Twenty-five win KO titles

By Greg Gulas

Fitch’s Tyler Smith, Western Reserve’s Eddie Crump and Campbell’s Darian Rivera went 4-0.

YOUNGSTOWN — Twenty-five champions were crowned at the final night of the K.O. Drugs High School Boxing Tournament Friday night at the ITAM Banquet Center.

Nine fighters entered the night looking to earn their fourth win and in the process, a championship belt. While all three underclass division entries kept their slate unblemished, just half of the six fighters in upperclass action could do the same.

In the underclass division, four-time tournament winners were Tyler Smith of Fitch, Eddie Crump of Western Reserve and Darian Rivera of Campbell.

Smith won a split decision over Hayes’ Jaleel Lewis for the second time in the tournament as he captured the flyweight title.

“He [Lewis] just kept coming at me the entire fight,” said Smith. “In fact, I thought he had me in the first round but I was able to box my way out of trouble. No question he was my toughest opponent in the tournament.”

Crump, who won the light heavyweight title by defeating East’s Tyruss Patterson, was the first fighter in the tournament to extend Patterson beyond the first round.

“I’m not going to lie; he [Patterson] really hit me hard,” said Crump. “When he started getting tired in the first-round, however, I was able to attack him with a couple of jabs and then when he dropped his head, I connected with uppercuts.”

Rivera, who moved to 7-0 the past two years in the tourney, felt his opponent, Ali Abou-Osman of Canfield was much improved from his first bout with him in the opening week of competition.

“The first time around he [Abou-Osman] swung like an animal but tonight was a boxer,” said Rivera. “I was really fortunate to land my jabs and uppercuts tonight.”

Winning their fourth consecutive outings in the upperclass division were Julius Thomas of Chaney, who won the welterweight championship with a unanimous decision over home schooled Kerstin Smith; Jamil Wilkins of East, who beat another undefeated, Dave Murphy of Sharon for the heavyweight crown, and Jake Hochendoner of Poland, who defeated Struthers’ Sam Valiquette for the super heavyweight belt.

Denied in their bid for a fourth win were Sharpsville’s Shane Middendorf, who was bested by Fitch’s Ramon Judkins for the super featherweight belt, and Fitch’s Jordan Johnson, who suffered his first loss in two years when Hubbard’s Miles Williams scored a split decision to win the lightweight crown.

Andrew Fricker of Girard, a member of Lou O’Neill’s Team Girard Boxing Club, won his third bout (this time by default) to become a two-time champion, having returned after a year’s absence to win the middleweight crown.

He won the junior middleweight title in 2006.

Named “Most Promising Boxer” were Chaney’s Matt Cardona in the underclass division and Thomas in the upperclass division.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Sammy Calderon, owner and head trainer of the West Side United City Boxing Club, who has served as physician room coordinator for the past 10 years of the tournament.

“The important thing about this year’s tourney is that we had plenty of action each and every night and for the 20th year, walked away with no serious injuries,” said Chuck Nelson, the tournament founder and director.

“Each contestant gave it their all and the enthusiastic support of the community echoed the fighters’ ring activity,” Chuck Nelson, tourney director and founder said.

“Everyone, boys and girls alike fought their hearts out with the hopes of walking off with a championship belt. Regardless of the outcome, however, all entries remain winners in our eyes,” he added.