Tonight 18 UCSB students will box to benefit Say Yes to Kids, an organization that teaches children how to box.

The doors at Robertson Gym will open at 6 p.m. for Pi Kappa Alpha’s Fight Night X. Last year’s event raised $8,359 for Say Yes to Kids, Fight Night coordinator Jay Bridges said.

“It benefits Say Yes to Kids, a program based out of Santa Barbara. Basically what [the program] does is take kids off the street in a poor neighborhood and gets them involved in boxing. It gives them a family outside of drugs and gangs and an opportunity to box. Boxing takes hard work and determination and gives them goals,” Bridges said.

Eighteen contenders are scheduled to fight at the event, including two women, two kickboxers and 14 other boxers. Bridges said ringside tickets, which are $8, have sold out in presale, while approximately half of the $6 bleacher tickets are still available.

“The main thing I’m trying to get out is that this is not a Greek event – it’s campuswide,” he said.

Pi Kappa Alpha members will sell tickets at the Arbor and in front of the UCen today, and there will also be tickets available at the door, Bridges said.

“We’re hoping to match last year’s amount. … By [2003], I’m hoping to bring it to the Thunderdome, so we can really bring in some money for Say Yes to Kids,” he said. “They can use every dollar we can get them.”

– Marisa Lagos