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JBLM officer Giovanna Camacho selected for All-Army Boxing Trial Camp

Petite, pocket, powerhouse in the ring

2nd Lt. Giovanna Camacho spars at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Photo credit: Richard Baker

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Pound for pound, 2nd Lt. Giovanna Camacho, a female boxer stationed with the 2-3 Infantry Patriots, 3rd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, is not just intelligent but also a petite, pocket, powerhouse in the ring. So much fury packed into her 106 pounds is difficult to believe.  With her 10-1-0 record, she has been selected to the 2014 All-Army Men's and Women's Boxing Trial Camp, one of the toughest camps in the service. She is the only officer selected.

"Fortunately," she said, "I get along well with NCOs."

Although Camacho is tired of the comparison to former three-time world boxing champion Hector "Macho" Camacho, who twice defeated Roberto Duran and ended "Sugar" Ray Leonard's career by knockout, they share some commonalities. Both Camachos had, or have, determination, skill, slight stature, good looks, engaging personalities and toughness. The differences between the two are dramatic.

Hector Camacho constantly had troubles with the law and was eventually shot and killed outside a bar.

2nd Lt. Camacho, from Dixon/Fairfield, California, is a West Point graduate where she studied engineering psychology. She recently collected blood samples of the P11 protein identified as a marker for depression. She has also completed her pre-med and looks forward to medical school where she hopes to become a Trauma Surgeon. In contrast, she helped start the woman's boxing program at West Point.

>>> 2nd Lt. Giovanna Camacho has her boxing face on. Photo credit: Richard Baker

Her father Victor boxed and, because there were always boxing gloves around the house, she started boxing with her brother, JP. In high school she tried her hand (or feet) at kickboxing.  "I love feeling the challenge of a challenge," she said, "and boxing provided that challenge. ..."

She is not impressed with today's boxers and has no favorites. "Canelo Alvarez started a nice career but he has gone downhill."

The last fighter she admired was Mike Tyson. "There hasn't been any good solid boxing since Tyson. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is all about the money, not about boxing." Boxers no longer want to fight the best to see who is the best.

Camacho has the opposite problem. She fights so well she cannot get opponents. That should end at the boxing camp.

She also discovered a boxing void at West Point. They had no women's boxing. She, and a small group of cadets, led by Nargis Kabiri, laid the groundwork and put together a team to show that boxing was a viable sport for the Point. Camacho was elected team captain. Because they were so determined the team earned a bout at the Brigade Boxing Open and, the following year, the official team made their debut at the Maryland Boxing Invitational.

"The support we received has allowed our club to flourish," Camacho said.

Women's boxing is on the rise in the Army. Their World Class Program, grooming members for Team USA and the 2016 Olympic Games, now holds an equal number of men and women. Five elite men, and five elite women are going for the gold.

Camacho's hard work has brought results and she has earned a spot at the Boxing Trial Boxing Camp. Only boxers with determination and potential are chosen. The best move on to such programs as the World Class Program and attending the camp is the first step to the U.S. Olympic boxing team. Army boxers have a reputation of earning gold at the Olympics including Ray Mercer, Kenny McKinney and Andrew Maynard. As professionals, Mercer became the WBO Heavyweight Champion and McKinney won both the IBF and WBO Super Bantamweight title.

>>> 2nd Lt. Giovanna Camacho / photo credit: Richard Baker

The path in the Army for the U.S. Olympic team starts with boxers registering with USA Boxing. They must then have a minimum of five official bouts and showing potential in "smokers" at the command level including unit, brigade or commander's cup events. Boxers who show potential, rather than present skill, are invited to the All Army Boxing training camp. Staff Sgt. Charles Leverette, head coach of the camp and former assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic team, looks for determination in boxers and feels all other skills can be taught. What cannot be taught is heart.

Leverette has won a bronze medal at the Olympic Trials, gold medals at the All Army and Armed Forces competitions, silver medal at the Pan American Games Qualifier and bronze medal at the U.S. National Championships. He understands the resolve required to being a winner and he runs the Army Boxing Trials with unflinching vigor.

Athletes, in an effort to remain in the sport and not be returned to their units, train from sunrise to sunset, including three complete workouts each day. Box-offs are held and the best boxers move to the next level, the Armed Forces championships. Winning gold in the Armed Forces Championships is just another step on the road to the Olympics. The world military games, called the Consel International du Sport Militarie's World Games follows. Soldiers must then finish in the top six at nationals, against the countries best civilian amateurs. These soldiers then enter the World Class Athletic Program, or WCAP.

If a soldier wants to fight, they have now arrived. Every boxer is placed on special leave with only one goal in sight, to prepare for the Olympic Trials. Only the elite make it through the Trials and are chosen to represent the Army at the Olympic games.

2nd Lt. Camacho may now be on the road to Olympic gold. Just being selected for the 2014 All-Army Men's and Women's Boxing Trial Camp is an honor and she knows this first step is just a first step. From here, life only gets tougher, a challenge she much enjoys. When she wants a blood sample, she means to get it. If she is any indication of today's Army fighting spirit, the U.S. is in pretty good shape.

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