Return to our
Ringside World Championship coverage Michigan
Boxers Return Victorious Despite Tough Competition (KANSAS CITY, MO) - A dozen Michigan boxers have brought home the prize that more than 1,100 boxers wanted – a national Ringside World Championship belt.
Michigan had a large showing at the national tournament, with more than seventy amateurs making the 750-mile trek to Kansas City, Missouri, August 1-5. The competition was fierce, with some of the country’s finest boxers vying for the coveted Ringside World title. The Kronk Gym in Detroit saw nearly half of its 16-member team find victory in Kansas City and certainly in the running for the most wins for any team in the tournament. Crown Boxing of Lansing, coached by LBC registration Chairman Ali “Hawk” Easley, returned home with three of eight fighters crowned champions and Dynamic Boxing’s coach and master’s division boxer Paul Soucy won a coveted belt. Unfortunately,
some of Michigan’s best did not find success out west. Kronk’s
Isiaih Thomas lost in Under 19 action in the semi-finals on Friday
and Saginaw’s Ernie Garza lost early in the week.
Juan Ayala, 16,of Warriors Boxing Club in Detroit climbed out of the ring Thursday following his defeat of Team Toledo’s Jackus Williams and confidently told sportssummary that he was bringing home the 75-lb division belt. True to his word, following his semi-final win over Hawaii’s Isiah Manolo and Saturday’s final round defeat of Texas’ Cody Dupuy, Ayala did just that. The fighting Bonas brothers swept the tournament and were the only triple siblings to win in the sixth annual event. Twins Jacob and Joseph Bonas, 12, claimed victory in the 112 and 106-lb. divisions respectively, while older brother Robert won in the 125-lb. category. All three boxers represent the Kronk Gym in Detroit. Jacob defeated Dante Stone of Arizona in semi-final action Friday and won over Texas’ Marc Torres late Saturday. Joseph, 14, who missed his Friday bout because he showed up at the wrong time, was allowed to continue and defeated New York’s Cristino Ceballos on Saturday to improve his undefeated record.
Older brother Robert Bonas, 14, entered the ring three times to win his belt. He won over Illinois’ Dashay Bass on Thursday, stopped Lee Summit, Missouri’s Derrick Whitney in the first round on Friday and defeated Keanu Sabado on Saturday. Another Kronk fighter, Domonique Dolton, had to beat four opponents before he could take a belt home. He won bouts with Max Deleon of Texas in preliminary action Wednesday, Minnesota’s Alexander Lusby on Thursday, New Mexico’s Arturo Crespin on Friday and Canada’s Ben Shamoon in 152-lb. finals action Saturday. Angelo Flores, 9, of the Crown Boxing Club was uncontested. Kronk’s standout female fighter, Latonya King, added another belt to her collection with an uncontested title. King previously won Ringside World belts in 2004 and 2005.
For Crown Boxing Club’s Tyler Lord-Wilder the second time was the charm. In a single match on Saturday, 22-year old Lord-Wilder defeated Pennsylvania’s Chatiqua Hemingway to win her second attempt at Worlds after losing last year. Lord-Wilder is the 2005 US Nationals and national Golden Gloves champion, as well. Kronk’s J’Leon Love maintained his undefeated record with his 165-lb. quad-win at Worlds after defeating Colorado’s Humberto Hernandez in preliminary action, Hawaii’s Jesse Jones in the quarterfinals, Raymond Batiste of Texas on Friday and North Carolina’s Pablo Velez in the finals. Casa De Boxeo in Lincoln Park’s Michael Portillo, 15, won his first national title with a Friday win over Nebraska’s Jacob Hernandez and a Saturday win over fellow-Michigan boxer Adrian Ontineros of the Warriors Boxing Club in Detroit in 119-lb. action.
Paul
Soucy is not satisfied with limiting himself to coaching
younger athletes. At the age of 67, the coach of Dynamic Boxing
Club of Westland also enters the ring competing in the Master’s
division. With his Saturday win over William Cruse of Missouri,
Soucy is the proud winner of two Ringside World belts after a one-bout
win last year and this year.
Kronk heavyweight Kenneth Thomas defeated Missouri’s Christopher Walker on Friday and Dynamic Boxing’s Dan Smith on Saturday Across the river, Border City Boxing of Windsor, Ontario, Canada fielded a team of six boxers but only Andre Gorges captured a belt this year. Gorges also won the World title last year. (Editor’s
Note: Check back later in the week for more detailed coverage of
Ringside World and the Under 19 National Championships.) |
