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Tag Archives: amateur boxing
USA Boxing declares June “Alumni Association Membership Drive Month”
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 11, 2018) – USA Boxing’s “Alumni Association Membership Drive Month” got off to a knockout start this past weekend in Canastota, New York, at the annual International Boxing Hall of Fame Class induction ceremonies, as nine high-profile boxers, featuring an incredible accumulate pro record of 365-51-7 (239 KOs) and 24 major world titles, joined the growing USABAA ranks as proud, new members.
Chris Cugliari and John Scully represented USA Boxing Alumni Association, manning tables at the IBHOF golf tournament and Memorabilia Show, to increase USABAA awareness and recruit new members.
“The spirit of amateur boxing was alive and well throughout the International Boxing Hall of Fame weekend,” explained Cugliari, USA Boxing Alumni Association Executive Director. “Information about the new USA Boxing Alumni Association was well received by the weekend’s guests, and esteemed alumni such as Jesse Vargas and Reggie Johnson mentioned that they are excited to become more involved. The Alumni Association thanks the support provided by many this weekend, particularly Micky Ward and Antonio Tarver, who continue to spread our mission.”
“The fact is that the vast majority of professional boxers who attend the Hall of Fame weekend at Canastota each year were at one time amateur boxers and knew each other well before they ever even turned professional,” added invaluable USABAA advisor Scully, who recruits boxers for group-sponsored events like this. “At some point in the conversations between boxers across the grounds, the topics frequently will eventually turn to their amateur days together.”
“The amateurs, for me, was about fighting for respect,” two-division world champion Junior Jones (50-6, 28 KOs); noted. “To go to different places and make it very far (as an amateur), you have to learn how to conduct yourself and transact with others.”
Other new USABAA members are six-time, two division world champion Miguel Cotto(41-6, 33 KOs); four-time, two division world champion, as well as 1976 Olympic gold medalist and Hall of Famer, Michael Spinks (31-1, 21 KOs); Irish heavyweight who retired Mike Tyson, Kevin McBride (35-10-1, 29 KOs); two-time, two division world championJesse Vargas (28-2-1, 10 KOs); five time world champion and 1996 Olympic bronze medalist Antonio Tarver (31-6-1, 22 KOs); two-time, two division world champion Reggie Johnson (44-7-1, 25 KOs), three-time, three division world champion James Toney (77-10-3, 47 KOs); and world heavyweight contender Gerry Cooney (38-3, 24 KOs).
USA Boxing Alumni Association
Created to champion a lifelong, mutually beneficial relations between USA Boxing and its alumni, –boxers, officials, coaches and boxing fans — The Alumni Association connects generations of champions, inspiring and giving back to USA Boxing’s future boxing champions, in and out of the ring.
The USA Boxing Alumni Association is open to anyone who has a love for boxing and would like to stay connected with amateur boxing. Members are granted access to a wide variety of special events hosted by the Alumni Association, including its annual USA Boxing Alumni Association Hall of Fame reception.
To join the Alumni Association, simply register at alumni@usaboxing,.org for a $40.00 per year membership fee. New members will receive a T-shirt, keychain and e-wallet.
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“I think this is great,” Jones talked about the formation of the USA Boxing Alumni Association. “Fighters who turned pro were great amateurs, but there are also a lot of amateurs who didn’t turn pro. Everybody doesn’t become champion, but they tried and gave their best, and that’s why this organization is good because all boxers are appreciated.”
“Although Hall of Fame weekend tends to focus on the professional careers of many fighters,” Cugliari concluded, “it was hard not to notice the effect that amateur boxing has had on the lives of many of these great champions. The USA Boxing Alumni Association wants to thank Ed Brophy for his generosity and support for boxing, and we look forward to a long partnership with the International Boxing Hall of Fame.”
INFORMATION:
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Keyshawn Davis is Pushing His Way to the Top Norfolk, Va. native is 2020 Olympic hopeful for Team USA
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (June 8, 2018) Overcoming adversity is something many people deal with throughout their lives, and it makes that person who they are. For Keyshawn Davis, he has been overcoming adversity from the beginning, and he is now on his way to the top of the boxing world.
Davis began boxing when he was just nine-years-old, after his mother took him and two of his brothers to the gym. They were constantly fighting each other and fighting in school. After about an hour of watching two kids around his age spar his mother asked if they wanted to sign up. The next day Keyshawn and his two brothers were in the gym training.
Since then, Davis has won numerous titles and is now on his first elite high-performance squad following his win at the 2017 USA Boxing National Championships. Following that win, he has made Colorado Springs, Colo. a second home, as he spends a great deal of his time training at the United States Olympic Training Center.
Training for his first year at the elite level began with one of the largest multi-nation training camps USA Boxing has ever hosted. Davis got the opportunity to spar with not only his American teammates, but boxers from Great Britain, New Zealand and Poland. The preparation led to one of his proudest moments of his young career, his first elite international tournament and title at the Strandja Tournament in Bulgaria.
“It was a very different experience, being that it was my first time out of the country,” stated Davis. “I really had to get used to the different environment, especially the time difference, as it threw off my sleep schedule at first.”
However, he did not let anything distract him from reaching the top of the podium.
“The feeling was just so unreal,” said Davis about his gold medal performance in Bulgaria. “I told myself that this is just one gold and I need to be standing here after every tournament. It was just a great feeling.”
Shortly after his winning performance in Bulgaria, Davis was back in the ring representing Team USA on the USA vs. IRL Northeast Boxing Tour. Only fighting in one of the three stops of the tour, Davis made every minute of it count, as he pulled off another impressive victory in front of a large number of American fans.
However, before the success came struggles.
“I am a kid from Norfolk, Va. that started with nothing; Just my mother and her five children,” stated Davis.
“As life went on, I kept getting better in the ring, but outside the ring was horrible, from anger problems to getting sent to a mental institution,” continued Davis. “I would’ve never thought I would be in the position I am today, so I thank God that he blessed me with all my supporters; from my sisters, Shanice and Shantel Davis, also my brothers, Keon and Kelvin Davis, and of course my mother, Wanda Davis. Without them I wouldn’t be here today. I am a walking miracle and I just want to show the world what Keyshawn Davis really can do.”
Helping Keyshawn get past his struggles has been his coach who has been there from the beginning, Kay Korma, as well as 2016 Olympic silver medalist Shakur Stevenson. “Last year when I was put in the mental home, they were both right there pushing me to get back on track,” Davis stated. “They never gave up on me or doubted me. They always knew what I was capable of, even though I was in a bad place.”
Another source of motivation and help came from another teammate, Troy Isley, who has been there by his side getting to experience Keyshawn’s first year as an elite with him.
“Troy has been a huge help for me during my first year on the elite high-performance squad,” mentioned Davis. “He has been telling me what foods I might need on a trip to help me maintain weight.”
When Davis went to Bulgaria for his first international tournament, Troy was there representing Team USA with him. “He told me how he felt his first time fighting internationally, and I just took all his information and used it to my advantage.”
Now the goal is to continue training and being successful at the international level. He has hopes of becoming an Olympic Champion in 2020 and being able to give back to his family.
“My biggest motivation is just to give my family a better life.”
With one gold under his belt, Davis will look for his second international title at the 2018 Chemistry Cup later this month. You can continue to follow his journey to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics through social media via Instagram (@keyshawndavis1) or SnapChat (@key4999). |
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @USABoxing
Instagram: @USABoxing
Facebook: /USABoxing
Finale of 2018 Youth Continental Championships is Golden for Team USA
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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO (May 31, 2018) – The final night of the 2018 Youth Continental Championships saw the American delegation collect seven gold medals and three silvers, making their final medal count 11 golds, three silvers and one bronze at the week-long tournament that took place at the Hotel Elegante in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Two highlights of the championships included light heavyweight Alexis Espino (Las Vegas, Nev.) and heavyweight David Stevens (Reading, Pa.) winning their second international title of 2018 by first-round knockouts. Espino took the gold over Puerto Rico’s Jancarmelo Nieves, while Stevens collected the title with his knockout against Andrews Salgado of Chile.
The final two females to box, bantamweight Heaven Garcia (El Monte, Calif.) and lightweight Isamary Aquino (San Antonio, Texas), defeated Emilia Dermott of Canada and Jennifer Yazmin Carrillo of Mexico, respectfully, to add two gold medals to the four the women’s team won on Thursday.
The final three gold medals were picked up by lightweight Harley Mederos (New York, N.Y.), light welterweight Otha Jones III (Toledo, Ohio) and super heavyweight Drake Banks (Homosassa, Fla.). The trio defeated their opponents by unanimous decisions to give Team USA the top team of the tournament.
This week’s tournament brought 14 different countries to Olympic City USA looking to qualify to the Youth Olympic Games and Youth World Championships, both taking place later this year. Team USA was led by Junior and Youth National Team Head Coach Augie Sanchez (Las Vegas, Nev.), with Timothy Back (Cincinnati, Ohio), Nora Lopez (Richmond, Texas), Eliza Olson (Redwood City, Calif.) and Chadrick Wigle (Colorado Springs, Colo.) served as assistant coaches throughout the week.
Click here for complete results. https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Boxing/Youth-Continental-Championships
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @USABoxing
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Facebook: /USABoxing
USA Boxing declares June “Alumni Association Membership Drive Month”
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PAST & PRESENT of USA Boxing: (L-R) 1972 Olympic bronze medalist Jesse Valdez, 2004 U.S. Nationals champion Austin Trout, future Olympic hopeful Sharaha-Taina Moreu, 2-time world (pro) champion Danny Romero, and 1984 Olympic silver medalist Virgil Hill.
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO (May 31, 2018) – USA Boxing has declared June as its “Alumni Association Membership Drive Month”.
“I have been involved in boxing my entire life,” USA Boxing president John Brown said. “I’m a strong believer in USA Boxing and The Grass Roots Program; that truly makes up everything that IS boxing in America. The USA Boxing Alumni Association was started to keep this FAMILY together. I’m hoping that each of our current members will reach out to ONE other potential new member. I look forward to a busy month of June. ”
Created to champion lifelong, mutually beneficial relations between USA Boxing and its alumni, –boxers, officials, coaches and boxing fans — The Alumni Association connects generations of champions, inspiring and giving back to USA Boxing’s future boxing champions, in and out of the ring.
Chris Cugliari and John Scully will oversee two USA Boxing Alumni Association tables at the International Boxing Hall of Fame Induction Weekend, June 7- 10 Canastota, New York, during the its golf tournament and Memorabilia Show.
USA Boxing product Winky Wright (51-6-1, 25 KOs), a two-time junior middleweight world champion, is one of only three boxers being inducted into the IBHOF Class of 2018.
Multiple world champion as a pro and 1984 Olympic silver medalist, Virgil “Quicksilver” Hill, three-time Fight of the Year participant “Irish” Micky Ward, world champions Riddick Bowe, Junior Jones and other “Alumni Association” members are expected to make supportive appearances.
“USA Boxing Alumni Association has enabled countless alumni to congregate at various events throughout the country since its inception last November,” added Cugliari, USA Boxing Alumni Association Executive Director. “By expanding our membership through a strong June campaign, we will build on our successful infancy and strengthen our ability to support the Alumni Association’s mission statement. We are very thankful for the support provided by our members and look forward to even better times to come.”
The Alumni Association drive will continue June 24-30 in Charleston, West Virginia during the 2018 Junior Olympics, Prep Nationals and Youth Open.
The USA Boxing Alumni Association is open to anyone who has a love for boxing and would like to stay connected with amateur boxing. Members are granted access to a wide variety of special events host by the Alumni Association.
To join the Alumni Association, simply register at alumni@usaboxing,.org for a $40.00 per year membership fee. New members will receive a T-shirt, keychain and e-wallet.
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @USABoxing
Instagram: @USABoxing
Facebook: /USABoxing
New York Metro’s “Road to the Garden” Finalists – Time to Buy Tickets!
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18 Exciting shows bring us to the end of our tournament. Since March 1, the athletes have been battling for a spot at Madison Square Garden on April 20, 2018. This is the list of competitions that have made it. Come see them battle for a title, in the Ring Master’s Championships.
MSG is offering a 25% discount to USA Boxing Metro members using the code MSGRING on checkout: https://bit.ly/2Io7MhG
The final lineup for the MSG Ring Masters Championships on Friday, April 20h at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater is set! Here is the lineup (Red corner/Blue corner):
123 Novice: Lawrence Bautista (Yonkers PAL) vs Justice Bland (PacPlex BC)
106 Female: Sabrina Slattery (SweatBox) vs Juliette Ladisa (Champs BC)
114 Open: Andy Dominguez (Mendez BC) vs Gerardo Vazquez (Atlas Cops & Kids)
132 Novice: Taqee McDaniel (Eastern Queens BC) vs Ronny Reyes (Morris Park BC)
112 Female: Lina Vezzani-Katano (Church Street BC) vs Kathreen Sterling (Gleason’s Athletic Club)
141 Novice: Adel Lakrouf (Underground BC) vs Saul De Los Santos (Brotherhood BC)
119 Female: Iman James (Gleason’s Athletic Club) vs Gabrielle Gulfin (Gleason’s Athletic Club)
123 Open: Dominique Crowder (NYAC) vs Daniil Platonovschi (Atlas Cops & Kids)
125 Female: Nyisha Goodluck (Gleason’s Athletic Club) vs Meagan Owen (SouthBox)
132 Open: Jonibek Khotamov (Atlas Cops & Kids) vs Brandon Browne (Atlas Cops & Kids)
152 Novice: Zachary Blumberg (Freeport PAL) vs David Moore (Freeport PAL)
141 Open: Steven Galeano (Bronxchester BC) vs Deyshawn Williams (Eastern Queens BC)
165 Novice: Marco Cruz (Atlas Cops & Kids) vs John McDonagh (Woodside BC)
132 Female: Gvantsa Pantsulaia (Gleason’s Athletic Club) vs Jennifer Lopez (Mendez BC)
201+ Master: Jonathan Troncoso (Main Street BC) vs Richard Adamson II (Champs BC)
152 Open: Alex Vargas (Finest Fitness) vs Reshat Mati (Atlas Cops & Kids)
178 Novice: Edwing Lachapelle (New-Bed Stuy BC) vs Fabio Guzman (Brotherhood BC)
141 Female: Sarah Thomas (Unattached) vs Macarena Soto (Freeport PAL)
165 Open: Nikita Ababiy (Atlas Cops & Kids) vs Brett Pastore (Animals MMA)
201 Novice: Calvin Belgrave (Starrett City BC) vs Orville Crooks (Mendez BC)
178 Open: Afunwa King (El Maestro BC) vs Kristiani Shytani (Morris Park BC)
201+ Novice: Jeremiah Gurley (Gleason’s Athletic Club) vs Pryce Taylor (Atlas Cops and Kids)
201 Open: Gergo Savoly (Underground BC) vs Matthew Tinker (NYAC)
201+ Open: Michael Cserenyi (Royals BC) vs Nkosi Solomon (Atlas Cops & Kids)
Support Metro and help send athletes to national competitions by sponsoring a bout! Go tohttps://usa-boxing-metro.myshopify.com/ to buy donate or sponsor a Finals bout!
Tickets are now available for the Finals bouts at Gleason’s Gym (ask for Bruce), and from Madison Square Garden at https://www.msg.com/calendar/the-theater-at-madison-square-garden-april-2018-msg-boxing-presents-ring-masters-championship. Support Metro and BUY TICKETS NOW!!!
For information, go to usaboxingmetro.com, and be sure to watch the action live on YouTube and Facebook at Puglife Chronicles (@puglifechronicles).
USA Boxing announces Duke Ragan & Virginia Fuchs 2017 Under Armour Elite Boxers of the Year
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 5, 2018 — USA Boxing has announced that Duke Ragan (Cincinnati, OH) and Virginia Fuchs (Kemah, TX) have been named 2017 Under Armour Elite Boxers of the Year. They are leading contenders to represent Team USA at the 2020 Olympics in Japan.
 Last year, the 20-year-old Ragan used his stiff jab and ring intelligence to make a major statement in the ring for the first time in International competition. The slick bantamweight (123 lbs.) captured gold at his initial International tournament, the Chemistry Cup in Halle, Germany, before he clinched a ticket to his first World Championships, by way of his bronze-medal winning performance at the 2017 Continental Championships in Honduras.
Ragan’s third International medal of 2017 came at the 2017 Elite Men’s World Championships, where he won a silver medal, marking the highest placing for an American bantamweight at that prestigious tournament since 1999.
 Fuchs, 30, had a perfect 18-0 record in 2017, including 15 unanimous decision victories and one by RSC (referee stopped contest). Highlighted by winning top honors in the flyweight division (112 lbs.) at the 2017 USA Elite National Championships at Salt Lake City, Utah, Virginia also won at the Balkan Tournament, Continental Championships, Feliks Stamm Tournament, and Strandja Tournament. She won gold at all four International tournaments she entered.
A winner at the 2016 Olympic Trials, Fuchs graduated from Louisiana State University in 2011 with a degree in Kinesiology.
Below is a complete list of USA Boxing’s 2017 Under Armour Boxer of the Year award winners:
2017 Under Armour Boxer of the Year Awards
Elite Male – Duke Ragan (Cincinnati, OH)
Elite Female – Virginia Fuchs (Kemah, TX)
Youth Male – Angel Martinez (Rockford, IL)
Youth Female – Citlalli Ortiz (Coachella, CA)
Junior Male – Dante Benjamin (Shaker Heights, OH)
Junior Female — Gabriela Fundora (Coachella, CA)
INFORMATION:
Twitter: @USABoxing
Instagram: @USABoxing
Facebook: /USABoxing
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Gleason’s Amateur Boxing Series – Apr 14 & MSG Boxing Finals – Apr 20
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Amateur Boxing: USA vs Ireland New England Tour Closes Out With Fantastic Night of Action in Manchester, NH
Fight Report By: Rich Bergeron
Photography By: Shelly Corriveau
PHOTO SLIDESHOW (contact rich.bergeron@gmail.com for photo copies):
Boxing fans packed the Manchester Downtown Hotel Wednesday night to take in a spectacular night of elite amateur boxing. This was the final stop on a three-city tour of Boston and Springfield, Massachusetts and Manchester, New Hampshire. The scheduled fights featured Team USA amateurs facing the best amateur boxers from Ireland. By the final bell, Ireland managed to finish the eight bouts of the evening with a tie score, their best outcome of the tour. Team USA won the first two duals of the tour in Boston and Springfield, respectively, by scores of 8-4 and 7-3.
Wednesday’s fights were not all about winning, however. For the majority of the boxers involved it was a great opportunity to fine-tune their techniques and get some much-needed international competition experience. Some of Wednesday night’s best performers will also likely be representing their respective countries in the upcoming 2020 Olympics.
The main event of the night featured 2016 Youth World Championships Bronze Medalist Richard Torrez dominating 3-time Irish National Champion Dean Gardiner. The Irish fighter’s towering height and long reach simply could not overcome the fast pace and excellent defensive posture of the shorter American.
Torrez spent the first round executing masterful feinting and punch slipping while scoring with some bombing hooks. Torrez changed levels, used slick head movement, and never let his foot off the gas as Gardiner plodded forward with an unbalanced and wild approach in the early going. A thudding body shot connected for the Irishman in the first, but not much else.
Torrez kept up the quick work rate in the next frame, unleashing left and right hooks and landing cleanly through much of the round. He scored to the body and head easily, though much of the round saw his opponent covering up and waiting for openings. One straight left from Torrez sent his opponent reeling for a moment, but the taller man recovered and did land a phenomenal left hook to the head of Torrez as he was fighting off the ropes. Gardiner tried landing mostly straight punches on the outside and seemed unable to turn over his punches in close.
The third round saw both fighters slugging it out until the final bell with one of the wildest back and forth exchanges of the night, but it was too little and too late for Gardiner. He just could not get his range dialed in. Torrez just outworked his opponent again and landed a few slick uppercuts to go with his thundering right and left hooks. He used the jab sparingly but effectively, spending much of the final frame targeting Gardiner’s body. Torrez earned the Unanimous Decision win with his performance and didn’t take more than a handful of hard shots in the process.
Kelly Harrington, a World Championship Silver Medalist from Ireland, likely had her team’s most masterful performance in cruising to a unanimous decision victory over Stacia Suttles in the opening bout of the night. Suttles struggled to keep herself at the ideal punching range against the unrelenting attack of Harrington in the first round, spending much of the three minutes bobbing and weaving to try to avoid the crisp combinations of her opponent. Suttles did land her jab fairly consistently, and she did begin to put some combos together late in the round, but Harrington is an absolute expert when it comes to head movement. She looked as if Floyd Mayweather, Jr. was one of her coaches as she utilized a hands-low technique with constant feints, punch slipping and level changing. The first round saw her landing a beautiful straight left to the head and a fantastic body and head punching combination that landed solidly. She unleashed some fierce hooks, although a few were wild haymakers. Below is a picture of Harrington during one of just a few brief moments in the fight where she brought both hands up to protect her face.
Suttles caught Harrington with some glancing and flush shots in the second round, but she seemed to be having trouble getting power behind her punches. She did trade some decent right hands with her opponent, but it was clear by the end of the round that she just wasn’t going to be able to find any rhythm in the fight due to the craftiness of her opponent. Harrington spent the same round perfecting her range with crisp 1-2 combos and wild lead rights connecting. Harrington also scored some powerful left hooks with a picture perfect straight right landing just a few moments later.
The third round was more of the same for both fighters. Suttles worked much of the frame to track her opponent down, but every time she unloaded, she paid for it. One particularly solid left hook landed late in the round, but it just wasn’t enough. Harrington spent much of the last three minutes trying to connect with winging right hands. She landed one of her hardest punches of the fight late in the round and momentarily stunned her opponent before the bell to end the fight. Harrington took away a unanimous decision and looks to be one of the most promising boxers at her weight in the running for the 2020 Olympics.
Yet another example of height somehow being a disadvantage played a role in the other female fight on the card. Team USA’s Leah Cooper (#2 US Female Middleweight) used ducking and feinting to avoid the taller Aoife Burke’s long reach. Cooper fought from a semi-crouch, making it hard for Burke to land with any significant power on the majority of her punches. The 8-time National Irish Champion
had a few spots in the fight where she regained control of the action, but Cooper made the right adjustments to minimize the threats.
Cooper executed a swarming attack to begin the first round, firing off 1-2 combos and backing Burke up. She remained patient and persistent throughout the frame, staying low and out of range of Burke’s power shots. Burke exhibited excellent defense, but she could only manage to throw and land one punch at a time. She showcased a crisp jab throughout the round, but it just didn’t deter Cooper. Burke had her best moments of the round toward the final bell, mixing up shots to the body and head, including a hard right hook to the head.
Burke came out for the second round on fire, storming Cooper with rapid fire 1-2 combos and hooks. She also mixed in a slick uppercut that found Cooper’s chin. Cooper weathered the storm, only falling into the trap briefly. She regained her composure, landed some excellent counter punches, and turned what might have been Burke’s best round into the Irish champ’s worst. Cooper remained calm and cool, despite taking some of the hardest shots her opponent landed in the fight. She landed some superb 1-2 combos after Burke’s attack fizzled, eventually opening a cut near Burke’s left eye and bloodying her nose. Cooper’s hard body punching also sent Burke crouching down to the canvas briefly after a solid right hook.
Burke started the third round a bit late after getting checked out and cleared by the ringside doctor. She again started out with a flurry of bombing punches. She targeted the body and the head, but Cooper collected herself once again and went back to work. She changed levels well and began connecting with furious hooks, first to the body and then back up to the head. She also kept up an active jab and landed multiple 1-2 combos. Burke did manage another late flurry in the closing moments of the fight, but Cooper still came away with the unanimous decision win.
Team USA Lightweight James Browning came into Wednesday night’s bout with Ireland’s Francis Cleary as a two-time USA Boxing Champion. Cleary, a nine-time Irish National Champion, represented Browning’s first crack at international competition. Both fighters had their moments, but it would be Browning getting the win at the end of three entertaining, back-and-forth rounds of action.
Browning spent the first round establishing a higher work rate than his opponent and using lots of movement to avoid Cleary’s attack. He also landed a consistent jab, mixing up his body and head shots well. Though he won the round, Browning took plenty of risks and paid the price. Cleary picked his spots and unleashed the more clean and powerful punches when he was able to land. He just couldn’t connect enough, and he clinched out of trouble almost every time he wound up fighting in close quarters.
Clearly landed some more sharp bombs in the second frame, getting more aggressive and starting to track down his constantly moving opponent. A thumping left hook near the end of the round connected with Browning’s head and impressed the packed house of fans. Still, Browning remained busy and did well in the slugging exchanges between the two fighters. He was often wild, but the work output kept Cleary from stealing the round.
Cleary came out for the third round with renewed ferocity, engaging in a wild brawl with Browning. It was the best round of the fight for Cleary, and Browning could not maintain the elusiveness he displayed in the prior rounds. The Irish fighter landed another booming left hook in the round, featured perfectly-timed counters, and kept punching right up to the bell. Browning definitely appeared to be frustrated and tired by the end of the fight. Still, two out of the three judges were sure he deserved the win, earning a split decision victory.
The next bout pitted eight-time Irish National Champion Wayne Kelley against 13-time US National Champion Adrian Benton in a close welterweight battle. Both young fighters had bright spots in the match, but Kelley managed to squeak out the split decision victory with a crafty, gutsy effort.
Benton had the better first round thanks to a swarming attack. He worked in and out of range with 1-2 combos and sparing hooks. He used all his angles well, pivoting out of trouble and into effective range with ease. Kelley struggled to land counters until the final moments of the round when he landed his own flurry of 1-2 combos.
Kelley started the second round with much more energy and poise. He landed early and often, winging left hands and opening up a cut on Benton’s lip. Benton slipped some of the more dangerous punches, blocked shots well and landed some crisp, hard shots of his own. His best exchange was a left and right hook to the head that landed near the middle of the round.
Kelley slowed down a bit in the final round, unable to find his ideal range. He landed some hard right hands, a well-placed body shot and unloaded with a late flurry. Benton kept busy early in the round and artfully ducked under a bombing right hook from Kelley. The judges seemed more impressed with Kelley’s composure in the final two rounds as Benton kept getting drawn in to sloppy brawling. Kelley edged out the win by a 2-1 margin.
The light welterweights came next, producing another tight contest. Ireland’s Caoimhin Ferguson fought Team USA’s Charlie Sheehy with a slightly better tactical approach, earning another split decision victory for his squad.
Sheehy took on a more cautious and patient approach in the first round, waiting for the perfect moment to throw and land. His best punches of the round included a hard right hand to the body and a starching jab. Ferguson put in more work in the frame, scoring on multiple hooks to the head and unleashing wild and crazy flurries a few times. One particular left hook crashed hard into Sheehy’s head in the final moments of the round.
Ferguson landed some decent shots in the second round, but Sheehy was much more composed. He worked around the wild-swinging, hard-charging assault by keeping his distance and scoring from outside with some crisp rights to the chin. The fighters exchanged some hooks to the body and wound up in a clinch before the end of the round.
Sheehy struggled to string punches together in the final round. Though he had a nice straight right hand working for him, Ferguson was able to penetrate his defense. Ferguson landed a thumping left hook early and went on to land a few more bombs before losing his mouthpiece in one exchange. Likely knowing he needed to finish strong to get the judges on his side, Ferguson rushed in with a final torrent of hooks in the final seconds. He earned a 2-1 decision win for his tenacity.
Welterweights Kieron Molloy (Ireland) and Freudis Rojas, Jr. (USA) squared off in another bout. Both fighters are previous World Championship Bronze Medalists with Molloy also claiming nine Irish National titles and Rojas winning the US nationals 10 times so far. It was another close shave win for Team Ireland.
Rojas was clearly the more active fighter in the first round. He used a consistent jab and increased his work rate through the frame. He ket busy on offense right up until the bell. Molloy began the round winging shots and trying to figure out his range. He unleashed a bit late in some of the more fierce exchanges, couldn’t figure out how to get his combinations going, and had a tough time catching up with the faster Rojas. Molloy did land some excellent straight lefts, though.
The next round went much better for the Irish southpaw. He started with an uptick in his punch output, though he still struggled to land combos. At one point in the round, Molloy connected with a huge straight left, followed up by a nice power jab, slowing down his opponent. Rojas kept coming forward but couldn’t capitalize on scoring opportunities in the round. A late flurry of punches from Rojas wasn’t enough for him to steal the round.
Rojas landed some excellent shots in the final round, going downstairs to the body frequently. He also caught Molloy against the ropes, blasting him with straight punches. Molloy fought the smarter round, though, picking the best times to throw and often catching Rojas with his hands down. His best exchange of the round featured a huge 1-2 connecting to the head and a wild left hook to the head. A final swarm of punches from the Irish fighter closed the show and earned him a 2-1 split decision win.
Team USA’s Nikita Ababiy scored a hard-fought win in a wild affair before the main event with Team Ireland’s Gerard French. The first round saw Ababiy jabbing well. The American came into the fight with a very non-traditional boxing stance with one hand low, but his posture seemed to be effective in luring his opponent into punching range. Ababiy landed some booming hooks and a nice left uppercut that backed up French. Meanwhile, French concentrated on trying to land counters. He had a lower work rate but also didn’t take too much punishment.
French spent the second round trying to exchange in close quarters. He landed more shots later in the round, including some heated right hooks in the final moments. Ababiy connected with some thumping shots in the round and showcased some nice defense as well. He mixed up his shots to the body and head, throwing and covering up to wait for the next opening. Ababiy landed a nice left hook to the head followed up with a picture perfect right uppercut in the final minute. He ended the round well on his way to his first win.
The final round saw Ababiy slow down a bit, but he was still effective enough to carry the frame. French managed some crisp left hooks to the head, but he couldn’t figure out the different style his opponent brought to the ring. The American cruised to the unanimous decision win.
The night also began with the only stoppage on the card thanks to a wild brawl between local 132-pound Manchester, NH novices Michael Correa and Abhisek Thapa. Correa took off across the ring upon hearing the opening bell and unleashed one wild flurry after another. Thapa didn’t let the tornado swallow him up, though. He ust covered up and waited for his opportunities. It only took a couple minutes for Correa to start tiring out from the relentless attack. Thapa then waded in to land some of the most impressive shots of the night, forcing the referee to stop the fight for three standing eight counts before the end finally came with a whirlwind of power punches from Thapa.
There was also a guest appearance made by the boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr. still calls his toughest opponent ever, Emanuel Augustus (3-34-6, 20 KOs). Augustus participated in a reunion the previous night with “Irish” Micky Ward (38-13, 27 KOs), celebrating one of the best fights in the history of the sport, which took place on July 13, 2001. Augustus stuck around for the fights and even came into the ring to showcase that he still has the same punching prowess that made him one of the most entertaining fighters of his era.
“We learned from this tour that we’re right up there with the best teams in the world,” Team USA head coach Billy Walsh said. “Team Ireland is a very good, young team. We’re going to have a good team to send to Tokyo (2020 Olympics). I’m proud of my team. They all worked very hard. We didn’t have some of our best boxers because some were competing in an International tournament We do have a good crop of 18-19-20 year-olds who will make up our 2020 Olympic team.”
Team Ireland also brought their own production crew to film all the action for those who couldn’t be there:
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USA and Ireland battle to 4-4 draw Americans capture three-city team title, 2-0-1, on USA vs. Ireland Northeast Boxing Tour
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