The spacious parking lot of Jack’s Iron Horse Bar & Grill in Bridgeton provided an unusual setting for the Midwest Tournament of Champions last weekend, an event that included both new and familiar names in the amateur scene.
A procession of thunderstorms threatened to wash out Friday night’s bouts, but by the time first bell sounded, a pleasant breeze blew over a row of idle horseshoe pits and through the red velvet ropes of the ring nearby.
Tandy’s Aaron Powell and Marquette’s Taylor Merriweather were involved in a competitive three rounder in the 75-pound weight division. The southpaw Merriweather did a good job of letting his shots go from the outset, while his right-handed counterpart was accurate with several 1, 2’s. Both tried to steal the second with busy flurries during the final ticks.
They stayed true to form until the conclusion of the close contest, which was punctuated with the decision going to Marquette’s man via a split.
As the sun continued to dip on the horizon, the sky was transformed into a warm peach and blue backdrop as Team STL’s Mark Smith and Troy White from The Boxing Gym prepared to battle at 152.
The action went back and forth at the outset, but the more aggressive Smith started pressing the issue in round two with lead rights to the head and 1, 2’s downstairs. He put a bow on his decision-winning performance with even more right crosses in the third and final stanza.
A pair of talented athletes named Dwayne Fagan (112 lbs) and Anthony Carter (106 lbs) made the trek from Cincinnati and also deserve to be mentioned for their impressive victories.
The unique venue added to the competitive action as a diverse crowd took in a satisfying tournament and helped support the local Ozark Boxing program.
Lamar Harris draws at Mohegan
Like many people concerned about rising gas prices and other current events, I had several sleepless nights last week. Fortunately, before I consulted my physician, I caught the Vernon Forrest-Sergio Mora championship snoozer on Saturday and am happy to report it provided immediate relief for my insomnia.
For a dozen excruciating rounds, Forrest looked like he had aged a decade seemingly overnight as he got in range of the shorter Mora but just wasn’t able to let his punches go. “The Viper” looked far removed from the same fighter that handed “Sugar” Shane Mosley the first two losses of his career in 2002, allowing the veteran of the reality show “The Contender” to exit with the WBC junior middleweight strap.
Local light middle Lamar Harris followed the main event by stepping in with Lincoln, Nebraska’s Aaron Quintana as both looked to add to their 4-0 records. When the dust settled at Mohegan Sun, Judges Steve Weisfeld and Anek Hongtongkam had it scored even up at 38 a piece, and Harris had gained more experience in his young pro campaign.
Junior Olympic Nationals
The final portion of the Junior Olympic Tournament kicks off next week in Marquette, Michigan, and St. Louis will be well represented. The local group heading north includes Alan Burns (101 lbs), Brandon Davis (119 lbs), Julius Butler (138 lbs), Corey Walker (154 lbs), Otis Brown (176 lbs), and Joshua Temple (189 lbs). Best of luck to our representatives in the tournament.
