(LITTLE ROCK, ARK.) – Months of qualifying and a full week of National Golden Gloves action culminated in a full night of championship bouts on Saturday night at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Ark. Ten new national champions were crowned in an exciting night of competition, which featured several upsets. Two-time defending champion Louie Byrd (Denver, Colo.) has won National Golden Gloves titles at both the 106-pound and 112-pound divisions in the past two years, but he stepped into the ring on Saturday night looking for his first title at the new 108-pound weight division. He accomplished his mission, defeating Santos Vasquez (Sun Valley, Nev.) in their light flyweight championship bout. Byrd won a 5-0 decision over Vasquez to complete his own personal trifecta..
The flyweight division featured a highly anticipated bout between two-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio) and 17-year-old Gary Antonio Russell (Capitol Heights, Md.). The bout was action packed from the opening bell with both boxers landing hard, clean shots, but it was the experienced veteran coming out with the victory. Warren won a 5-0 decision over Russell to add the title of National Golden Gloves champion to his impressive list of accolades.
In featherweight action, two newcomers to the national scene faced off for the gold medal with Toka Kahn-Clary (Providence, R.I.) battling James Smith (Detroit, Mich.) The bout went down to the final wire but it was Kahn-Clary pulling out the 4-1 decision to claim the featherweight crown.
A second defending champion grabbed a 2010 title in the lightweight division. 2009 titlist Erick Deleon (Detroit, Mich.) battled 17-year-old Damon Allen (Philadelphia, Pa.) in the fourth bout of the evening and once again, he emerged as a National Golden Gloves champion. Deleon won a 5-0 decision over Allen to reclaim the lightweight title.
Little Rock proved to be a successful locale for the Russell family once again as Gary Allen Russell III (Capitol Heights, Md.) duplicated the feat of his older brother, 2008 Olympian Gary Russell, Jr., who claimed his own Golden Gloves crown in Little Rock in 2005. Russell took on Mohamed Adam (Detroit, Mich.) in the light welterweight title bout. After having a point taken for low blows in the first round, Russell came back strong, giving Adam a standing eight count in the final round en route to a 5-0 decision and the light welterweight crown.
The next two bouts showcased two upsets of reigning USA Boxing National Champions beginning with the welterweight division. Defending champion Errol Spence (Desoto, Texas) came in gunning for his second straight title, but his opponent David Grayton (Washington DC) had other plans. Grayton come on strong at the end of the bout to win the 3-2 split decision.
A similar story played out in the middleweight division as top ranked Terrell Gausha (Cleveland, Ohio) faced off with Ronald Ellis (Lynn, Mass.) in the championship bout. Ellis pulled off the second straight upset of the night, winning a 3-2 split decision over Gausha to win his first Golden Gloves crown.
2009 USA Boxing National Champion Robert Brant (Oakdale, Minn.) put a halt to the string of upsets in his light heavyweight title bout with Khalib Whitmore (Philadelphia, Pa.). Whitmore kept the heat on in an exciting and closely-contested title bout, but the smaller Brant didn’t back down. He won a 3-2 decision to claim the light heavyweight title.
In heavyweight action, former light heavyweight Steve Geffrard (Boca Raton, Fla.) made a successful move up to the higher weight division. Geffrard took on defending Golden Gloves and USA Boxing National Champion Jordan Shimmell (Hudsonville, Mich.) in the ninth bout of the evening and at the end of nine minutes of boxing, he was named the victor. Geffrard won a 4-1 decision over Shimmell to take the heavyweight crown.
Defending champion Lenroy Thompson (Lenexa, Kansas) and Roberto Morban (Bronx, N.Y.) faced off in the final bout of the 2010 National Golden Gloves with both looking to take home the super heavyweight title. Both boxers let their hands fly in a crowd-pleasing final bout and it was Morban coming out with the victory and the final National Golden Gloves title of the 2010 event, winning a 4-1 decision over Thompson.
Saturday, May 8 – Championship Round Results
108 lbs: Louie Byrd, Denver, Colo. – Colorado-New Mexico dec. Santos Vasquez, Sun Valley, Nev. – Nevada, 5-0
114 lbs: Rau’shee Warren, Cincinnati, Ohio – Cincinnati dec. Gary Antonio Russell, Capitol Heights, Md. – Washington DC, 5-0
123 lbs: Toka Kahn-Clary, Providence, R.I. – New England dec. James Smith, Detroit, Mich. – Detroit, 4-1
132 lbs: Erick Deleon, Lincoln Park, Mich. – Detroit dec. Damon Allen, Philadelphia, Pa. – Pennsylvania, 5-0
141 lbs: Gary Allen Russell III, Capitol Heights, Md. – Washington DC dec. Mohamed Adam, Dearborn, Mich. – Detroit, 5-0
152 lbs: David Grayton, Washington D.C. – Washington DC dec. Errol Spence, Desoto, Texas – Texas, 3-2
165 lbs: Ronald Ellis, Lynn, Mass. – New England dec. Terrell Gausha, Cleveland, Ohio – Cleveland, 3-2
178 lbs: Robert Brant, Oakdale, Minn. – Upper Midwest dec. Khalib Whitmore, Philadelphia, Pa. – Pennsylvania, 3-2
201 lbs: Steve Geffrard, Boca Raton, Fla. – Florida dec. Jordan Shimmell – Hudsonville, Mich. – Michigan, 4-1
201+ lbs: Roberto Morban, Bronx, N.Y. – New York Metro dec. Lenroy Thompson, Lenexa, Kansas – Kansas City, 4-1
USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). It is responsible for the selection and management of the United States Olympic Boxing Team, and for the governance and oversight of USA Boxing’s national organization of 38,000 members, 1,400 individual boxing clubs, and 1,600 sanctioned events annually.
The Finalists are Set at the 2010 National Golden Gloves
(LITTLE ROCK, ARK.) – Twenty of the nation’s top amateur boxers earned spots in the championship round at the 2010 National Golden Gloves in Little Rock, Ark., on Friday night at the Statehouse Convention Center. Two semifinal bouts were contested in each of the ten weight divisions with the two victors advancing on to the finals.
Semifinal action opened with light flyweight action and defending champion Louie Byrd (Denver, Colo.) clinched a spot in the finals with a 5-0 victory over Oscar Mojica (Dallas, Texas). Byrd will face Santos Vasquez (Sun Valley, Nev.) in the light flyweight championship bout. Vasquez won a 4-1 victory over Carlos Suarez (Lima, Ohio) in his semifinal contest to move on to the final round.
Two-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio) owns just about every title on the books, including a World Championship, but he is competing in his first National Golden Gloves in Little Rock. Warren continued his run through the tournament with a 5-0 victory over Leroy Davila (Linden, N.J.) in semifinal action. He moves on to the championship bout, where he will take on Gary Antonio Russell (Capitol Heights, Md.), the younger brother of Warren’s 2008 Olympic teammate Gary Russell, Jr. The elder Russell and Warren enjoyed their share of battles as youngsters, facing off when Warren was just nine-years-old.
In featherweight action, James Smith (Detroit, Mich.) and Toka Kahn-Clary (Providence, R.I.) both punched their tickets for the finals with semifinal wins. Smith earned a 5-0 decision over former Golden Gloves champion Ernesto Garza (Saginaw, Mich.) and Kahn-Clary won a 3-2 split decision over National PAL Champion Victor Pasillas (E. Los Angeles, Calif.) to move on to the championship round.
Defending champion Erick Deleon (Detroit, Mich.) continued his winning streak with a 4-1 victory over reigning USA Boxing National Champion Duran Caferro (Helena, Mont.). Deleon will battle Damon Allen (Philadelphia, Pa.) in final round action following Allen’s 3-2 semifinal win over Raeese Aleem (Muskegon, Mich.).
A second Russell brother claimed a semifinal victory in the light welterweight division as Gary Allen Russell III (Capitol Heights, Md.) won a 5-0 decision over Robert Easter, Jr. (Toledo, Ohio) in Friday’s competition. Russell moves on to the finals where he will battle Mohamed Adam (Dearborn, Mich.). Adam won a 4-1 split decision over Joshua Conley (San Bernadino, Calif.) in his semifinal match-up.
Current national champion Errol Spence (Desoto, Texas) will attempt to defend his crown in Saturday’s final round competition against David Grayton (Washington D.C.). Spence won a 5-0 decision in his semifinal bout with Javonn Barnes (Muskegon, Mich.) to move on to the finals while Grayton won a 4-1 victory over Leandre White (Detroit, Mich.).
Number one middleweight Terrell Gausha (Cleveland, Ohio) pulled out a second straight close decision in semifinal action, winning a 4-1 decision over D’Mitrius Ballard (Temple Hills, Md.) to advance to the championship bout where he will meet Ronald Ellis (Lynn, Mass.). Ellis claimed a 3-2 victory over Antone Pereira (Waianae, Hawaii) in their semifinal contest to move on to the final round.
The list of national champions moving onto final round action grew in the light heavyweight division with Robert Brant (Oakdale, Minn.) earning a berth in the championship bout. Brant won a highly-contested bout with Marcus Browne (Staten Island, N.Y.) by a 4-1 margin in their semifinal match-up. He will take on Khalib Whitmore (Philadelphia, Pa.) in the finals. Whitmore won a unanimous 5-0 decision over Craig Duncan (Apopka, Fla.) to earn a spot in the finals.
2009 USA Boxing National Champion Jordan Shimmell (Hudsonville, Mich.) continued the winning streak into heavyweight action, earning a 4-1 victory over Robert Jekabson (Chicago, Ill.). Shimmell will meet Steve Geffrard (Boca Raton, Fla.) in the finals following Geffrard’s 4-1 victory over Andrew Tabiti (Las Vegas, Nev.) in their semifinal match-up.
The super heavyweights closed the show with Roberto Morban (Bronx, N.Y.) and Lenroy Thompson (Lenexa, Kansas) winning the final two spots in the championship round. Morban won a 5-0 decision over Dustin Enriquez (Pico Rivera, Calif.) while Thompson claimed a 5-0 victory over his own over Craig Lewis (Detroit, Mich.).
Ten new national champions will be crowned on Saturday night when the 2010 National Golden Gloves finals are contested at 7 p.m. on Saturday night at the Statehouse Convention Center.
Friday, May 7 – Semifinal Results
108 lbs:
Louie Byrd, Denver, Colo. – Colorado-New Mexico dec. Oscar Mojica, Dallas, Texas – Texas, 5-0
Santos Vasquez, Sun Valley, Nev. – Nevada dec. Carlos Suarez, Lima, Ohio – Toledo, 4-1
114 lbs:
Rau’shee Warren, Cincinnati, Ohio – Cincinnati dec. Leroy Davila, Linden, New Jersey – New Jersey, 5-0
Gary Antonio Russell, Capitol Heights, Md. – Washington DC dec. Hector Colon, Orlando, Fla. – Florida, 3-2
123 lbs:
James Smith, Detroit, Mich. – Detroit dec. Ernesto Garza, Saginaw, Mich. – Michigan, 5-0
Toka Kahn-Clary, Providence, R.I. – New England dec. Victor Pasillas, E. Los Angeles, Calif. – California, 3-2
132 lbs:
Erick Deleon, Lincoln Park, Mich. – Detroit dec. Duran Caferro, Helena, Mont. – Rocky Mountain, 4-1
Damon Allen, Philadelphia, Pa. – Pennsylvania dec. Raeese Aleem, Muskegon, Mich. – Michigan, 3-2
141 lbs:
Mohamed Adam, Dearborn, Mich. – Detroit dec. Joshua Conley, San Bernadino, Calif. – California, 4-1
Gary Allen Russell III, Capitol Heights, Md. – Washington DC dec. Robert Easter, Jr., Toledo, Ohio – Toledo, 5-0
152 lbs:
Errol Spence, Desoto, Texas – Texas dec. Javonn Barnes, Muskegon, Mich. – Michigan, 5-0
David Grayton, Washington D.C. – Washington DC dec. dec. Leandre White, Detroit, Mich. – Detroit, 4-1
165 lbs:
Terrell Gausha, Cleveland, Ohio – Cleveland dec. D’Mitrius Ballard, Temple Hills, Md. – Washington DC, 4-1
Ronald Ellis, Lynn, Mass. – New England dec. Antone Pereira, Waianae, Hawaii – Hawaii, 3-2
178 lbs:
Robert Brant, Oakdale, Minn. – Upper Midwest dec. Marcus Browne, Staten Island, N.Y. – New York Metro, 4-1
Khalib Whitmore, Philadelphia, Pa. – Pennsylvania dec. Craig Duncan , Apopka, Fla. – Florida, 5-0
201 lbs:
Jordan Shimmell – Hudsonville, Mich. – Michigan dec. Robert Jekabson, Chicago, Ill. – Chicago, 4-1
Steve Geffrard, Boca Raton, Fla. – Florida dec. Andrew Tabiti, Las Vegas, Nev. – Nevada, 4-1
201+ lbs:
Lenroy Thompson, Lenexa, Kansas – Kansas City dec. Craig Lewis, Detroit, Mich. – Detroit, 5-0
Roberto Morban, Bronx, N.Y. – New York Metro dec. Dustin Enriquez, Pico Rivera, Calif. – California, 5-0
Quarterfinal Action is Contested at the 2010 National Golden Gloves in Little Rock, Arkansas
(LITTLE ROCK, ARK.) – Quarterfinal competition in all ten weight division was contested on Thursday evening at the 2010 National Golden Gloves in Little Rock, Ark. Forty boxers earned hard-fought victories to advance on to the semifinal round of the tournament, which is taking place at the Statehouse Convention Center.
Thursday, May 6 – Quarterfinal Results
108 lbs:
Louie Byrd, Denver, Colo. – Colorado-New Mexico dec. Kabir Rodriguez, Miami, Fla. – Florida, 5-0
Santos Vasquez, Sun Valley, Nev. – Nevada dec. Erros Correa, San Jose, Calif. – California, 5-0
Oscar Mojica, Dallas, Texas – Texas dec. Donald Smith, Philadelphia, Pa. – Pennsylvania, 3-2
Carlos Suarez, Toledo dec. Ricky Lacefield, Lincoln, Neb. – Omaha, 3-2
114 lbs:
Hector Colon, Orlando, Fla. – Florida dec. Adan Ortiz, Sterling, Ill. – Chicago, 5-0
Rau’shee Warren, Cincinnati, Ohio – Cincinnati dec. Oscar Cantu, Kingsville, Texas – Texas, 5-0
Gary Antonio Russell, Capitol Heights, Md. – Washington DC dec. Aurel Love, Cleveland, Ohio – Cleveland, 5-0
Leroy Davila, New Jersey dec. Oscar Vasquez, Sun Valley, Nev. – Nevada, 4-1
123 lbs:
Ernesto Garza, Saginaw, Mich. – Michigan dec. Edgar Javalera, Kansas City, Kansas – Kansas City, 5-0
Victor Pasillas, E. Los Angeles, Calif. – California dec. Jermain House, Milwaukee, Wis. – Wisconsin, 5-0
James Smith – Detroit dec. Paul Romero – Nevada, 4-1
Toka Kahn-Clary, Providence, R.I. – New England dec. Ruben Swain, Toledo, Ohio – Toledo, 3-2
132 lbs:
Damon Allen, Philadelphia, Pa. – Pennsylvania dec. Yahman Phelps, Cincinnati, Ohio – Cincinnati, 5-0
Duran Caferro, Helena, Mont. – Rocky Mountain dec. Eric Altamirano, Concord, Calif. – California, 5-0
Raeese Aleem, Muskegon, Mich. – Michigan dec. Derrick Murray, St. Louis, Mo. – St. Louis, 5-0
Erick DeLeon, Lincoln Park, Mich. – Detroit dec. Tommy Logan, Winter Haven, Fla. – Florida, 5-0
141 lbs:
Robert Easter, Jr., Toledo, Ohio – Toledo dec. Deondrae Malvin, N. Little Rock, Ark. – Mid-south, 5-0
Mohamed Adam, Dearborn, Mich. – Detroit dec. Ed Brown, Chicago, Ill. – Chicago, 3-2
Gary Allen Russell III, Capitol Heights, Md. – Washington DC dec. Abel Ramos, Eloy, Ariz. – Nevada, 5-0
Joshua Conley, San Bernadino, Calif. – California dec. David Craddock, Jr. – Tri-state, 5-0
152 lbs:
Leandre White, Detroit, Mich. – Detroit dec. Nicholas Delomba, Cranston, R.I. – New England, 3-2
Javonn Barnes, Muskegon, Mich. – Michigan dec. Anthony Campbell, Covington, Tenn. – Mid-south, 4-1
David Grayton, Washington D.C. – Washington DC dec. Louis Olivares, Glendale, Ariz. – Nevada, 4-1
Errol Spence, Desoto, Texas – Texas stopped Frank Gedeon, Rivera Beach, Fla. – Florida, RSC-2
165 lbs:
Ronald Ellis, Lynn, Mass. – New England dec. Chad Trahan, Lafayette, La. – Mid-south, 3-2
Terrell Gausha, Cleveland, Ohio – Cleveland dec. Luis Arias, Milwaukee, Wis. – Wisconsin, 3-2
D’Mitrius Ballard, Temple Hills, Md. – Washington DC dec. Wilmont Wood, Rochester, N.Y. – Buffalo, 4-1
Antone Pereira, Hawaii dec. Julius Butler, St. Louis, Mo. – St. Louis, 4-1
178 lbs:
Khalib Whitmore, Pennsylvania dec. Paul Parker, Toledo, Ohio – Toledo, 4-1
Craig Duncan, Apopka, Fla. – Florida dec. Bo Gibbs, Wetumka, Okla. – Kansas –Oklahoma, 4-1
Robert Brant, Oakdale, Minn. – Upper Midwest dec. Armando Pena – Chicago, 5-0
Marcus Browne, New York, N.Y. – New York Metro dec. Olijuwan Jones, Kansas City, Mo. – Kansas City, 5-0
201 lbs:
Jordan Shimmell, Hudsonville, Mich. – Michigan dec. James Shorter – Toledo, 5-0
Andrew Tabiti, Las Vegas, Nev. – Nevada dec. Joseph Williams – New York Metro, 4-1
Robert Jekabson – Chicago dec. Richard Odum, Indianapolis, Ind. – Indiana, 5-0
Steve Geffrard, Boca Raton, Fla. – Florida dec. Joshua Temple, St. Louis, Mo. – St. Louis, 5-0
201+ lbs:
Lenroy Thompson, Lenexa, Kansas – Kansas City stopped Joshua Butler, Sanford, Fla. – Florida, RSC-3
Craig Lewis, Detroit, Mich. – Detroit dec. Julian Pollard, Brockton, Mass. – New England, 5-0
Dustin Enriquez, Playa Rivera, Calif. – California dec. Jerry Forest, Newport News, Va. – Washington DC, 3-2
Roberto Morban, Bronx, N.Y. – New York Metro dec. Mark Rideout, Philadelphia, Pa. – Pennsylvania, 3-2