In an exhibition match Ernie Garza & Merrill Martinez
MyBayCity Photos By Julie McCallum
Birch Run Expo Center Holds East Michigan Golden Gloves Championships
Golden Gloves Tournament Provided Boxing Fans With Fast & Furious Action
March 29, 2009
1 Comments
By: Julie McCallum, Entertainment Editor
It was Fast and Furious! It was The Golden Gloves Finals held on Saturday, March 28, 2009 at the Birch Run Expo Center.
(Preliminaries for this event were held on March 12 and Semi-finals on March 19, 2009.)
16 bouts were on the fight card including one walk-over, (Jake Morse Over Salvadore Rosalez)

Gary Richards, President of the Michigan Association of USA boxing said, "As for our
team going to the State Championships, we should have a good/competitive
team in regard to those going." "Number wise, we'll be down due to those who,
for whatever reason, dropped out of our tournament."
Richards continued, "We'll have many weight
classes with only one (1) representative instead of two (2). (for the State Championships the Champion and Runner-Up are eligible
to compete at the state level.)
Richard explained. "This process was put into place in
1991 after our District Tournaments went from four (4) to two (2) Districts.
This was due to the decline in the number of participants. Until 1991 we
had the Saginaw/Bay City, Flint, Lansing and Grand Rapids Districts. Back
then only the winners advanced to the State Championships in both the Novice
and Open Divisions."
Bay City Boxers from A.B.A.A. attending the State Championships in Wyoming, Michigan are Merrill Martinez, Fabian Ramierz and Matt Maciag to represent the Open 201+ division Eastern Michigan.
Video By Julie McCallum
(Above Video) The main event of the night, feather-weight bout was Ernesto Garza of Saginaw and Merrill Martinez of A.B.A.A. Bay City. Garza defeated Martinez in a 3-0 decision. Both uncontested champions move forward to the State Championships held on April 17 and 18, 2009 at the Grand Valley National Guard Armory in Wyoming, MI.
These two fighters are no strangers as they have fought before and spar together regularly. Martinez is the 2008 132 lb. Novice State Champion. This is Martinez's second year in fighting and only his 14th bout.
Garza who has been boxing since the age 11, has had over 200 fights, and is vying for his fourth consecutive Golden Gloves District and State Championship.
Robert Arsenault, A.B.A.A. Coach of Martinez said, "This was a good tune-up bout for Merrill, he looked good during the 3 rounds."
(Above) Eastern Michigan Golden Gloves Boxing Finals were held at Birch Run Expo Center, N. Beyer Rd., Birch Run.
(Above) The Army recruiting station of Saginaw were present during the event, and also tossed out free army souvenir t-shirts, hats and water bottles to the fight fans.
(Above Left) A.B.A.A. Coach Arsenault encourages Merrill Martinez before his third round.
(Above Right) Arsenault and Fabian Ramirez make their way to the ring.
(Above) Spencer Weiss of Irish Hills (R) defeated Ramirez (L). Ramirez will still advance to the State Championships.
(Above) Trophies were presented to all boxers making it to the finals. Pictured Right, Ring Announcer, Furnando Amaya Jr.
(Above L/R) 201 Novice devision - Jonathan Jeshuran of Unity B.C. -Pontiac won the 2-1 decision over team-mate Ismael Delgado also of Unity.
(Above) Army recruiters instructed a push-up contest during intermission.
(Above) Heavy weights in the Novice division Marcus Medlock (L) of Pontiac Azteca and Robert Sims (R) of Saginaw battled it out and brought the crowd to a roar.
(Above) Sims went down twice in round 1 and once in round 2. (You would of thought that it was over)
(Above Left) Sims made an incredible comeback.
(Above Right) Endurance is almost everything, Medlock just plain ran out of gas.
(Above) Sims took the victory when the ref stopped the contest during the second round.
(Above) Hooter Ring Girls from Bay City and Saginaw.
(Above) It's always good to have Joe Byrd in your corner. Byrd encourages Trevor O'Connell of the Joe Byrd Boxing Academy.
(Above Left) In one of the two female bouts Lisa Martinez of Joe Byrd Boxing made a comeback to defeat Naomi Owens of Irish Hills.
(Above Right) Richards pictured here with Ken Dinnan who was presented with a plaque for his dedication on coaching and as EMGG president.
Results 2009 EASTERN MICHIGAN GOLDEN GLOVES FINALS:
Jermaine Franklin OVER Chad Bishop
Casandra Canales OVER Danielle Deloney
LaRonDale Banta OVER Michael Abraham
Danny Cirilo OVER Bryan Cicerchi
Tevin Steward OVER Robert Rushing
Samuel Browning OVER Nathan Selley
Jake Morse OVER Salvador Rosalez *Walk-over
Albert Wilson OVER Dustin Willford
Johnathan Jeshuran OVER Isamel Delgado
Lisa Martinez OVER Naomi Owens
Robert Sims OVER Marcus Medlock
Morris Young OVER Arnold Smith
Ernesto Garza OVER Merrill Martinez
Jose Bernal OVER Trevor O'Connell
Spencer Weiss OVER Fabian Ramirez
Vernon Washington OVER Charles White
"The BUZZ" - Read Feedback From Readers!
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Gary Richards Says:
On March 31, 2009
at 11:30 AM
Julie,
Thanks for the great coverage and stories on your Website regarding the '09 East Michigan Golden Gloves District Tournament.. You did an AWESOME job.
Gary Richards
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