After a year of impressive sporting achievements and closer cooperation with the University of Szeged, Szeged Box Club is now looking to build on that momentum. Over the past year, the club has strengthened its professional ties with SZTE, while the University’s Sports Center has provided high-quality training conditions that have contributed to the success of its student-athletes. We spoke with head coach László Gál, professional boxer Levente Gémes, and student competitors Fanni Deák and Veronika Róth about the club’s recent successes, the benefits of the partnership, and what lies ahead.
Building excellence in and beyond the ring
After its founding in 1995, following the dissolution of the boxing division of the Szegedi Dózsa Sports Association, Szeged Box Club spent years moving between different training locations before eventually finding a permanent home at the University of Szeged’s Sports Center. For the past two years, the club has trained in its own dedicated boxing facility there, providing a stable base for both day-to-day training and long-term progress.
“We have everything in place here to compete at a high level,” said László Gál, the club’s president and head coach.
Alongside these improvements in training conditions, the club has also strengthened its educational and academic ties with the University of Szeged. A key development has been the partnership between the University and the Hungarian Boxing Association, which has led to the launch of a specialized boxing coaching program at SZTE. The program attracted 16–18 applicants in its first year alone, with members of the club’s coaching staff also bringing their professional experience into the classroom. Konrád Gál, a graduate in Sports and Recreation Management who recently earned his teaching qualification in Physical Education, is set to take part in teaching at the University as well.
In keeping with the demands of modern elite sport, Szeged’s boxers also benefit from dedicated strength and conditioning support backed by sports science expertise. Dr. Ferenc Bóka, a sports science specialist at the University of Szeged, works closely with the team to help optimize their preparation and performance.
Taking the next step: Levente Gémes turns professional in England
The club’s standout season brought success at both amateur and professional levels. At the national senior championships, Szeged’s boxers claimed one national title and three bronze medals. The season’s biggest breakthrough, however, came from Levente Gémes. The reigning U23 European champion signed with an English manager and has now begun the next stage of his career in England – the birthplace of modern boxing.
“Working with an international manager and professional promoter has opened up a tremendous opportunity for me. I have already had my first professional bout in Essex, near London, and the experience was unforgettable. Boxing is a major sport in England, with a fantastic atmosphere and an exceptionally high level of professionalism,” said Gémes, who took up boxing in 2018 and has been a member of the Hungarian national team ever since.
Despite taking his professional career to the international stage, Gémes has no intention of leaving his roots behind. He will continue preparing for his bouts in Hungary, training at his home club under the guidance of his longtime coach. Looking further ahead, his ambition is clear: to win professional world titles in multiple weight classes and across different boxing organizations.
Moving past stereotypes about boxing
For Szeged Box Club, success is measured not only in the ring, but in the classroom as well. Club president László Gál emphasized that intellectual development and continued education are key priorities, directly challenging the outdated stereotype that sporting success in boxing comes at the expense of academic achievement. Most of the club’s adult competitors are currently pursuing higher education, setting a strong example for the younger athletes following in their footsteps.
The club’s student-athletes come from a wide range of academic backgrounds, reflecting the diversity of study programs at the University of Szeged. They include students from the Juhász Gyula Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, and the Faculty of Science and Informatics – demonstrating that success in the ring can go hand in hand with achievement across a variety of academic fields.
Balancing university life and elite sport
Two accomplished University of Szeged student-athletes, Fanni Deák and Veronika Róth, are among the leading figures in Szeged Box Club’s women’s division. Both produced strong performances at this year’s Hungarian Senior National Championships, adding further success to the club’s season while continuing their university studies.
Fanni Deák, a student in the Sports and Recreation Management program at SZTE’s Juhász Gyula Faculty of Education, earned a bronze medal at the national championships following months of focused preparation with her teammates. Although they had hoped for an even stronger result, the experience has only reinforced their determination to return next year and compete for the national title. For Deák, combining university studies with elite-level sport is a source of pride and motivation rather than a burden. As a part-time student, she is able to balance her Friday and Saturday classes with training and competition, demonstrating that academic progress and sporting ambition can complement one another successfully.
“Because my degree program is closely related to sport, my professors are very supportive when it comes to balancing my studies with training and competition. If I let them know in advance that I will be away for a competition, they are flexible about my absence, and I can easily catch up on any assignments or course material I miss,” Deák explained.
Veronika Róth’s journey offers another strong example of how academic ambition and competitive sport can complement one another. She recently completed her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management at the University of Szeged and has already been admitted to a master’s program in Sports Economics. She also earned a bronze medal at the Hungarian Senior National Championships.
Still early in her competitive career, Róth is looking ahead with confidence: “I believe my best results are still ahead of me,” she said.
As a full-time student, Róth carefully organized her timetable to keep her afternoons free for training. Throughout her studies, she could rely on strong support from both the University and her professors, who provided course materials and offered individual consultations whenever needed. During examination periods, they were also flexible in scheduling assessments around her competition commitments, enabling her to pursue both her academic and sporting goals.
Preparing for the next challenge
The season is still gathering momentum for Szeged’s boxers. Senior athletes are preparing for two major continental events – the U23 European Championships and the Senior European Championships. Meanwhile, the club’s U15, U17, and U19 competitors are setting their sights on the upcoming national championships.
With new goals already in sight, both the athletes and the partnership between Szeged Box Club and the University of Szeged are entering the next stage with strong momentum. The results achieved so far show how sporting ambition and academic progress can reinforce one another, both inside and beyond the ring.
Original Hungarian article by Sára Bisztriczki
Photos: Karina Bartha
