This past Saturday night for the second year in a row The New Jersey Golden Gloves Finals were held at Newark’s Prudential Center Arena. The winners in these contests move up to representing New Jersey in the National Golden Gloves Tournament. The evening’s program consisted of 14 bouts. These bouts as per amateur boxing standards are three rounds of 2 minutes per round. The enthusiasm and heart of these young athletes provided rousing entertainment. There were numerous boxing celebrities in attendance.
Among them were Mark Medal the first IBF light middleweight champion, former middle weight contender Bo “The Fighting Fireman” James, former super featherweight Tony Santana, welter weight sensation Alex “The Brick City Bullet” Perez coming off a win last weekend over Kenny Abril, and one of the judges of the evening’s card was Lada Edmund who was the “The Hullabaloo A-Go-Go Girl” in the cage. The card was well attended with each fighter’s fans and family giving vocal support during their bouts.
After the fights Dan Doyle, president of New Jersey Golden Gloves commented” we’re going into the nationals with a strong team of kids who really never had much and found some glory through hard work and dedication. Through perseverance these kids overcame a lot of obstacles to get here today. And we are just happy to give them a place to show their stuff”.
In the women’s 70 lbs. Junior Open division -Zaniyah Stewart of Brick City vs. Kah-Eil Elliot of Elite Heat. In the only female fight of the evening. These two young ladies who had fought twice before each sharing a win fought furiously in this rubber match the winner was Zaniyah Stewart. The remainder of the bouts were in the men’s divisions.
138 lbs. Junior Open division- Pedro Munoz of Aspira Boxing Gym vs. Aadam Ali of the Bergen P.A.L. Both boxed cautiously with Ali using his longer reach to claim the victory.
132 lbs. Sub Novice division – Denzel Stevens of Chilltown Boxing Club vs. Sebastian Arias of Global Gym. A spirited bout in which both combatants showed good defensive skills. Arias the winner.
141 lbs. Sub Novice division- Tony Riviera of World Boxing Gym vs. Jaquan Smith of Aspira Boxing Gym. A fast moving contest with Smith taking the win.
165 lbs. Sub Novice division- Peter Roland of Bergen P.A.L. vs. Sterling Woods of Zealous Nation Boxing Gym. Both fighters fought at close range working each other’s body with Roland coming out the winner.
201 Sub Novice division -John Zapata of Zealous Nation Boxing Gym vs. Eric Casilla of Bayonne P.A.L.. Both fighters sporting ponytails with Zapata taking a standing eight count for the win going to Casilla
165 lbs. Novice division- Paul Magda of Ike & Randy’s Boxing Gym vs. Andrew Salas of Zealous Nation Boxing Gym. The decision in this bout going to Magda.
178 lbs. Novice division- Greg Quarantello of Middletown Boxing vs. Temanco Forbes of Pound 4 Pound B.C. This bout featured both fighters digging to the body with Forbes coming out the winner.
123 lbs. Open division -Cesar Ventura of Face-Off Boxing vs. Herkin DeLaRosa of Union City. The evening’s most dramatic bout. With DeLaRosa taking a standing eight in the first and rallying in the third with Ventura receiving two standing eight counts and the referee stopping the fight at 2:48
132 Open division- Justin Olmeda vs. Jahbrill Jauregul of N.P.F.C.. A good brawl with both fighters showing much offense and little defense making for an exciting fight. The winner Jauregul
141 lbs. Open division Bakhodir Karimov of Zealous Nation Boxing Gym vs. Julian Rodriguez of Garden State Boxing. Both fighters traded heavy thudding blows and was fought in close quarters. The winner Rodriguez
152 lbs. Open division- Nathaniel Rivas of Victory B.C. vs. Malik Jackson of Elite Heat Boxing. The bout started with both showing good lateral movement and finished with an extraordinary effort by both in the third causing the audience to give a standing ovation at the bout’s end. Rivas received the win.
165 Open division -Ian Green of Elite Heat vs. John Magda of Ike & Randy’s Boxing Gym. Magda a three-time winner over Green was upset tonight with Ian Green getting the win.
178 Open division -Tyshan Murray off Elizabeth Recreation Center vs. Shaheed Brown of Ike & Randy’s Boxing Gym. Murray the winner with Brown having taken a standing eight count.
201 Open division- Ibn Richardson of Coliseum Boxing vs. Leon Johnson of Elite Heat. Johnson taking the win in this heavyweight bout.