20.08.07 – HOUSTON, TEXAS) — Competition for the 2008 Olympic Team Trials—Boxing began today at the George R. Convention Center in Houston, Texas. Twenty-four bouts took place this afternoon in the light flyweight, bantamweight, lightweight, welterweight, light heavyweight and super heavyweight divisions.
Luis Yanez (Duncanville, Texas) faced Malcom Franklin (Rialto, Calif.) in the first light flyweight bout of the day. Yanez took a quick 5-2 lead at the end of the first round. He continued to dominate in the second and third rounds, earning a 15-7 lead going into the fourth. Never looking back, Yanez went on to defeat Franklin 27-12.
The bantamweight division provided fans with two exciting bouts the first being between Ronny Rios (Santa Ana, Calif.) and Alexis Ramos (Fort Carson, Colo.). Rios held Ramos to two points throughout the first two rounds. He went on to stop Ramos one minute and seven seconds into the third. “It was tough because I didn’t know how he fought,” said Rios. “Going into the first round, I wanted a slow pace so I could feel him out. I wore him down in the third.”
Also in the bantamweight class was Gary Russell, Jr.’s (Capitol Heights, Md.) match-up with Roberto Marroquin (Dallas, Texas). Russell came out punching and had an 8-2 lead going into the second round. However, Marroquin turned up the heat, leading by one point going into the fourth. The bout proved to be a nail-bitter, and Marroquin held on to win it 18-17. “In the second or third round I came with a right,” Marroquin said. “That’s when I knew I had the potential to win.”
It was Sadam Ali (Brooklyn, N.Y.) facing off with Terence Crawford (Omaha, Neb.) in the lightweight division. After a close first and second rounds, Crawford held a 6-4 lead going into the third. However, Ali would not go down without a fight. Down by one point at the end of the third round, Ali boxed his way to victory, winning 17-12. “I was down by one at the end of the third and I knew I had to pick it up,” Ali said. “It was a tough bout, we had similar styles. I was stronger in the end and I took it.”
Dallas native Charles Hatley faced Anthony Campbell (Covington, Tenn.) on the opening day of welterweight action. With the hometown crowd behind him, the Texas boxer took an early 11-3 lead. Hatley never let up, earning a 23-13 lead going into the fourth round. Although he was held to only one point in the fourth, Hatley went on to defeat Campbell 24-15.
It was a battle between two Fort Carson teammates in the welterweight division when Boyd Melson met Mahlon Kerwick. The bout was neck and neck in the early rounds. It was tied 3-3 at the end of the first round and by the end of the second, Melson held a slim 7-5 lead. However, it was all Melson in the third round when he shut out Kerwick and scored nine points. Melson went on to win 19-8. “I hate boxing my teammates; I hate it,” Melson said. “I got over the hump more than last time…I got my rhythm down in the third and when I get my rhythm down, it’s very difficult to break it.”
Christopher Downs (Fort Carson, Colo.) and Angel Concepcion (East Orange, N.J.) competed against each other in the light heavyweight division. Downs lead 6-3 after two, but Concepcion narrowed the gap to two going into the fourth. However, Downs proved victorious by a score of 8-7. “I grade myself a C-,” Downs said. “My opponent was trying to make me come forward and I gave up too many points.”
Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Nate James (Malden, Mass./NMU) met in the super heavyweight division. Hunter led 4-1 at the end of the first round and James was unable to recover from the deficit. Going into the fourth round, Hunter led 16-7 and, giving it all he had, won 23-11. “My movement was key, as well as my quick hands and staying away from his big punches,” Hunter said. “It feels good to get one win under my belt but I have a long way to go.”
Boxing will commence in the flyweight, featherweight, light welterweight, middleweight and heavyweight divisions tonight at 6 p.m. in the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Monday’s Afternoon Quarterfinal Bouts
106 lbs/48 kg: Luis Yanez, Duncanville, Texas, dec. Malcolm Franklin, Rialto, Calif., 27-12
106 lbs/48 kg: Jerail Singleton, St. Louis, Mo., dec. Keola McKee, Wailuku, Hawaii, 25-20
106 lbs/48 kg: Diego Hurtado, Reno, Nev., won on walkover over Gabino Saenz, Indio, Calif., W/O
106 lbs/48 kg: Daniel Lozano, Bowling Green, Fla., dec. Roberto Ceron, Doraville, Fla., 14-13
119 lbs/54 kg: Ronny Rios, Santa Ana, Calif., stopped Alexis Ramos, Fort Carson, Colo., RSCO-3 (1:07)
119 lbs/54 kg: Roberto Marroquin, Dallas, Texas, dec. Gary Russell, Jr., Capitol Heights, Md., 18-17
119 lbs/54 kg: Sergio Perales, Los Fresnos, Texas., dec. David Clark, San Diego, Calif./NMU, 15-14
119 lbs/54 kg: Sammy Dipace, Las Cruces, N.M., dec. Jessy Cruz, Miami, Fla., 31-18
132 lbs/60 kg: Sadam Ali, Brooklyn, N.Y., dec. Terence Crawford, Omaha, Neb., 17-12
132 lbs/60 kg: Jerry Belmontes, Corpus Christi, Texas, dec. Antton Slaughter, Columbus, Ohio, 22-10
132 lbs/60 kg: Miguel Gonzalez, Cleveland, Ohio, dec. Diego Magdaleno, Las Vegas, Nev., 20-13
132 lbs/60 kg: Mason Menard, Rayne, La., dec. James Villa, Fort Carson, Colo., 34-9
152 lbs/69 kg: Charles Hatley, Dallas, Texas, dec. Anthony Campbell, Covington, Tenn., 24-15
152 lbs/69 kg: Keith Thurman, St. Petersburg, Fla., stopped Domonique Dolton, Detroit, Mich., RSCH-3 (:31)
152 lbs/69 kg: Demetrius Andrade, Providence, R.I., stopped David Lopez, Parma, Id., RSCO-2 (:59)
152 lbs/69 kg: Boyd Melson, Fort Carson, Colo., dec. Mahlon Kerwick, Fort Carson, Colo., 19-8
178 lbs/81 kg: Cymone Kearney, Oakland, Calif., dec. Jeffrey Spencer, Fort Carson, Colo., 12-10
178 lbs/81 kg: Yathomas Riley, San Diego, Calif., stopped DeRae Crane, Davenport, Iowa/NMU, RSC-1 (1:12)
178 lbs/81 kg: Christopher Downs, Fort Carson, Colo., dec. Angel Concepcion, East Orange, N.J., 8-7
178 lbs/81 kg: Siju Shabazz, Las Cruces, N.M., dec. Nicholas Swan, Great Falls, Mont., 3-0 (paper score)
201+ lbs/91+ kg: Andrew Shepherd, Fort Carson, Colo., dec. William Moore, Fort Carson, Colo., 17-13
201+ lbs/91+ kg: Michael Hunter, Las Vegas, Nev., dec. Nate James, Malden, Mass.,/NMU, 23-11
201+ lbs/91+ kg: Kimdo Bethel, Albany, N.Y., dec. Lenroy Thompson, Port St. Lucie, Fla., 10-9
201+ lbs/91+ kg: Mike Wilson, Central Point, Ore., deec. Josh Parsons, Barboursville, W.V., 25-11