(APR 8)  Day 1 of the 84th Daily News Golden Gloves finals was held before a near capacity crowd at the Theater at Madison Square Garden. Two bouts, the 176-pound Women’s Final and the 176+ Pound Women’s Final, were held on March 25th. Both winning boxers were ceremoniously issued their golden glove necklace before the night’s festivities were initiated.

Each below bout was four rounds of two minute duration.

176 lb:
Alicia Napoleon (Mendez Boxing) over Zoe Bennett (Far Rockaway BC) decision

176+ lb:
Naralie Pacheco (Juan LaPorte BC) over Shanell Mathes (K-2 Boxing)  • Previous winners: 2010- Shanell Mathes, 2009- Sonya Lamonakis

106 lb:
Brittany Delgado (Veterans Memorial) decisions Natalie Gonzalez (Main St. BC)

The 106-pound women’s final was the first bout scheduled, but this fist-flying affair should have been the main event. Natalie Gonzalez, New Rochelle, started fast with combination punching off of Delgado misses. Brittany Delgado started slowly and struggled to find her range during the first round. She enjoyed better success in the second and fourth as she was successful in cutting off Gonzalez’s movement causing her to exchange along the ropes and in the corners. In the middle of the ring, Gonzalez had more success. In the end, the judges awarded it to Delgado, but the decision was in doubt until the announcement.   • Previous winners: 2010- Laura Ramirez 2009- Ruth O’Sullivan

119 lb:
Misato Kamegawa (Atlas Cops N Kids) decisions Lindsay Tolpa (Main St. BC)
The night’s second bout featured two boxers with contrasting styles. Lindsay Tolpa, with an aggressive straight-line attack, tried with earnest, to force her opponent, Misato Kamegawa, into close-range exchanges, but enjoyed only spotty success. Kamegawa countered Tolpa with three punch combinations and efficiently evaded any return by Tolpa with lateral movement. Tolpa had her best round in the second when she held battle at close quarters and finished the round strongly. Kamegawa won the others and gained the nod from the judges.
• Previous winners: 2010, 2009- Christina Cruz

165 lb:
Christina Jensen (Veteran’s Memorial) decisions Jennifer Egan (Gleason’s Gym)
In a match featuring the two previous winners in the 165-pound weight class, Christina Jensen, the 2009 and 2008 winner, defeated the 2010 winner, Jennifer Egan via decision in an exciting four. Similar to the 119-pound final, one boxer sought after close range exchanges whereas the other wanted a long range boxing match. This time, the in-fighter won out. Christina Jensen won her third 165-pound title in four years by frequently slipping inside Egan’s range and landing heavy punches to the body and head. Egan had her moments on the outside and caught her overzealous opponent with heavy jabs and occasional right uppercuts. The final decision was awarded to Jensen, but the bout was very close.  • Previous winners: 2010- Jennifer Egan, 2009- Christina Jensen

132 lb:
Bertha Aracil (Atlas Cops N Kids) decisions Camille Currie (Gleason’s Gym)
A star is born! Bertha Aracil, a very smooth operator in the ring, combined speed, timing, and an extreme sense of range into an impressive winning effort against the skilled and experienced, Camille Currie. Both fighters are similar in style, but Aracil had a significant length advantage and she knew how to employ this trait. After a rather convincing first round by Bertha Aracil, Currie increased the pressure in round #2, but enjoyed only limited success in that round and the remainder of the bout. There was little doubt when the decision was awarded to Bertha Aracil.

Bertha Aracil displayed excellent ring generalship employing all of the above along with subtle boxing skills that are only learned from superb teaching such as feinting, drawing, and turning an opponent into punches. She is 28 years of age, but I think her boxing career will be bright. She has a textbook amateur style.  • Previous winners: 2010,2009- Julie Anne Kelly

125 lb:
Sylvia Yero (Willis Ave BC) decisions Heather Hardy (Gleason’s Gym)

Sylvia Yero, 18 years of age, looked like a hurricane for the first round in a half before her conditioning was challenged which allowed Heather Hardy to maul her way back into the fight with a very effective right cross. Hardy appeared to change tactics after a tough first round that witnessed Yero hit her flush with numerous multi-punch combinations. Hardy appeared to feint and follow Yero closing the gap in Yero’s ambushing style disallowing her long-range position. This maneuver achieved success during the second and third rounds which witnessed Yero troubled on occasion by Hardy’s right cross. Yero overcame fatigue and landed well in the fourth and final round, but did absorb a fair share of punishment herself. The decision was awarded to Sylvia Yero, most likely due to her success in rounds one and four, but Hardy had a shot and the crowd knew it.
Previous winners: 2010- Jody-Ann Weller 2009- Melissa Roberts

Mark A. Jones
boxingjones@gmail.com