2007 Rocky Mountain Golden Gloves Champion

I just got back from Pocatello, Idaho and the Rocky Mountain Golden Gloves. It was a very eventful weekend. Wyoming brought 6 State Champs to the tournament to face off against the State Champions from Idaho, Montana, and Utah. The first night we had two of our six get eliminated from the tournament in close bouts, both of the losses were by 3-2 split decisions. Willie Padilla and I both made it through the first round and onto the championships. However, the championship night was even harder on the Wyoming boxers. At 119 lbs we lost a tough decision to a boxer from Utah. A few bouts later we lost a heartbreaker when our 152 lbs boxer was disqualified for improper use of Vaseline. Apparently the only area that Vaseline is allowed is on the eyebrows and on the cheek bones. In between the 3rd and 4th rounds Vaseline was applied to the boxer’s nose to stop the bleeding which resulted in the disqualification. The Wyoming boxer was ahead on all score cards at that time which added to the frustration. In the heavy weight division the Wyoming boxer was stopped when his left shoulder popped out of socket. I was the only boxer able to gain a victory on championship night. I will now go to the National Golden Gloves Tournament to (hopefully) bring the 178 lbs (Light Heavyweight) championship to Wyoming, along with a bid to the Olympic Trials. The winners of the National Golden Gloves Tournaments earn an automatic bid to the quarterfinals at USA Nationals and a spot at the Olympic Trials. This would be a great accomplishment, and I’ve started to increase my training to ensure I’m ready for the challenge! Please keep me in your prayers as I prepare for this tournament and the challenges that are ahead of me.

A Needed Update

I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to post an update, but things have been hectic! I had a second bout against the guy from Montana a couple of weeks ago. It didn’t go as well as I had planned, but I still came away with a victory. The second bout proved that I’m not in the shape that I thought I was, so I’ve increased my cardio workouts to ensure that I’m ready for the next tournament I have coming up.
We had a boxing show at FE Warren last weekend. We had billed it as the “Western Air Force Boxing Show,” because we had planned on having boxers from multiple western AF bases attend, but when show time came we only had one boxer from outside of Warren participate. I think it was still a great show and I’ve heard nothing but compliments from those that attended, but I think a lot of people were disappointed that we didn’t have more bases participate. Luckily, we had the Cheyenne Boxing Club hold some sparring sessions to add some substance to the bout card. I’m really happy that we have such a good relationship with the downtown team; I hope we can continue to work together and increase community involvement with the boxing programs of Wyoming. Hopefully the base can get a much larger show together for sometime this year with more outside participation and the Cheyenne Boxing Club can participate in that as well.
I went down to Colorado Springs this week to see my family and workout with the Air Force Academy Boxing Team. They are preparing for the Collegiate National Tournament next weekend. Coach Weichers was gracious enough to allow me to spar with some of his boxers and he also invited some boxers from a local team. It was a great experience and I think it will help me get ready for Rocky Mountain Regional Golden Gloves, which will be held next weekend. I also had the opportunity to go to my old high school to speak with some of the JROTC classes they have and to catch up with some of my old teachers. It was great talking with the kids that will shape our future and with teachers that have shaped our present and will continue influencing the minds of tomorrow. It was also nice to run into old friends; two people that I went to school with are now teaching at our old high school. It is great to see peers give back to the community.
Hopefully it won’t take too long to post another update; I promise I’ll have one soon after my return from the Rocky Mountain Regional Golden Gloves tournament next weekend.