ABAA's Merrill Martinez Defeats Grand Rapids (MLK) Vincent Jennings
(All MBC Photos By Julie McCallum)

---

Amateur Boxers Get Primed for Upcoming Golden Gloves Tournaments

ABAA Boxing Host Boxing Event Recently in Bay City

February 4, 2009
By: Julie McCallum, Entertainment Editor

It was a full night of Boxing and never a dull moment as 22 bouts filled the fight card last Saturday, January 31, 2008.

As the American Boxing and Athletic Association (A.B.A.A) along with the Greater Bay Area Boxing Center presented their annual Winter Boxing Invitational.



Gary Richards,

President of the Michigan Association of USA Boxing said, "It was a good show, no injuries, a good crowd, well matched bouts and a nice arena." Richards is also the Director of the Golden Gloves Eastern District.

ABAA Head Boxing Coach and Master of Ceremonies said, "We head to Davidson and then Port Huron next." The Bay City area boxing teams are in preparation for the upcoming Golden Gloves Tournaments (Eastern Division) on March 12, 19 and 28, 2009 at the Birch Run Expo Center.



Boxing Event was held in downtown Bay City at the Prime Event Center on Washington Avenue.



(Above) Saginaw Marine Core Recruiting Station



(Above) The fight of the night went to Ernie Garza (R) and Raeese Aleem. (Main Event) According to Arsenault the fight of the night is judged on characters such as excitement of the bout, most punches, aggressiveness each opponent expresses, and sportsmanship.



(Above) ABAA boxer Merrill Martinez defeated his opponent Vincent Jennings. Arsenault said,"This was Merrill's first fight of the 2009 season." Arsenault, continued, "Merrill fought like a little pro and it didn't take him (Martinez) long to figure his opponent out." Martinez got the 3-0 decision.



(Above) Another ABAA boxer in the junior division Devin Tomkins defeated his opponent Noah Fry. Tomkins said, "Tonight was the best I've ever felt during the fight and before the fight I had no anxiety."



(Above) At intermission Arsenault introduced Joe Byrd, 1992 Olympic coach for the USA Boxing Team. Byrd is also the father of former heavy weight champion Chris Byrd.



Complete Results from ABAA Winter Boxing Invitational on January 31, 2009:

P.J. GARZA Over A.J. FACUNDO (Pictured Above)

JOSE GONZALES Over NICK LOZNAK

DEVIN TOMKINS Over NOAH FRY

MAYCEE FREY Over KRYSTAL GARZA

ISAM RAMIREZ Over TRISTA MORSE

STEVEN MASTERS Over GARRETT LAROSE

JOSIAH WYRANBAISK Over DANIEL CRAWFORD

WILLIAM JOHNSON Over GRADY EGGERS

SAM BROWNING Over NATE DILLION

NOLAN LINEBAUGH Over DAVID JASSO

ISHMAE DELGADO Over ADAM MILLER

MERRILL MARTINEZ Over VINCENT JENNINGS

JOSE BERNAL Over ANTONIO URISTA

FABIAN RAMIREZ Over EDWARD COLD

JESSE VARELA Over JOSE RODRIGUEZ

PAT SIJAN Over NATE GERHART

KODY GERKEN Over ANDRE SHUEY

DAVID REYNESKA Over REID LAROSE

RYAN SMITH Over TOM LEWIS

NICK KLEIN Over NIOEL SHIMMEL

JORDAN SHIMMEL Over JAYRIS EDWARDS

ERNESTO GARZA Over RAEESE ALEEM