What are Boxer II and III?

Boxer II

After the original Boxer disappeared from public view, students at Pacific University commissioned a replica named "Boxer II" in 1982. This second iteration of Boxer was made by a young sculptor named Pat Costello, who was given just one black-and-white photograph of the original as a reference. The photograph probably dated from the 1940s, showing Boxer in a state that was already suffering from quite a bit of damage. The Boxer II statue ended up being larger and less finely detailed than the original, but it was still much beloved by the student body.

Sadly, like its predecessor, Boxer II also disappeared from public view for many years. Last seen around 2008, it is believed to be in the hands of alumni. But: the sculptor Pat Costello did keep an alternate cast of Boxer II in his personal possession. The Costello Family gave this other copy of Boxer II to Pacific in 2025. 

For more about Boxer II, see: History & Timeline > 1980s-2000s: The Boxer II Years or Browse Images of Boxer II

Boxer III

In 2018, the original Boxer had been missing for almost 50 years. Wishing to give students the experience of seeing and touching a physical representation of the College Spirit, a group of alumni raised money for another replica, "Boxer III." 

They tracked down the artist Pat Costello, who had made Boxer II. They gave him a rare second chance to re-conceive a sculpture that he had made more than 30 years earlier. This time, he had decades of experience working in bronze as well as access to many archival photographs of the incense burner in its most pristine state. Boxer III more closely approximates the original appearance of Boxer. However, due to the difficulty and expense of casting a working incense burner with a hinged head and tail, Boxer III is solid bronze, with fine features (such as the hairs of the tail) incised with less detail than the original. 

For more about Boxer III, see: History & Timeline > 2010s to Present: Reunited at Last