I’ve long held the belief that if you’re a “true� sports fan, then you love boxing. I often tell the story of the 5-month period in my career when I had the opportunity to take in the Patriots “Snow Bowl� victory over the Raiders, the Super Bowl triumph over the Rams, the Celtics 20-point 4th Quarter comeback in the Eastern Conference finals against New Jersey, and Micky Ward’s classic first fight against Arturo Gatti. And I will tell you without a doubt, the most exciting event of them all was the prize fight.
There’s just something about the atmosphere at a boxing match, an electricity that fills the air and sweeps you up in it. You know the old rule about no cheering in the press box? Forget it! I lost my voice that night, and never really took my seat from the 5th round on. I wasn’t alone. Almost everyone in press row was standing and cheering, and still others ran around high-fiving each other after the magical 9th round.
So it’s with great excitement that I approach my latest project; opening night at the 60th annual Golden Gloves at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium. I know there aren’t any titles at stake, no Hollywood celebrities or pro athletes in the crowd, and seeing as all fights will feature novices, probably not any great fighters either. None of that matters. This is boxing, and whenever two fighters step in the ring, anything can happen. And as a true sports fan, my heart is beating just a tad bit faster on this evening.
7:15 The walk over to the Auditorium serves as a reminder of boxing's blue collar nature. Old timers will tell you about the days when fight fans showed up in their Sunday best, and a night at the Gloves was a night on the town. That’s not the case any longer, the casual dress code a reminder that boxing is the ultimate working man's sports sport and Lowell a working man's town.
7:42 The first hoots and whistles of the evening are heard as Meghan and Amanda Tenorello of Hudson, New Hampshire are introduced and brought into the ring. No, they’re not fighting. They’re just singing the national anthem. This isn’t the opera folks, it’s a fight crowd.
7:45 Opening bell rings for the night’s first fight, a Novice bout scheduled for three 2-minute rounds. Lots of local interest in this one as Billerica’s Joe Guirleo battles Rick Nolette, trained by Lowell’s favorite son, Micky Ward. Nolette also happens to be Micky’s brother in law.
7:49 First blood drawn comes from the nose of Nolette in Round 2, a round dominated by Giurleo.
7:51 From just above me, Ward can be heard imploring his fighter to please throw punches and work the body. The exact words aren’t that polite, but this is a family blog, you know.
7:55 The decision is announced, a unanimous victory for Giurleo. For tonight anyway, Micky’s ring success hasn’t translated to his corner. He’ll get another shot as Nolette’s brother Rob, who drew a bye on this night, is scheduled to fight next Tuesday..
7:58 Fight #2 features another local, Tewksbury’s Joe Coakley taking on Carlos DaSilva.
8:03 DaSilva has Coakley cornered and unloads a barrage of punches, leading to a standing 8-count. DaSilva eventually goes on to win a decision over the highly touted Coakley.
8:26 Biggest punch of the evening, up to this point, is thrown by Worcester’s Jonathan Rosado (above), a vicious hook flush to the face of Woburn’s Ryan McManus, who’s fighting out of the West End Gym. McManus, proudly carrying on the fine Irish fighter tradition of bleeding from both sides of his face, is still throwing haymaker for haymaker with his more skilled opponent. Micky would be proud!
8:30 That’s enough. Referee Michael Ryan stops the bout at 1:07 of the 3rd round. Still the most entertaining fight of the night so far.
8:40 About an hour into the festivities it’s clear times have changed. Literally clear. As in you can see faces in the back rows as opposed to clouds of smoke that used to hover around the Auditorium before the smoking laws went into effect. True, perhaps we may all live a bit longer because of it, but something seems to be missing from the atmosphere.
9:08 Aaahhhh! That’s more like it! The first punch induced glob of sweat and saliva lands perilously close to my laptop. Hey, no one said this job wasn't without its dangers. (wink, wink)
9:20 During intermission, George Hamel, an assistant to the Tournament Director stops by for a chat. Organizers are pleased with the 1,900 ticket gate and the relatively uneventful evening. A far cry from the night they towed 13-cars for illegal parking, many of them police cruisers. But his favorite memory is when Doug Flutie showed up in cap and glasses and Hamel, not recognizing the local icon, wouldn’t let him in without a ticket.
9:44 The 9th fight of the card produces the first knockout of the night. Don Jamaal Maddox floors Vincent Cooper and the ref stops the fight just 29-seconds into the first round. Maddox proceeds to bow to the crowd and jump around like he just won an Olympic medal. Nothing like the thrill of victory!
10:01 A disappointing evening for the hometown contingent finally takes a turn for the better. Tom Ignacio of the West End Gym dominates an overmatched Chris Bullock, winning a unanimous decision (above) and drawing huge cheers from the locals.
10:12 The final bell of the evening sounds and people begin making their way to the exits.
Tonight’s combatants were novices in every sense of the word, but that doesn’t mean the competition was any less intense. You see, that’s the great thing about boxing. Remove the politics and underhandedness of the big money fights, and what you have is sport in its purest, most savage form; two people in the ring, in the bright lights, with nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no way to fool anyone. It’s hit or be hit, and that’s what makes Golden Gloves boxing a hit for any sports fan.
