East Hampton Boxer Comes Up Short in MSG Fight

Being grounded for the summer isn’t something that most kids would look back on fondly, but one East Hampton resident says the experience as a 15-year-old changed the course of his life for the better.

Luis Mancilla used the time in his room to begin following boxing, developing an immediate interest in the sport. Just four years later, Mancilla fought in the Madison Square Garden Theater for a Golden Gloves title.

While Mancilla, who lives in East Hampton, lost to Prince Slaughter by a 4-1 judges' decision on Friday, he's got a fighter's heart.

“My mentality completely changed after getting into boxing,” said Mancilla, who fought in the 132-pound novice division. “I began to stop hanging out with the people who were negatively affecting my life and improved my grades. Boxing requires so much discipline that I couldn’t keep living the way that I was.”

Mancilla says he first became interested in the sport that summer from watching The Contender, an ESPN reality show featuring aspiring boxers competing for the chance to fight at Caesar’s Palace for a $1 million winner’s check.

“I was really inspired by these boxers and their lives,” said Mancilla. “They worked so hard for the chance at a big payday and put everything on the line for it.”

After researching boxing gyms in Long Island via the internet, he began working with coach William Herman at Lumber Jack Lou’s in Bay Shore, who has remained his coach ever since. When the gym folded, Mancilla followed Herman 90 minutes away to the Long Island Boxing Gym in Deer Park.

He now trains there three days a week, in addition to workouts at the in East Hampton with his brother, who is also a boxer.

“I’m fighting against a lefty for the upcoming fight, so we’ve been working a lot on stepping to the left, as well as throwing left hooks and straight punches,” said Mancilla. “The biggest thing has been conditioning though. I feel like this is the best shape I’ve ever been in.”

In addition to training, Mancilla is also studying criminal justice at Suffolk Community College in Riverhead, with plans to transfer to the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City.

“My parents have been very supportive of me boxing and they’ve never said no when it comes to trying new things, but they’re also insistent that I get a college degree,” said Mancilla.

Mancilla said he has competed in four Golden Gloves fights before, but the one on Friday was his first time in the finals and first time competing in a four-round fight. The fights leading up to the final were three rounds lasting two minutes each, but an extra round will be added for all championship fights.

Despite competing in front of what will be the biggest crowd he has ever faced by far, Mancilla says he is only intent on looking at what is in front of him.

“It’s really important for me to not think about the crowd or what’s going on around me,” said Mancilla. “I’m just treating it like any other fight and my opponent as any other opponent.”

Mancilla boxed in the seventh fight on Friday night's novice card, which is devoted to boxers with less than 10 fights under their belt.