McKINNEY, Texas — Rainey Rogers fought his way to the finals of the Ringside World Championships in Kansas earlier this year, where he faced a 240-pound, "all-muscle heavyweight from New York."
"(It) was one of the toughest fights of my career," said Rogers, a Mormon bishop whose fight weight is 215 to 220 pounds. "The final outcome did not go as well as I had hoped."
He went back to McKinney with bruised ribs and a concussion.
Rogers, 45, is bishop of the McKinney 2nd Ward, a father of five and was featured in Mormon Times in July, just before he headed off to Kansas. He has won the Ringside World Championships three times and has the belts to prove it. Previously, he has beaten fighters 300 pounds and heavier.
Rogers began boxing as a teenager and fought after returning from an LDS mission in England. He gave up boxing a few years later, but picked it back up when he was 40. He starting working out in a local boxing gym and going to tournaments, winning three championships in four years. He took a couple years off when he was called to be bishop.
"The championship fight (this year) was the first time I really ever got hurt in a bout," said Rogers, who fought in the masters division (35 to 45 years old), super heavyweight bracket (210 pounds and heavier). "I hate to think I am finished as I look back and realize I could have beaten the guy, but I just fought him the wrong way."
But he hasn't completely left the ring.
In late November he was hunting elk in Boulder, Garfield County, and his buddies arranged for him to face a fighter from Escalante who had beaten all of his challengers.
"It was a fun match," Rogers said. "He was strong, but he didn't have the experience that you would have to have to beat an experienced fighter."
Other things have gone a little smoother.
A week after the championships, his oldest son returned from an LDS Church mission in Mozambique, Africa, and is now at BYU-Idaho. Another son entered the Missionary Training Center the following week. He's been in Tonga for about three months and "loves it," Rogers said.
As for Rogers, he still works out occasionally between work, family and being a bishop.
"There is a good chance of me retiring, but you know how hard it is for boxers to really retire," Rogers said. "I truly understand why."
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