The University of South Carolina has had its fair share of athletically competitive alumni.

After doing some research, I thought going into the vault and bringing to light a former Gamecock would be a good idea. 

Louis Remson “Ray” Avant is a Gamecock from the 1940’s who participated in college boxing while attending the university. 

Even though the NCAA Boxing Championship was discontinued in 1960, the nearly 40 years of college boxing should not be forgotten.

Avant boxed in the years of 1948-1949 in an era where South Carolina was part of the Southern Conference, which consisted of 27 teams ranging from Clemson, Tulane and LSU, before departing from the conference in 1953.

Ray Avant was a two-time (or three-time) Southern Conference boxing champion while attending school in Columbia.

Avant had won several Golden Glove tournaments in his young life before graduating high-school. 

Avant joined the Navy shortly after graduation in 1943, where he ended up boxing for the US Naval Boxing team. 

After the Navy, Avant became the first boxer to receive a full boxing scholarship where he attended the University of South Carolina. 

His Navy buddies dubbed him as ‘Killer Ray Avant’ as he then went on to become a three time welterweight champion in the Southern Conference according to his obituary. 

Avant joined T. Allen Legare and Frank Jennings as the only boxers to be in the Gamecocks Hall of Fame. 

Ray Avant sadly passed away in 2013, nine years after being inducted to the Gamecock Hall of Fame in 2004.