Wisconsin’s Golden Gloves boxing team returned from the 2025 national tournament of champions last weekend with four medals.
The Golden Gloves team featured state champions across multiple weight classes, many of whom are up-and-comers still in their teens.
The team was coached by Andrea Nelson, who trains fighters at Ford’s Gym in Madison. Nelson has led Wisconsin’s Golden Gloves tournament since 2019.
The team won the following medals:
- Brooklyn Schoen, who fights out of Community Boxing Gym in Nealsville, won a silver medal.
- Natalia Tovar, who just turned 18, won a bronze medal fighting out of the Tenacious Boxing Gym in Kenosha.
- Knowledge Johnson, who is actually from Minneapolis but competed in Wisconsin’s Golden Gloves through an agreement with Nelson, won a silver medal.
- Rafet Alpaslan, who is originally from Turkey and trains in Green Bay, won a bronze medal for the second straight year.
The rest of the team included Isiah Steeno, Tyree Sawyer, Jesus Rodriguez and Louis Nzegwu. Nelson says all of them boxed well and that several of them may turn pro.
The team was selected through a Golden Gloves tournament which is held every year at the Marriott West in Middleton. Winners of each weight class are eligible to join the team traveling to nationals.
During Olympic years, the nationals are also used to determine the United States’ boxing team.
The Wisconsin tournament is held close to Easter and, according to Nelson, they had nearly 200 people registered to participate which is more than they’ve ever had.
Nelson says the success of Wisconsin’s team and the amount of in-state competition is largely due to her training team’s efforts with young teenagers.
“The program is doing really well,” Nelson said. “Wisconsin Golden Gloves has gained a lot of momentum and excitement. When we first took it on in 2019, we took on the 16 and 17-year-olds because they were the ones coming up. But at this point, ours is the biggest amateur boxing tournament in the state. Those kids are now of age to make the team and getting a lot of excitement. So, that’s what we were hoping for.”
The team had an excellent outing in Tulsa, where the national tournament was held.
Going to nationals is a movie all in itself, according to Nelson. All of the revenue generated from the Golden Gloves tournament and an annual Fall fundraiser Nelson puts on goes towards getting the team accommodations and travel for the national tournament.
“We get a big Airbnb wherever we go,” Nelson said. “This year, we had a really nice spot outside of Tulsa. Everyone stays as a team. We kind of keep everyone as a group and form a good bond. We pay for everything, that’s why we do the fundraiser and stuff.”
In November, there will be a fundraiser called Bucket List Boxing at the Red Mouse in Cross Plains. It’s an annual fundraiser in which people who have dreamt of boxing but perhaps never stepped in the ring will get an opportunity to see what they’ve got.
“We start recruiting people who want to do it in early June,” Nelson said. “They have to commit to training for three months and take fundamentals and intermediate classes.”
Anyone interested in participating in the Bucket List or joining up to learn boxing can do so here.
