2008
National Golden Gloves
Day three has wrapped up at the National Golden Gloves in Grand Rapids, with three days left to go. Wednesday was a marathon session with 81 bouts contested in three rings. Several of the state’s fighters saw their first action including heavyweights Jordan Shimmell and Craig Lewis and 112-pounder Tyler James. Michigan Tyler James’ (112-lbs) entrance into the tournament came by way of RSC over California’s Levon Kiradzhyan, in a fight that saw the unidentified referee handing out point deductions like Mardi Gras beads, and Jordan Shimmell’s (201-lbs) much anticipated debut late in the evening resulted in a win over Emmanuel Augustama of Florida. Jose Bernal (152-lbs) advanced to the quarters with a win in his second fight of the tourney with a stoppage of St. Louis’ Jherritt Stansberry. Ben Williams (165-lbs) won a decision over Knoxville’s Keandrae Leatherwood. Ryan O’Neal (201+-lbs) won over Jabril Temple of St. Louis. Ernie Garza (119-lbs) won in dynamic fashion stopping Iowa”s Zach Knox just :29 into the fight. Johnny Garcia (141-lbs) defeated Joe Hughes of Indiana Kyle McNutt (178-lbs) lost to the Upper Midwest’s Michael Faulk. Detroit Craig Lewis’ (201-lbs) first fight of the tournament resulted in a decision over Bruce Dollinger of New York State. Leandre White (152-lbs) and J’Leon Love (178-lbs) both lost their bids for gold at what, both say, will be their last national amateur tournament. White lost a decision to another southpaw, Errol Spence of Texas, in a bout that saw both fighters lose their mouthpiece (White lost his twice, earning a 1-point deduction) and Love lost to Azea Augustama of Florida in another bout that saw the Detroit fighters accumulate point deductions from the referee. Walter Burns (201-lbs) defeated Colorado-New Mexico’s Gildardo Garcia in his second fight of the week. Seven Michigan franchise fighters and just two Detroit franchise boxers are still in the running as the action heads into the quarterfinals today. Nationally The Iowa
delegation is finished, having had all nine of its boxers eliminated
before the quarterfinals; Two weight classes were vacant. The St.
Louis and Tri-State teams have similarly seen their boxers leave
the ring eliminated but both have two fighters, after three days
of action, that have yet to compete. |
