Bengal Bouts 180-pounds - Heavyweights: Criniti awaits opponent
By: MIKE CONNOLLY
Sports Writer
Two-time champion Mark Criniti received the only bye in the 180-pound weight division and will watch Friday as 14 other fighters battle for a spot to join him in the quarterfinals.
Criniti will use his extra night off to evaluate potential opponents but he already knows there are several fighters who could take his title from him.
"There are probably a group of four or five boxers that I would say are real solid boxers," he said.
In the top part of the bracket, Keith "The Little Ball of Love" Arnold could pose the biggest challenge. The senior is a seasoned veteran of the bouts and made it to the semifinals last year.
"He's won a few fights," Criniti said. "I see him as being a tough competitor."
Arnold will face Cimarron "Wild Thing" Gilson in the first round.
The winner of the Arnold-Gilson fight will await the winner of Kevin "Big Tank" Conoscenti and John "The Brick House" Wahoske.
Conoscent, a first time fighter, hopes to use his reach to keep the more experienced Wahoske away.
"I am taller than most people so I just want to keep using my jab," he said.
Alex Wood will face Eric "Crash Test" Callahan in the other preliminary fight in the top half of the 180-pound bracket. The winner of that fight will face Criniti.
Matt Sarb, a walk-on football player, is one of the favorites to emerge from the bottom half of the bracket, according to Criniti. Sarb will face law student Eric Goulet in the first round.
Freshman Jim "Spicy Chicken Combo" Christoforetti faces Chris "The Sweet Scientist" Pearsall in a battle of youth against experience. Christoforetti comes from a good pedigree his brother was a three-time champion but Pearsall has fought in the Bouts before. The winner will face either Sarb or Goulet
Doug "As I Dug Your Grave" Lawrence battle law student Justin "Avarice" Alvarez in the first round. The winner will face either John "Shake Ġn" Baker or Tommy "Gun" Demko.
190-pounds
Every fighter in the 190-pound weight division will need to win four bouts to be declared champion as no one gets a bye.
John Lynk faces Shane "The Man in the Black Pajamas" Cooper in the first round. Lynk was a semifinalist in 2001.
The winner of that bout will meet either Patrick "Soul Pole" Otlewski or Douglas "Landon the Lugan" Pope in the second round.
Fights between Jason "Willie Hayes" Mayes and Larry "The Anchor Yanker" Rooney and Alexander "Tell Your Girlfriend Not To Call Me" Menze and William Zizic round out the top bracket of the 190-pound weight class.
Kevin "Hardcore" Bradl may be the favorite to come out of the bottom bracket. He was a finalist as a sophomore before losing in the semifinals as a junior. He will face Tony Mirabile in the first round.
The winner of that fight awaits the winner of John "Your Favorite Flavor" Caver and Eddy "I'm Not For Play, Only For Show" Vulin. Vulin is a first time qualifier while Caver lost to eventual champion Josh Thompson in the quarterfinals last year.
Law student Jeremy Gayed fights junior Jose "El Pepe" Ronchetta for the right to battle either Rick Hasty or Joshua "Da Flyin' Hawaiian" Kaakua in the quarterfinals.
Heavyweights
Knute Rockne started the Bengal Bouts in the 1920s in part to keep football players in shape in the off season. The heavyweight quarterfinals, which will be fought on Sunday, feature two senior walk-on football players Eric Nelson and Jeffrey Campbell.
Campbell will fight Herrity while Nelson battles Hinchman.
All Sports Stories for Friday, February 22, 2002
