A brisk drizzle did little to dampen the vibe inside the warm walls of the Marquette Recreation Center last Friday at the finals of the local leg of the Silver Gloves Tournament, an event orchestrated by Coach Winston Shaw.
The competition provides a test for aspiring fighters from ages ten to fifteen and gives local fans the chance to see future amateur and professional stars at the dawn of their careers.
Trainer Joe Dunlap from the host gym and his young charge Darren Cunningham faced 12th & Park southpaw Orlando Hill in the first contest on the bout sheet, and their performances jump started the night.
The pair carefully measured the distance between them in round one, looking for a window of critical distance that would afford them the opportunity to strike.
Hill marched resolutely across the canvas in round two and landed a crisp 1, 2 upstairs, but Cunningham responded by standing his ground. The third and final sixty-second chapter kicked off with a toe-to-toe exchange as each looked to land points and garner the favor of the officials.
The decision went to Hill in the ten to eleven-year-old, 70 lb. division, but the action played much bigger than the weight class might suggest.
Jesse Davison and the rest of the crew from Cherokee had to be pleased, not only by the performance of 75-pounder TyJuan Townsend and his decision win, but by the excellent showing of Demonte Turner and Jesse Holmes, a pair of gym mates who faced each other at 100 lbs. in the fourteen-fifteen bracket.
Turner broke ground early with a swift, pinpoint right jab and was effective landing 1, 2’s up top and lead left hands. But Holmes looked poised and determined, showing patience as he built up his own stock over the course of three tight rounds.
Holmes’ mitt was raised at the conclusion, but Cherokee had two winners after superb performances by both members of their stable.
Marquette lefty Taylor Merriweather had the full support of his rec center posse with him as he threaded himself through the ropes to challenge Garret Padroza from Knuckles.
Merriweather peeled out off the blocks early and never eased up, landing 1, 2’s with right and left hooks tacked on for insurance purposes. The boisterous crowd burst into celebration as their man’s name was called as the victor of bout five.
With so many hotly contested battles going the distance, ring girls Charmeisha Reid and Jade Woods were put through the paces, but Preston Freeman from NCAA would make their night a little easier with a dominant showing at 119.
I was around Freeman four years ago when he first gloved up and began his amateur campaign and it has been fun following his progress. He had too much seasoning on offense and defense for his opponent, but the beauty of the Silver Gloves is that regardless of whether a “W” is gained, the experience can return rewards down the road in future tournaments.
Those who prevailed on Friday now have their sights set on the state Silver’s in St. Louis on December 13 before they can have their tickets punched for the nationals Feb. 4-7 in Kansas City.
But as always, the atmosphere under the roof at Marquette last Friday made it feel like the South Side was the place to be.
Guns ‘N Hoses to honor 9
The 21st annual Budweiser “Guns ‘N Hoses” boxing tournament on Wednesday, November 26 will honor an unprecedented nine members of local police and fire departments who perished in the line of duty in 2008. The event has raised 2.3 million dollars for the BackStoppers since 1987. Tickets are available at the Scottrade Center box office or by calling (314) 444-5832.
Also, a special pep rally will be held Thursday, November 20 at Al Hrabosky’s Ball Park Saloon near Busch Stadium. The free event starts at 7 pm, and will feature a “meet and greet” with the fighters and include ticket give-aways and attendance prizes.