(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – The 2008 U.S Future Stars National Championship continued Monday afternoon at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Seventy-four boxers competed in preliminary round action on Monday in the hopes of claiming a spot in the quarterfinal round..
Monday’s afternoon session began with returning Bantamweight National Champion Ronny Rios (Santa Ana, Calif.) and the Army’s John Franklin (Fort Carson, Colo.), who has made the move up from the flyweight class. Rios used combinations to keep Franklin moving throughout the match. Though Rios had a slow start, ending the first round 4-2, he picked up momentum and landed his punches accurately to win the match 36-14. Despite Rios’ victory, he believes that there was room for improvement. When asked about what he intended to do better for the next round he responded, “standing straight-up and using my jab more, basically pacing myself because today I was kind of sloppy.”
Luis Rosa (East Haven, Conn.), Paul Romero (Phoenix, Ariz.), Teddy Padilla (Las Vegas, Nev.), Shawn Nichol (Lakewood, Colo.), and Antonio Nieves (Cleveland, Ohio) will be joining Rios in the quarterfinals.
Moving on in the light flyweight division are Hawaii’s Keola McKee (Wailuku) and California’s Fabian Cervantes (Ableta), both showing great speed and agility in the ring.
Lightweight Shemuel Pagan (Brooklyn, N.Y.) had an impressive match against Connor Johnson (Fort Carson, Colo. – Army) in their preliminary round contest. Gaining a seven-point lead in the first round, Pagan continued his aggressive combinations to maintain his edge through the match, winning the bout 20-4. Fellow lightweight contender Miguel Gonzalez (Cleveland, Ohio) out pointed opponent Adam Davis (Leeds, Ala.), recording a first round stoppage outscored to advance into the quarterfinals. Duran Caferro (Helena, Mon.), Fidel Maldonado (Albuquerque, N.M.), Eric Altamirano (Concord, Calif.), Eric Fowler (Montgomery, Texas), Jesse Carradine (Cincinnati, Ohio – NMU) and Brett Simons (E. Cleveland, Ohio) will all move on to the quarterfinals as well.
Arguably the best match in the welterweight division was between Orlando Utsey (Little Rock, Ark.) and Jeremiah Wiggins (Newport News, Va.). Though Utsey ended the first round with a 9-0 lead, Wiggins made an incredible comeback gaining the lead in the fourth round and ending the match 22-15, a finish that brought the crowd to its feet. When asked what made that comeback happen, he said, “When I heard the crowd going and pushing me, I tried to give them what they wanted and go out hard.”
There were impressive stoppages in the welterweight bracket as well. Javonte Starks (Maples, Minn.) and Greg Carter both stopped their opponents in the fourth round of their respective matches, advancing both boxers to the quarterfinal round. Joining them are Errol Spence (Desoto, Texas), Leandre White (Detroit, Mich.), Joshua Gomez (El Paso, Texas), Jose Elizando (Carson, Nev.) and Anthony Campbell of Covington, Tennessee.
The string of stoppages extended into light heavyweight action. DeRae Crane (Marquette, Mich.) and Dorian Anthony both stopped their opponents in the second round, defeating Abdulah Dobey (Miami, Fla.) and Andrew Hernandez (Phoenix, Ariz.), respectively. Lionel Thompson (Buffalo, N.Y.) put an end to his bout with Nainoa Seitz (Honolulu, Hawaii) in the third round to join Crane and Anthony in quarterfinal action.
In super heavyweight action, the U.S. Army’s Andrew Shepherd shut out his opponent Jabril Temple, recording a 21-0 win to advance to Tuesday session. Fellow super heavyweights Lenroy Thompson (Port St. Lucie, Fla.), Tavon Sol (Baltimore, Md.), and James Medlock will join Shepard in the quarterfinals.
Evening action is currently underway with 34 bouts slated for the preliminary round competition at the Olympic Training Center.
Monday Afternoon Preliminary Results
106 lbs/48 kg: Fabian Cervantes, Ableta, Calif. dec. Michael Benedosso, Ft. Huachuca, Ariz., Army, 28-10
106 lbs/48 kg: Keola McKee, Wailuku, Hawaii dec. Oscar Cantu,Kingsland, Texas, 9-8
119 lbs/54 kg: Paul Romero, Phoenix, Ariz. dec. Kevin Rivers, Oxon Hill, Md., 17-10
119 lbs/54 kg: Shawn Nichol, Lakewood, Colo. won on walkover over Laundale Williams, Pinchard, Ala., W/O
119 lbs/54 kg: Antonio Nieves, Cleveland, Ohio dec. Isaiah Manalo, Waimanalo, Hawaii, 21-7
119 lbs/54 kg: Luis Rosa, East Haven, Conn. dec. Jerry Guevarra, Brownsville, Texas, 18-10
119 lbs/54 kg: Teddy Padilla, Las Vegs, Nev., dec. Jerrell Barbour, Tacoma, Wash., 12-8
119 lbs/54 kg: Ronny Rios, Santa Ana, Calif. dec. John Franklin, Fort Carson, Colo. – Army, 36-14
132 lbs/60 kg: Fidel Maldonado, Albaquerque, N.M. dec. Edgar Ramirez, Camp LeJeune, N.C., 14-13
132 lbs/60 kg: Shemuel Pagan, Brooklyn, N.Y. dec. Connor Johnson, Colorado Springs, Colo., 20-4
132 lbs/60 kg: Brett Simmons, East Cleveland, Ohio stopped Jaron Singlelton, St. Louis, Mo., RSCO-3
132 lbs/60 kg: Duran Caferro, Helena, Mont. dec. Devonte Allen, Cincinnati, Ohio, 2-1
132 lbs/60 kg: Eric Fowler, Montgomery, Texas dec. Andre Keys, Tacoma, Wash., 22-10
132 lbs/60 kg: Jesse Carradine, Cincinnati, Ohio/NMU dec. Chazz McDowell, Mt. Vernon, N.Y., 15-14
132 lbs/60 kg: Eric Altamirano, Concord, Calif. dec. Branden Wallace, Alpharetta, Ga., 37-27
152 lbs/69 kg: Errol Spence, Desoto, Texas dec. Glen Tapia, Passaic, N.J., 13-10
152 lbs/69 kg: Joshua Gomez, El Paso, Texas dec. Nathaniel Hicks, Fort Gordon, Ga., Army, 13-9
152 lbs/69 kg: Jeremiah Wiggins, Newport News, N.M. dec. Orlando Utsey, Little Rock, Ark., 22-15
152 lbs/69 kg: Leandre White, Detroit, Mich. dec. Arturo Crespin, Las Vegas, N.M., 14-10
152 lbs/69 kg: Greg Carter, Waterbury, Conn. stopped Albert King, Kingsbay, Ga., RSC-4
152 lbs/69 kg: Anthony Campbell, Covington, Tenn. dec. William Waters, Phenix City, Ala., 16-12
152 lbs/69 kg: Javonte Starks, Maples, Minn. stopped Jaime Valdez, Tulare, Calif., RSCO
152 lbs/69 kg: Jose Elizondo, Carson, Nev. Dec. John Peak, Seatac, Wash., 11-
178 lbs/81 kg: Jeffery Spencer, Fort Carson, Colo. – Army dec. Joseph Gumina, San Mateo, Calif. 16-15
178 lbs/81 kg: Dorian Anthony, Lynwood, Calif. stopped Andrew Hernandez, Phoenix, Ariz., RSC-2 (1:02)
178 lbs/81 kg: Jeff Page, Andover, Kansas dec. Marquice Weston, Tacoma, Wash., 7-5
178 lbs/81 kg: Kelly Buchanan, Corsicana, Texas dec. Framanu Pritchard, Long Beach, Calif., 10-9
178 lbs/81 kg: Thomas Williams, Laurel, Md. won on walkover on Siju Shabazz, Las Cruces, N.M., W/O
178 lbs/81 kg: DeRae Crane, Marquette, Mich stopped Abdulah Dobey, Miami, Fla. stopped ., RSC-2
178 lbs/81 kg: Lional Thompson, Buffalo, N.Y. stopped Nainoa Seitz, Honolulu, Hawaii, RSC-3
178 lbs/81 kg: Michael Faulk, St. Paul, Minn.dec. Tyronne Davis, Monroe, La., 7-3
201+ lbs/91+ kg: Andrew Sheperd, Fort Carson, Colo., Army dec. Jabril Temple, St. Louis, Mo., 21-0
201+ lbs/91 kg: Tavon Sol, Baltimore, Md. dec. J’Von Wallace, Fort Worth, Texas, 23-13
201+ lbs/91+ kg: Lester King, Lacey, Wash. stopped. Toby Batie, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, RSC-3 (1:37)
201+ lbs/91+ kg: James Medlock, County Club Hills, Ill. dec. Rodney Hernandez, Modesto, Calif., 13-3
201+ lbs/91+ kg: Lenroy Thompson, Pt. Saint Lucie, Fla. dec. Terrence Perro, Denver, Colo., 26-12
201+ lbs/91 kg: Tor Hamer, New York, N.Y. won by walkover on Alex Rivera, Coachella, Calif., RSCO-2 (1:27)