undersheriff April Luckett-Fahimi, Captain Oscar Perez, Lieutenant Michael Buckhout, Kimako Strickland, Sheriff’s Technician Johnette Jenkins, and the many ACSO members and special guests who came out to support the athletes.
The evening also benefited from the contributions of DJ Mark Flores (DJ MFLO) who kept the energy high, Falck Alameda County who provided free medical standby, and the Rapid Relief Team who provided free hamburgers and refreshments for attendees.
After two years of competing on the road, DSAL Boxing was proud to give its athletes the opportunity to compete at home, surrounded by the people who support them. This event marked an exciting new chapter for the program, and DSAL Boxing is already looking forward to bringing the community together again for another major boxing event in 2027!