By Lou McLaughlin: This past Saturday night April 7, I had the pleasure of attending the N.J. Open Class Finals for the Prudential Center Ameriahealth Pavilion in Newark. There were also a few sub-novice bouts added. It was fun to see these young guys competing just for the glory of a trophy and the chance to be on the New Jersey state team and compete in the National Tournament of Champions later this spring in Mesquite, Nevada. These young men both the winners and losers gave their all in three round bouts of two minutes duration. At $35 general admission these bouts provided far more action then many a $70 PPV card. It was a great event for family as the time ran from 7-9:30 P.M. There was an enthusiastic crowd with family, friends, and supporters of each boxer giving loud vocal support. The bouts played out as follows:
The opening bout was in the 132 Sub novice division – Jeff Della Valle, 26, of Fair Lawn (LA Boxing, Paramus) vs. Ben Diaz, 23, of Paterson (Lou Costello Sportsmen Club, Paterson) The first round opened with Della Valle utilizing his longer reach to tag Diaz with 1-2 combos. Towards the round’s end Diaz was trying to bore inside with body shots. In the second Della Valle mixed his jab to the head and body backing up Diaz. The round ended with both fighters exchanging power shots to the head. The final round opened with both winging hooks. Della Valle’s longer reach with quick left-right combos had Diaz backing up towards the round’s end. Jeff Della Valle W-3
The second fight in the 123 lbs. Open class was a intra-gym clash between Tyhawn Jones 21 of Newark (Elite Heat Boxing Club, Newark) against Kenyon Sessons, 23, of Elizabeth (Elite Heat BC). The first round began with Jones using his reach but slowly presenting the shorter but quicker footed Sessons the opportunity to move inside with quick body shots. The second round had Sessons opening up even faster but Jones started connecting with fast right hands which slowed down Sessons inside assaults and had him backing up. The last round saw Jones using his long jab and mixing in upper cuts backing up Sessons. Tyhawn Jones W-3
The evening’s third bout was in the 132 lbs Open class featuring Anthony Burgin, 20, of Atco (Victory Boxing Club, Cherry Hill) against Felix Tejada, 21, Union City (Union City Boxing Club). Burgin opened the first with smoking combinations resulting in a standing 8 count being administered about half way through the round. The second round began with both boxers obviously a bit tired. Burgin was still throwing combinations though slower and Tejada was holding when possible. In the final round Burgin was again throwing a lot of leather, Tejada had a point deducted for holding and another standing 8 with the referee ending the contest. Burgin by RSC at 1:37 of round 3.
Fourth bout was in the141 lbs. Open class Rickey Edwards, 21, of Paterson (Joe Grier Boxing Academy, Paterson) competing against Hector Melendez, 17, of Union City (Union City BC). Edwards had the longer reach but Melendez was able to bore inside to a degree negating Edward’s longer reach in the first. In the second both fighters appeared tired and were holding. Towards round’s end both seemed to get a second wind with Edwards scoring hard overhand rights and Melendez winging hard shots with both hands. In the third Melendez received a standing 8 count after taking a series of hard rights.
Rickey Edwards W-3
The next bout in the 152 Open class featured Anthony Gangemi, 21, of Mine Hill (Dover Boxing Club) vs. Shakor Jackson, 19, of Newark (Elite Heat BC). First round saw Jackson jabbing trying to use his long reach to set up combinations but Gangemi pushed in aggressively In the second Jackson tried boxing but Gangemi kept up his aggressive pressure towards the round’s end Jackson was backing up from the relentless pressure. Again in the third Gangemi was winging hard shots and Jackson was backing up trying to use his reach to stay out of harm’s way. Anthony Gangemi W-3
The sixth bout of the evening was in the 165 Sub novice class had Julius Richardson, 29, of Elizabeth (Elizabeth Recreational Center) against Max Bohanan, 20, of Bordentown (Tenth Round Boxing Club, Bristol, Pa.). Bohanan tall and rangy at 165 lbs came out with a lot of nervous energy and used fast lateral movement and jabbing. Same in the second but Richardson was coming forward with both hands hard causing Bohanan to employ more frenetic footwork. By the third Bohanan was clearly exhausted from the energy expended as Richardson moved forward pushing him around the ring.
Julius Richardson W-3
The following bout was the 165 lbs Open class with John Magda, 20, of Rutherford (Ike & Randy’s, Paterson) vs. Ian Green, 18, of Paterson (I.S.O.B., Garfield). The fight opened with both guys fighting hard on the inside –little jabbing was employed. The second and third rounds were more of the same with both digging deep and hitting hard in close quarters. The fight ended due to a severely bleeding nose injury to Green with the referee stopping the contest. John Magda RSC-3 (1:02)
Next up in the 178 lbs. Open class Tyshan Murray, 31, of Elizabeth (Elizabeth Rec) vs. Darryl Bunting, 23, of Asbury Park (Asbury Park Boxing Club). To me best fight of the night! Both guys came out smoking –jabbing-rapid combos-ended with only knockout of the night at 1:55 of the 1st. But a wild two minutes. Tyshan Murray RSC-1 (1:55)
The evening’s ninth bout was the 201 Open class Michael Hilton, 25, of Trenton (Goss & Goss Boxing Center, Trenton) contesting against Ibn Akbar Richardson, 26, of Newark (Coliseum Gym, Irvington. The first opened rapidly with Hilton throwing combinations and repeatly catching Richardson with hard rights backing him up. In the second the stronger Hilton drove Richardson around the ring with the referee administering a standing 8 followed shortly by another standing 8 at which the referee stopped the bout Michael Hilton RSC-2 (1:53)
For the tenth in the 201+ Open class Tyrell Wright, 23, of Jersey City (Bayonne PAL) vs. Dan Pasciolla, 26, of Brick (Asbury Park BC). Wright opened the round with thudding body shots causing Pasciolla to start dropping his hands and staggering towards the round’s end. The second found Pasciolla again dropping his hands to avoid further body punishment and being driven around the ring. Pasciolla came out hard in the third and fought with more spirit to take this round.
However the decision went to Tyrell Wright W-3
The eleventh and final bout was in 201+ Sub novice – Shiek Trice, 32, of Jersey City (Ringside Boxing Club, Jersey City) against Albert Miqueo, 26, of Bergenfield (Unattached). It was two big guys throwing blockbusters in a war of attrition with Miqueo catching the worst of it and the referee stopping it. Shiek Trice RSC-1 (1:59)
AWARD TO OUTSTANDING BOXER OF THE TOURNAMENT – John Magda (Ike & Randy’s)
The winners move on to National Tournament of Champions later this spring in Mesquite, Nevada