Otis Brown Jr. and Jomel Parchmon grind at Cherokee
By Glenn McBrady
For the St. Louis American
On a late afternoon earlier this week, as the sands of a muggy season continued to dwindle through summer’s hourglass, two of the baker’s dozen of St. Louis’ national champions from the Ringside Tournament were hard at work outside the Cherokee Recreation Center preparing for a busy September.
A herd of amateur fighters was dashing from a thick oak tree to a metal streetlight under their trainer’s watchful eye as a chorus of locusts began buzzing in a shrill pulse comprised of different rhythms and pitches.
Among the group were Otis Brown Jr. and Jomel Parchmon, a pair from Cherokee who, along with stablemate Justin Wright, recently returned home from Kansas City with their title belts in the 14- and 13-year-old divisions.
At the top of the stairs leading to the boxing room, a striking piece of artwork designed by a group of students from Roosevelt and Vashon high schools greeted the athletes and coaches Ben Stewart and Willie Temple.
The ceramic and wood piece included a painted trainer wearing a stoic expression, standing with his arms crossed as a fighter celebrated with his gloves high above his head.
A phoenix rose behind the victor, suggesting a link between the ashes below the ring and the heights that can be reached in a sport that has provided salvation for those talented and fortunate enough to transcend their circumstances.
Parchmon has been boxing for just a year and a half, but the 95-pound right-hander has an understanding of pugilistic history, citing Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali as his favorites.
The South Side resident is a student at Blow Middle School and told me that watching boxing on TV motivated him to walk into the gym to try it out. He has dreams of turning pro, but for now he continues to learn as he logs rounds in the gym.
Otis Brown Jr. has been in the game twice as long as Parchmon, and as he prepares to start his freshman year at Lafayette, the recent champion at 165-pounds was savoring his latest success and looking ahead to the PAL Tournament next month in Oxnard, CA.
He too has pro aspirations, and as he starts a new chapter in his academic life, it’s clear that the discipline he shows during training will help him in the classroom as well.
The pair hopes that the work they put in during their summer vacations will help them at the PAL and at future tournaments.
Amateur calendar
The fall boxing season gets under way on Labor Day weekend as Coach Buddy Shaw and Elite Amateur Boxing present the St. Louis Crown Exhibition on Friday, September 1 at the South Broadway Athletic Club, located at 2301 S. 7th Street. General admission tickets are $10, with VIP table seats available for $20. The first bell rings at 7:30 and tickets will be available at the door or by calling 314-368-1635.
The action will continue two weeks later as Ozark Boxing presents a fight card on September 14 at 7:30 outside Al Hrabosky’s Ballpark Saloon, located next to Busch Stadium at 800 Cerre Street. Tickets are $20 and tables of up to eight are available by calling 314-892-7609 or 314-892-0442.
