Western New England dominated the open class finals of the New England Tournament of Champions, part of the 70th annual Lowell Sun Charities Golden Gloves Championship, winning seven of 10 matches last night at historic Lowell Memorial Auditorium.
The eight men’s individual open class winners earned spots on Team New England for the 2016 National Golden Gloves Championships, May 16-21, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Team New England includes two of the top ranked boxers in the country, light heavyweight Elvis Figueroa and light welterweight Jaime Ortiz Rodriguez (repeat NE champion), both members of N.E. open class team champion from Western NE. Burlington, MA featherweight Amanda Pavone captured her sixth NE. title.
“In the last 10 years,” explained New England Golden Gloves Executive Director Bobby Russo, “we hadn’t been on a good run. Attendance dropped off a little each year. Last year’s horrible weather killed us. This year, though, the excitement was back and attendance was up 30-percent. There was a younger crowd and many novice boxers had good fan bases, which we need to build up every year. We had a lot of good fights and good boxers this year. Boxing is back in Lowell! We had a great season.
“Team New England will be very strong. We have a young team but many of these boxers have a lot of invaluable experience from Junior Olympics competition, from heavyweight on down. I think we have an impressive team that will do very well at The Nationals this year.”
Team champions were Western N.E. in the open class, Central N.E. in the novice class.
Three New England novice champions were also crowned last night. See complete results below as well as more pictures.
Proceeds from the Lowell Sun Charities Golden Gloves Championship go towards sending the New England Golden Gloves champions to the National Golden Gloves Championship, in addition to supporting local athletes and area gyms, the Boys & Girls Club, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, cancer funds, scholarships and many other great charitable causes.
NEW ENGLAND TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS FINALS RESULTS
(winners listed first)
OPEN CLASS
BANTAMWEIGHTS (114 lbs.)
James Aquino, Meriden, CT (WNE)
WDEC3 (5-0)
Joe Ferrer, New Bedford, MA (SNE)
FEATHERWEIGHTS (123 lbs.)
Jacob Marrero, Bridgeport, CT (WNE)
WDEC3 (5-0)
Gabriel Morales, Portland, ME (NNE)
FEMALE FEATHERWEIGHTS (125.lbs.)
Amanda Pavone, Burlington, MA (CNE)
WDEC4 (5-0)
Eydir Lima, Worcester, MA (WNE)
LIGHTWEIGHTS (132 lbs.)
Anuel Rosa-Lopez, New Haven, CT (WNE)
WDEC3 (5-0)
Marcelino Debarros, North Providence, RI
LIGHT WELTERWEIGHTS (141 lbs.)
Jaime Ortiz Rodriguez, Worcester, MA (WNE)
WDEC3 (5-0)
Abraham Nova, Brookline, MA (CNE)
FEMALE LIGHT WELTERWEIGHTS (141 lbs.)
Lindsay Kyajohnia, Westrook, ME (NNE)
Walkover
Meisha Tuitt, Springfield, MA (WNE)
WELTERWEIGHTS (152 lbs.)
Anthony Laureano, East Hartford, CT (WNE)
WDEC (4-1)
Joseph Muese, Millis, MA (CNE)
MIDDLEWEIGHTS (165 lbs.)
Victor Reynoso, Providence, RI (SNE)
WDEC3 (5-0)
Jalen Renaud, Springfield, MA (WNE)
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHTS (178 lbs.)
Elvis Figueroa, New Haven, CT (WNE)
WDEC3 (5-0)
Henry Ventura, North Dartmouth, MA (SNE)
HEAVYWEIGHTS (201 lbs.)
Derek Edmonds, Worcester, MA (WNE)
WDEC3 (4-1)
Jesus Flores, Methuen, MA (CNE)
NOVICE CLASS
FEMALE BANTAMWEIGHTS (112 lbs.)
Alissa Dias, Boston, MA (CNE)
WRSC1 (1:27)
Rachel Albino, Woodbury, CT (WNE)
FEMALE FEATHERWEIGHTS (125 lbs.)
Katherine Parker, Suitate, RI (SNE)
WRSC1 (0:21)
Sierra Hoey, Danielson, CT (WNE)
LIGHT WELTERWEIGHTS (141 lbs.)
Nathan Rosa, Lowell, MA (CNE)
WDEC3 (5-0)
Jose Masonet, Hartford, CT (WNE)
_______________________________________________________________________
NNE – Northern New England (Burlington, VT)
CNE – Central New England (Lowell, MA)
WNE – Western New England (Holyoke, MA)
SNE – Southern New England (Fall River, MA)
Thomas Costello Memorial Award Most Outstanding Boxer – Open Class: Jaime Ortiz Rodriguez
Luis Ayala Memorial Award Most Outstanding Boxer – Novice Class: (L-R) – Gabriel Morales & Bobby Russo
2016 Rocky Marciano Memorial Award – New England Heavyweight Champion: Demek Edmonds
