USA Boxing Junior Olympics District Championships (Part 1)

Saturday, March 13, 2010, USA Boxing held their Junior Olympics District Championships at City Boxing in San Diego’s downtown. As expected, it was standing room only as the boxers, their family and friends filled every inch of the two story venue to get a view of the 21 hotly contested bouts.

Bout #1a featured light-heavyweights 25 year-old Joey Ordonez of Tucson, Arizona facing Branston Cyphers of the host gym, City Boxing. Since the 30-year-old Cyphers was taller and had an incredible reach advantage, his big punch was a hard jab. Ordonez did exactly what his coach instructed; he got himself on the inside and became the busier of the two boxers in order to gain the decision.

In Bout #1b featuring 11 year olds, Adrian Hernandez of Vista, Ca. and Jason Rivera of the Rhino Boxing Club of Vista, there was no letup. This bout was so hotly contested Salvador Arellano, the ring announcer, made special note of their performance by calling both boxers “true warriors” as onlookers clapped mightily at the end of their bout.  In the end it was Rivera who came out victorious by being more aggressive and having his opponent constantly back-peddling.

Bout #2 featured 16 year-old Elias Diaz of Barrio Station against 15 year-old Mario Cuin, unattached. Cuin, with his awkward but effective style, scored effectively using different angles and well placed left hooks. However, it was Diaz getting the win by being busier, landing more clean shots and doubling up on his jabs and masterful combinations. At the end of the competition, this match, along with Bout #14, were selected as the top bouts of the tournament.

Bout #3 featured 14 year-old Adrian Gutierrez, trained by his dad, David Gutierrez (a former boxer and now trainer), going up against 16 year-old Carlos Carrillo of the Alliance Training Center. Even though Gutierrez was shorter and seven pounds lighter, he took control of the bout early and landed the cleaner shots. Despite the urging of his corner, Carrillo played right into the hands of his opponent, by allowing Gutierrez to stay in close and land some uppercuts and left hooks. Gutierrez could have been even more dominating if he had thrown more jabs.

Bout #4 featured 13 year-old Homer Palomino of Gutierrez Gym, a veteran of 53 bouts, facing12 year-old Noe Larias of Pinson, a veteran of 14 bouts. Talk about getting an early start, Palomino became interested in the sport at the age of three. Both his attack mode and defense were superb and set him apart.

Bout #5 featured nine year-old Joe Esquivel of La Gente going up against 10 year-old Roman Gonzalez, unattached. With Gonzalez landing the heavier blows right from the outset, he became the early beneficiary of a standing eight count. After a knockdown, it was deemed by the referee that Esquivel could not stop the onslaught and called an early stoppage to the bout.

Bout #6 featured 11 year-old Cristian Bautista of Rhino facing 12 year-old Nathaniel Ybarra of Alliance. From the outset, Bautista was the aggressor and the busier of the two. By the end of the bout, Ybarra had been issued three standing eight counts to insure Bautista would receive a unanimous decision.

Bout #7 featured 11 year-olds Christian Leon of Barrio Station facing Corey Snyder of City Boxing. Both boxers were non-stop and delivered heavy blows to their opponent. But in the end, it was Snyder who got the decision for being the craftier of the two. He has a unique style of advancing to land the quick combinations and then promptly pull back to become elusive.

Bout #8 featured 14 year-old Victor Hernandez of Escondido facing 13 year-old Ryan Soliven of City Boxing. From the outset, every combination of punches that Hernandez decide to throw landed, head shot after headshot with a sprinkling of uppercuts. Without an effective jab, Soliven could not slow down the onslaught. Before long the referee called for a stoppage.

Bout #9 between 11 year-old Rudolfo Ortigozen of Penacho and 10 year-old Ruben Vazquez of Real Deal was cancelled.

Bout #10 featured 11 year-olds Oscar Hernandez of Rhino Boxing facing Steven Sigala of Alliance. In the first round Sigala was busier and landed most of his shots flush on the face. The second round could have gone either way as both boxers landed. In the third round, Sigala let up some. In the end this close match went to the scorecards and Hernandez was awarded the split decision victory.

Intermission Part II of the tournament is in the next article