Bengal Bouts — 150-160 Pounds: Vargas tops Arevalo in closely fought split decision
By LUKE BUSAM
Sports Writer
Juan Diego Vargas won a split decision over Steven Arevalo in an excellent fight that couldn't have been closer. The mutual respect each fighter had for the other was obvious as both were hesitant to initiate contact. Vargas charged often throughout the first round, and the exchanges caused significant contact for each boxer.
Midway through the first round, both boxers found themselves tied up in the ropes after a charge by Vargas. Round two began with an impressive flurry of 10 seconds of continuous punching. Arevalo was the aggressor in round two, but every time he attacked he was met with a lot of leather from Vargas. Forty seconds into the third round, Arevalo scored a standing eight-count on Vargas with a strong left that caught Vargas off balance.
In spite of the eight-count Vargas still secured a victory.
Rogers def. Cardillo
Ryan Rogers' control of the ring secured him a unanimous decision over Craig Cardillo. The match began with few exchanges as Rogers successfully used his jab to keep the advancing Cardillo at bay.
Early in round two Rogers forced Cardillo to the ropes. Rogers held the ring well throughout the round and his single jabs were successful. Cardillo began the third round aggressively, forcing Rogers to the ropes. The final round was Cardillo's strongest, but the dominating jabs of Rogers were too much to overcome.
Gasser def. Gorynski
Brendan Gasser held off the aggressive advances of Bobby Gorynski to earn a unanimous decision victory. Goyrnski was forced to circle Gasser throughout round one as Gasser's jabs found their way through several times.
In clinches, Gasser was excellent as he attacked Goynski's body with a number of hooks. A number of strong one-twos by Gasser began the second round. Gorynski forced Gasser to the ropes in the middle of the second and was effective with his advances. Both boxers fell to the mat with 15 seconds left in round two after an off balance clinch initiated by Gasser.
Gorynski fought well in round three when he moved forward, but Gasser refused to move from the center of the ring, using his jab to keep Gorynski back. The unanimous decision came shortly after a good exchange that closed the third round.
Lohmeyer def. Heaton
Lohmeyer enjoyed the shortest fight of the day as his fight against Chase Heaton was called 15 seconds into the first round due to an injury to Heaton's right shoulder. Lohmeyer had a number of good one-twos in the first 15 seconds and will be fresh for his fight against Gasser Wednesday.
155-pound class
Kerrigan def. Melby
Colin Kerrigan slipped under the long arms of Mike Melby and earned a split decision victory over the 155-pound No. 1 seed.
Kerrigan was aggressive and closed hard in the first round as he got under Melby's jabs. He landed a number of body shots and used his lead hook to the body well to neutralize the taller fighter's jab. Melby's jab found its target more often in round two, but he continued to take the hooks of the slipping Kerrigan.
Round three produced more punches from each fighter and Melby's jab was a bigger factor. A series of hard shots upstairs prompted a standing eight-count on Kerrigan to end the match. Melby improved throughout the fight, but Kerrigan's consistent low hooks were the deciding factor.
Loughrey def. Basola
Galen Loughrey looked strong in his split decision win over Mark Basola. Loughrey moved well, closed hard and got out quickly throughout the first round, scoring a number of times to Basola's body.
Basola's jabs found only the protective left glove of Loughrey throughout the second round as Loughrey slipped with textbook form and delivered a number of straight rights to Basola's midsection. In round three Basola continued to deliver jabs upstairs, but was unable to consistently break through Loughrey's excellent defense. However a small cut was visible over the left eye of Loughrey as his split decision victory was announced.
Keppel def. Peters
Steve Keppel won a unanimous decision victory over Michael Peters in a fight that found both fighters often on the ropes and at times tangled in them. Keppel began the match aggressively, sending Peters to the corner three separate times.
Peters backpedaled often throughout round one and found his back against the ropes more than once. In round two Peters looked good and he constantly replied to Keppel's advances. Both fighters threw and took a lot of leather in the second round. Keppel found himself in the corner twice late in the round, once after a push from Peters with ten seconds left. Both fighters were tangled in the gold corner to start round three after a solid exchange.
Keppel's punches were straighter and more successful throughout the final round, securing him the unanimous decision victory.
Schaefer def. Arnold
Greg Schaefer overcame a fair amount of bleeding and a late aggressive push by Cliff Arnold to win a split decision victory. Schaefer looked strong in the first round as he sent Arnold to the mat with a hard, straight right 40 seconds in. Arnold was backed to the ropes early in round two and Schaefer snuck in a number of upstairs jabs to dominate the round.
Each fighter came out strong in round three and Arnold forced a bleeding Schaefer to the corner with a series of high one-twos. Schaefer's blood flew from the ring before a stop to clean him up with 29 seconds left in the third. Arnold's comeback ended as Schaefer landed an impressive shot to his opponent's head and earned a standing eight-count to end the final round and secure his victory.
160-pound class
Desplinter def. Tschanz
Mark Desplinter's straight left jabs earned his a unanimous decision victory over Steve Tschanz. Desplinter earned two standing eight-counts on Tschanz in the second round. Both eight-counts came after impressive rights by Desplinter, the first following a jab and the second as a lead to end the second round.
In round three Desplinter's one-twos were solid and nearly always found their target. Tschanz did not lose quietly as he landed a strong right hand to Desplinter's head that dropped him to the mat to end the match. Desplinter's early rounds were strong enough to earn him a unanimous decision in spite of the late knockdown.
Philip def. McCarthy
Bill Philip won a close split decision over Kevin McCarthy in this battle of evenly- matched boxers. A number of high solid exchanges by both fighters dominated the first round. McCarthy was forced to the corner by a number of strong one-twos by Philip to end the round. McCarthy began round two with a tough flurry of punches and moved Phillip to the ropes 40 seconds into the round. It was a close round, but Phillip was a bit more aggressive.
McCarthy clinched a number of times in the final round, but was unable to hold off the final aggressive burst of Phillip which ended the round and persuaded the judges to declare him the winner.
Enterline def. White
A strong third round by Enterline won him a split decision over Todd White. Both fighters traded blows early in round one and Enterline was forced to the blue corner then yellow midway through. Round two began as a brawl and both fighters' forms suffered a bit. A number of clinches and wild exchanges marked the round. Enterline did find success with his jab late in the second.
The third round began and ended with Enterline's jab finding its mark. Enterline was more aggressive in the final round and near the end of the match, dislodged White's mouth guard with a number of strong one-twos to White's head that forced White to the ropes.
Pierce def. Shallcross
Senior captain Tom Pierce's first fight after spending last spring in London was a quick one as his match with Jesse Shallcross ended 1:28 into round one. Pierce began with a hard one-one-two combo that sent Shallcross to the ropes 15 seconds into the round. Shallcross was forced to the ropes again at 40 seconds in and a final time 1:15 into the fight. Pierce forced Shallcross to the gold corner with upstairs punches and held him there with a series of hooks to the body. A strong right hook doubled up Shallcross and the match was called with two seconds left in the first round. Pierce will fight Enterline on Wednesday.
All Sports Stories for Monday, February 24, 2003
