Correction: The names Aanye Anderson, Carlos Cienfuegos, Mark Calo-oy and Macias Boxing Academy were incorrectly spelled in the story.
Kinesiology freshman Andrew Moncada lands a punch on pre-nursing sophomore Angel Robledo in the second bout of the 10-bout, Olympic-style boxing showcase Oct. 17 during the SACtacular block party in the mall south of Loftin. Robledo won the match after three rounds. Photo by E. David Guel
Biology freshman Jessica Ramirez catches Marie Sullins, radio-television-broadcasting sophomore, on the chin in the fifth bout of the 10-bout, Olympic-style boxing showcase. Ramirez won the match after three rounds. Photo by E. David Guel
Boxing club members perform in a sanctioned USA Boxing event during SACtacular
By Kyle R. Cotton
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
More than 100 people gathered Oct. 17 for this college’s boxing club’s showcase at SACtacular.
The night began with USA Boxing official Mark Call-oy introducing Hector Tanajara and Joshua Franco, two San Antonio natives who recently represented the U.S., winning gold in Serbia and Poland, respectively, with Franco being named outstanding boxer in the 2014 Leszek Drogosz Memorial Tournment in Kielce, Poland.
For many of the fighters, this was their very first sanctioned fight, and also their first with a large crowd as the club’s previous events had been held between 11 a.m.- 2 p.m.
English freshman Jason Velasquez blocks a punch from architecture freshman Josue Gallardo in the fourth bout of the 10-bout, Olympic-style boxing showcase. Velasquez won the match after three rounds. Photo by E. David Guel
“The move was decided as a way to draw a bigger audience,” club coach Hector Ramos said.
Nerves were apparent for many of the young fighters.
“I’m very nervous. I’ve been nervous for about a week,” nursing sophomore Aanya Anderson said.
Ramos said, “I told them to stay calm, focus on the fight and just go out there and have fun.”
Business sophomore Daniel Vasquez was one of the more experienced fighters at three wins, no losses and one knockout.
“A lot of people have first fight jitters, so when they get in the ring, they go head hunting trying to get the knockout, not realizing they should be fighting the judges,” he said.
With only three one-minute rounds for the 10 fights sanctioned by both USA Boxing and the South Texas Amateur Boxing Association, “going for the knockout could lead to fighters tiring out early,” Vasquez said.
The first bout was between Adrian Guzman, English freshman, and Diego Maldonado, radio-TV-broadcasting freshman.
Despite Maldonado’s reach, Guzman overwhelmed his opponent early and often as the fight had to be stopped multiple times because Maldonado wasn’t defending himself. Guzman won by technical knockout midway through the third round.
In the fifth bout, the second for women, biology freshman Jessica Ramirez defeated radio-TV-broadcasting sophomore Marie Sullins, who controlled the bout. But due to poor technique and multiple warnings for pushing and not backing off when told by the official, Ramirez won by decision.
In the ninth bout, architecture freshman Israel Aleazar gave his all against nursing freshman Thomas Garcia.
But Garcia took control of the match, knocking a gassed Aleazar down three times in the second round before the end of the round when Garcia was declared the winner by a technical knockout.
The tenth and final bout of the night was the only one not completely composed of fighters from this college. This college’s own Vasquez fought amateur boxer Dominique Morgan from Austin Community College, representing the Marcias Boxing Academy in Pflugerville.
Ramos said Vasquez did not know who he would face until the day of the fight.
“It was a way for me to calm the other fighters’ nerves,” Ramos said. If Vasquez, one of the team’s more experienced boxers, didn’t seem nervous, then other fighters should follow his example, Ramos reasoned.
In the first round, Vasquez was cautious, taking it one punch at a time while Morgan was more aggressive. In the second round, Vasquez settled in and started scoring blows with much more efficiency.
However, when the final bell rang at the end of the third round, the judges declared Morgan the winner by split decision after a back-and-forth fight that had the crowd on the edge of its seat.
“It’s a big step toward their boxing goals,” Ramos said of the boxers’ experience, whether that be Golden Gloves, Olympics or professional.
In the second bout Angel Robledo, nursing sophomore defeated kinesiology freshman Andrew Morcoda by decision.
In the third and the first women’s bout Alexa Banda, criminal justice freshman defeated biology freshman Kaitlin Ware by decision.
In the fourth bout English freshman Jason Velasquez defeated architecture freshman Josue Baeza Gallardo.
Sixth bout had geology sophomore Carlos Cien Fuegos fought philosophy sophomore Eric Price in a back and forth fight that ended in a 2-1 decision in favor of Fuegos.
In the seventh bout and the final women’s bout of the night criminal justice freshman, Vanessa Ruiz Balandos defeated Aayna Anderson by decision
The eighth bout had criminal justice freshman Jose Rodriguez defeating drama sophomore Dennis Salazar convincingly with a technical knockout mid-way through the second round.
For more information about this college’s boxing club, visit student life in Room 260 of Loftin Student Center or call 210-486-0125.
