Submitted Photo Pictured is a scene from Elon DeJesus’s most recent fight at Gloves Up Gloves Down in Buffalo. DeJesus was the winner, defeating Marcus Floyd in three rounds.

Elon DeJesus and his Impact Boxing team traveled over 900 miles from Dunkirk to Independence, Missouri to compete in the 17th Annual Ringside World Championship held at Silverstein Eye Center Arena, arriving at approximately 8 a.m. Tuesday morning.

The tournament will prove to be a big step in DeJesus’ boxing career as he prepares take on arguably the toughest competition he has seen to date.

On July 1, DeJesus competed at the Dunkirk Supershow and lost by split-decision in the main event to Buffalo’s Alex Castenallo. Since that time, DeJesus bounced back as he recently defeated nationally ranked boxer, Marcus Floyd, at a Gloves Up Guns Down event last Saturday in Buffalo.

DeJesus credited that turnaround to his increased focus on physical conditioning.

“In boxing, one of the most important things is conditioning,” DeJesus began. “I’ve been running a lot more and doing a lot more sprints. My conditioning is up to par and where it needs to be. It definitely helped me out in my last fight and it’ll definitely help me out in this tournament. I feel really good about my conditioning right now.”

DeJesus traveled to Missouri with Impact Boxing’s Kenny Grieff and he is in agreement when it comes to DeJesus’s level of conditioning.

“In the past eight months, I’ve seen him put in a bigger effort in his conditioning. He’s always been working hard, but he’s working even harder now,” Grieff said. “He throws more punches and he also moves better now because of it.”

This is the Dunkirk native’s second national tournament. His first being the National Golden Gloves tournament in Lafayette, Louisiana.

At the national Golden Gloves, DeJesus fought in the bantamweight division and made it to the second round before being defeated by Rasheen Brown, who would then move to lose in the championship round to current champion, Aaron Morales.That experience was a first for DeJesus, but the knowledge and experience he gained in Lafayette now benefits him going into the Ringside World Championships.

“The National Golden Gloves was my first tournament, so I felt a little bit overwhelmed. … With (the Golden Gloves) down and out of the way, it gives me more confidence going into this Ringside tournament,” DeJesus explained. “I know that I can compete at a high level with anybody out here or anybody in the world right now. That tournament brought me a lot of experience that I needed going forward with my career.”

DeJesus is hellbent on bringing the Ringside belt back home to Dunkirk. The first of four rounds begins today at 11 a.m. and DeJesus knows he has to bring everything he’s got — round after round, punch after punch — in order to come out on top.

“I just have to push myself to the limit every fight, give it my all and make sure that at the end of every fight I’m exhausted. I just have to keep punching. I can’t give up the fight, I have to stay aggressive, put the pressure on and not get beat to the punch,” DeJesus replied. “I just have to stay with that mentality. I just have to keep a positive mindset and go out and get the win.

“I just plan on being aggressive … put pressure on,” DeJesus continued. “Make sure that I’m strong in all three rounds and stay in the middle of the ring and show the judges that I’m being aggressive, and that I’m first to the punches. The judges out here look for aggression.”

Coach Grieff is also in agreement that DeJesus should remain aggressive throughout the tournament. However, he believes the key to advancing is reliant on pace, and DeJesus dictating that pace.

“The biggest factor here is that all these guys are so evenly matched,” Grieff said. “I think it’s going to boil down to pace and Elon’s output of punches. When he plays at his pace he’ll win. He can’t waste a second.”

DeJesus enters the tournament as the reigning New York State Golden Gloves champion and sports that title proudly along with being a hometown guy who grew up in Dunkirk. Representing his home state and his hometown as champion just adds fuel to the fire when it comes to DeJesus’s determination to win.

“It motivates me a lot,” DeJesus replied. “I feel good, confident; I just want to win for my hometown, Dunkirk, my family that all support me and the people who are following me. … I want to make the city proud, make everybody proud and do my best out here and get the win.”

From now until Saturday, DeJesus will be going through a gauntlet. Four three-round bouts are going to determine who the 2017 Ringside World Champion will be. The Dunkirk native is in it to win it. He’s got a puncher’s chance, and come Sunday, when it’s all over, he just may return to Dunkirk a champion once again.