[Sly Fox]

Cool story. Does anybody remember Bowman from when he was in school?

This isn't like the pulpit
Preacher sets aside Bible for boxing gloves
Uppercuts clear path to Toughman competition

By David Giffels
Beacon Journal staff writer

CANTON - His fighting name is ``The Preacher.''

He looks like a choirboy, especially here, in a long line of young men waiting for examination by the fight doctor. Six-foot-eight, 250 pounds, with the wingspan of a Cessna, he towers over the other fighters. But that's not the only reason he stands out.

Most of the other entrants in the Original Toughman Contest look like they were plucked from a rogue's gallery, with tattoos climbing up past the necks of their T-shirts, caps pulled down low on their foreheads, biker shirts, tank tops, scars and sullen faces.

Jason Bowman looks almost beatific. His smile is straight from a toothpaste commercial and his eyes are bright eyes under his short, neatly combed light brown hair.

He is an actual preacher. One of his friends suggested "The Minister of Pain'' for a ring name, but he thought that was too much. "The Preacher'' will do fine.

His hooded sweatshirt bears the name of Liberty University, the Bible college where he earned his degree. He served several years as a senior pastor in Florida before returning home to Northeast Ohio.

Thirty-one years old, he substitutes at area churches, supporting his wife and son by selling used cars for the Ron Marhofer Auto Group.

For now, though, he is one of about 40 men standing in line for a quick once-over from the doctor. The smell of sweat and cologne lingers in this back room at the Canton Memorial Civic Center. Some of the men jab at invisible sparring partners, others dance nervously, bobbing their heads this way and that.

Bowman pulls his wedding ring from his finger, and hands it to his father, his corner man.

"Put this in your pocket,'' he says.

A year of training

Two hours before, Bowman had kissed his wife, Melissa, and 4-year-old son, Nathaniel, goodbye. He put his blue nylon gym bag over his shoulder and grabbed a six-pack of water and a plastic container of pasta for last-minute carbs.

He's been training for a year in the basement of their ranch-style home in Canal Fulton.

Every year, he sets personal challenges. Last year he and his father, a former Navy boxer, came to the Civic Center to watch a Toughman contest, a wild punchfest in which young men, and occasionally women, flail at one another for three one-minute rounds.

Bowman, whose only experience is sparring with his dad and fighting in an informal college boxing club, decided this would be his challenge for the year: To win the Toughman contest.

Art Dore, dressed in a tuxedo and cowboy boots, with the build and carriage of an ex-Marine, has been through this routine so many times it's like breathing. Call out the roster, check the paperwork, tell them the rules.

Dore began the Original Toughman Contests in 1978, and tours from city to city promoting them. He's the ring announcer, the organizer, the traffic cop and the no-nonsense rule maker.

The men all sit before him in folding chairs. His voice echoes in the empty auditorium as he calls out names, checking to see who's here.

"Iron Monkey? Paul Adams?''

He hands out another release, to a guy named Rocky. "Read this. It says this is dangerous, you can get hurt and you can get killed. Next? How about George of the Jungle? You here?''

Bowman sits in a middle row, bobbing his head meditatively. He's talking to the Lord.

"Here I am. It's your fight,'' he whispers.

Ceremonial promenade

It's now 10 minutes before the fights will begin. About 1,500 fans are in the stands and at ringside. Half a dozen young women in lingerie shorts and black baby doll T-shirts printed with "Hog Heaven Open Flame Barbecue'' are teetering on high heels, waiting in the wings to lead the pack in a ceremonial promenade around the ring.

This first night is single elimination. You win, you advance to Saturday's championship rounds. You lose, you walk.

Despite the fact that their time in the ring together is at hand, the men have reached the height of their rapport. They laugh, ogle the ring girls, ask about previous fight experience.

One boxer admits to Bowman that he was worried he might end up in the ring with him. Boxers can spot other boxers. The street fighters tend to pound away from the opening bell, and they're spent halfway through the first round. The boxers are different.

One man punches a set of steel doors.

Bowman shakes his head. "That's dumb.''

Another whispers, "'Bout time to party.''

Another jabs at an invisible sparring partner.

"All's I wanna see is action, action.''

In the ring

The Preacher winds up his left hand and flashes one last smile as he makes his approach to the ring.

"He says he's not perfect, but he lives a clean life,'' the tuxedoed Dore, standing in the ring, says into the microphone. "Please welcome the Preacher Man, Jason Bowman!''

Bowman takes his corner as Dore announces his opponent, Justin Carnes of Canton.

"His bad habits include fighting and driving drunk!'' announces Dore.

The bell rings, and Bowman goes off on Carnes. The smile is gone, his face intense as he lands one uppercut after another. The height advantage over the 6-foot-1 Carnes, plus superior boxing skills, give Bowman a huge lead.

Round One ends with the crowd going wild.

"How many of you think the guy in the yellow corner is gonna win?'' the ringside announcer asks. A big roar for Bowman.

"How many think the guy in the black corner's gonna win?'' A round of boos.

"How many don't give a (expletive) and just want to drink more Budweiser beer?'' Thunderous roar.

Round two barely gets started before it's over. The referee steps in and stops the fight. Dore jumps into the ring and hails Bowman the victor.

He turns the microphone over to Bowman, who is smiling through his mouth guard.

"I want to thank my Lord and savior Jesus Christ!'' he says lifting his arms.

The crowd reacts with a mix of cheers and boos.

Bowman ramps up his rhetoric.

"The one thing you need to remember is God died on the cross for you!''

The boos grow louder, and the ring announcer finishes the bout in a booming voice.

"Amen, brother!''

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/13678920.htm

They put together a pretty cool photo essay on Bowman. Look at him representin' in the hoodie:


Jason Bowman kisses his wife, Melissa, before leaving their Canal Fulton home to compete in a Toughman Contest Friday Jan. 20, 2006 at the Canton Civic Center. (Akron Beacon Journal/Ken Love)


Jason Bowman talks about training in his home gym in the basement of his Canal Fulton home Friday, Jan. 20, 2006. (Akron Beacon Journal/Ken Love)


Jason Bowman (center gray) sits with other fighters as they wait to fill out entry forms for the Toughman contest Friday Jan. 20, 2006 at the Canton Civic Center. (Akron Beacon Journal/Ken Love)


Jason Bowman undergoes a pre-fight physical by Dr. John George, M.D., prior to his bout in a Toughman Contest at the Canton Civic Center, Friday, Jan. 20, 2006, in Canton, Ohio. (Akron Beacon Journal/Ken Love


Jason Bowman leads a line of fighters as they greet the crowd before the first match in a Toughman Contest Friday Jan. 20, 2006 at the Canton Civic Center. (Akron Beacon Journal/Ken Love)


Jason Bowman (left), of Canal Fulton, fights Justin Carnes, of Canton, at the Toughman contest Friday, Jan. 20, 2006 at the Canton Civic Center, This was Bowman's first Toughman fight and he won. (Akron Beacon Journal/Ken Love)


Jason Bowman (right), of Canal Fulton, fights Justin Carnes, of Canton, at the Toughman Contest at the Canton Civic Center, Friday, Jan. 20, 2006. Bowman was victorious in this, his first Toughman bout. (Akron Beacon Journal/Ken Love)

[PAmedic]

Somewhere, Rock Royer is beaming!

[bigsmooth]

sly, where do you find this stuff??? great story.

[Agent2Be]

I vaugely remember the college boxing club. I remember his name though. Evidently I never saw him because 6'8" is imposing and its hard to forget a guy of that size!