The National PAL Boxing Championships moved to Virginia Beach, Va., for the 2004 edition and once again, the nation’s top amateur boxers put on a show. Over 200 athletes ranging from 13-34 competed in the event which includes both male and female boxers.

After watching the women and junior Olympic boxers earn their national championships, the men’s open boxers took the ring for the final night of competition with a national title on the line. With only one light flyweight competitor, Teddy Padilla, the flyweights (112 lbs/51 kg) took the ring for the first bout of the evening. 2002 National Champion Aaron Alafa of Visalia, Calif., was stepping into the ring for the first time in Virginia Beach when he took on Javier Rivera of Newburgh, N.Y. The two battled in a close contest throughout but Alafa pulled out the bout in the final minute, winning a 15-13 decision to take the flyweight title. 2003 silver medalist Sytel Wilbarn of Los Angeles, Calif., looked to take a step up to the top of the podium in the 2004 edition as he took on Earl Edwards of Coram, N.Y. Once again, the two athletes boxed in a close barn-burner and Wilbarn emerged from the eight minutes of action with an 11-10 final decision and his first National PAL title. The featherweight (125 lbs/57 kg) division saw another exciting bout and a one-point decision as Chris Green of Asbury Park, N.J., and Luis Delvalle of Newburgh, N.Y., faced off in the third bout of the evening. Delvalle took the early lead in the contest, but Green pulled ahead by the time the final bell rang, winning a 23-22 decision to take the featherweight title. The lightweight division (132 lbs/60 kg) featured a former national champion making his comeback to the ring with Michael Evans of Dayton, Ohio, looking to finish his return to the top in his bout with Ramon Zaragoza of New York, N.Y. Evans took the early lead in the bout and never surrendered the advantage. Evans carried a strong advantage into the final round, but the bout didn’t go to a decision as Zaragoza threw in the towel in the fourth round, giving Evans the retirement victory and the 2004 National PAL title. The light welterweight (141 lbs/64 kg) division showcased a match-up between Willie Nelson of Cleveland, Ohio and Leon Green of Mastic, N.Y. Nelson came into the bout boxing well and utilizing his tremendous height in his previous bouts and the championship bout told the same story. Green boxed a strong bout against his taller opponent but Nelson took home the 15-8 victory to win the light welterweight title. The 152-pound weight division semifinal round showcased two of the nation’s top welterweights with 2004 U.S. Champion and Olympic runner-up Austin Trout of Las Cruces, N.M, and 2004 National Golden Gloves and Under 19 National Champion Daniel Jacobs of Brooklyn, N.Y., facing off. The two up-and-coming stars boxed to an 8-8 tie, but Jacobs won the bout on his 44-33 advantage in total punch count, advancing him to the final round. Jacobs wasn’t finished in his semifinal match as he put on another strong performance in his championship bout match-up with James Pope of Norfolk, Va. The 17-year-old took the lead from the beginning and turned up the pressure as the bout wore on to win a 37-12 final decision and his first National PAL title. The championship belt wasn’t the only hardware Jacobs took home, the Brooklyn teenager was named Outstanding Boxer of the Tournament in the men’s open division as well. The middleweights (165 lbs/75 kg) were the next boxers to take the ring with Joshua Garza of Baytown, Texas taking on Si Ju Shabazz of Las Cruces, N.M. Garza proved stronger in the bout, winning a 20-9 decision over Shabazz to win the contest and his first National PAL title. Light heavyweight (178 lbs/81 kg) Rommel Rene of Orlando, Fla., has placed second in various tournaments over the past few years but he was looking to break through and win gold in Virginia Beach. Rene did just that in his bout with William Rosinsky of Queens, N.Y. Rene won a 21-7 decision over Rosinsky to join his teammate Lena Taylor with a gold medal. The United States Marine Corps left Virginia Beach with a gold medal to talk back to Camp Lejeune after heavyweight (201 lbs/91 kg) Lucas Hoague’s championship bout with Kenny Lacy of St. Petersburg, Fla. Hoague won the gold in a 15-8 decision over Lacy. Super heavyweight (201+ lbs/91+ kg) Travis Kauffman of Reading, Pa., thrilled the audience with a 24 second first round stoppage in his semifinal bout but Marlon Lawson of Newport News, Va., made it a much harder night for Kauffman. The hometown boxer had a great deal of support in the arena, but fell just short as Kauffman pulled out the slim 14-13 victory to win the final championship of the 2004 National PAL Championships.

The 2004 National PAL Championships enjoyed a strong contingent of female boxers and 10 of those women left for Virginia Beach with a PAL title and a belt to prove it. Cheryl Houlihan of Norton, Mass., got the show started for the women in the championship round as she battled in close bout with Kathleen O’Connell of Greensfolk, Ind. Houlihan pulled out the 17-16 to win the bout and a national championship. Emily Klinefelter of Iowa City, Iowa, earned her first 2004 National Championship with a win in Spokane at the Women’s U.S. Championships, but she added to her medal case with a second title in Virginia Beach. Klinefelter won an 18-6 decision over Keisher McLeod of New York, N.Y., to win the 2004 National PAL title. Although her younger brother had fallen just short in his championship bout, Sacred Downing of Trenton, N.J., won a title for both of them in her 114-pound bout with Vanessa Greco of Brooklyn, N.Y. Downing took home a 12-5 win to earn a gold medal to take back to Trenton. Stella Nijhof of New York, N.Y., has already accomplished almost everything possible in an amateur boxing career, but as the four-time national champion watches the days tick away on her impressive career, she looked to add a PAL title to her resume. Nijhof accomplished her goal with a convincing 24-9 win over Cara Castronuova of Elmont, N.Y., in their championship bout. Good friends Teresa O’Toole of New York, N.Y., and Jennifer Han of El Paso, Texas, have already met in the ring numerous times with both boxers claiming victories over the other and another great battle took place in Virginia Beach. O’Toole took the win in this edition, defeating Han, 20-8 to win the bout and the Outstanding Female Boxer award for the second straight year. The always entertaining Melissa Hernandez of Bronx, N.Y., won the 132-pound division. Hernandez flew out of the corner throwing from the opening bell and quickly piled up the necessary points to cause a referee stops contest outscored over Raynette Thomas of Sumter, S.C. Lena Taylor of Orlando, Fla., won her second straight national championship with a close 7-4 victory over Yelena Binder of West Orange, N.J., to take the 138-pound title. The 145-pound title went to Angelique Bovee of White Plains, N.Y. Bovee won a 20-9 decision over the United States Marine Corps’ Grace Kelly of Jacksonville, N.C. New York won its fifth women’s title in the 154-pound weight division as Dawne Thomas of Newburgh, N.Y., stopped Amanda Myers of Jacksonville, N.C., and the United States Marine Corps on the referee stops contest outscored rule in the first round. Tanzee Daniel of Jamaica Queens, N.Y., closed the show for the women’s division, defeating Tameka Stephens of Charlotte, N.C., 18-14 to win the 189-pound weight class.

The Junior Olympic boxers were the first athletes to earn national champions and 18 young boxers took home titles on Thursday, October 7.  The intermediate boxers (13 and 14-year-olds) were the first to compete in the championship round and 85-pounder, Carlos Teron of Bronx, N.Y., took the first title, defeating Khalil Wordlaw of Warrensville Heights, Ohio in a close 8-7 final bout. Fellow Bronx native, Raul Lopez of Bronx, N.Y., followed with a second victory, winning a 23-11 decision over Zachary Rodriguez of Lubbock, Texas. Cincinnati’s Steven Roddy won the first title for a non-Bronx boxer, winning a 3-0 paper decision over Armando Franco of Visalia, Calif., in the 95-pound bout. The 101-pound weight class went to Samuel DiPace of Las Cruces, N.M., following a 32-8 victory over Brett Simmons of Cleveland, Ohio. DiPace also won the Outstanding Boxer Award for the intermediate division after winning two convincing decisions en route to his title. Emanuel Taylor of Edgewood, Md., won the fifth national title of the event, defeating Adam Soto of Lubbock, Texas, 17-1 to win the 106-pound division.  The state of California won the next two weight divisions with Christopher Avalos of Lancaster, Calif., stopping Antone Pereira of Waianae, Hawaii, in the first round of their championship bout. The second California boxer to win an intermediate title was Oxnard’s Hugo Centeno. Centeno won a close 4-3 decision over Kwanzi Downing of Trenton, N.J., to take the 114-pound title. Kwanzi was one of two Downings in the championship round as his sister, Sacred, won the 114-pound senior women’s championship. The 119-pound title went back to the state of New York as Joe Issac of Yonkers won a third round disqualification victory over Valdrin Muriqi of Newburgh, N.Y. Ed Alicea of Miracleburg Heights, Ohio, won the 132-pound intermediate weight division by defeating Travis Peterkin of Brooklyn, N.Y., on a 12-9 decision. The final intermediate weight division of the 2004 National PAL Championships was the 145-pound weight class and Johnavan Vistante of Waianae, Hawaii won the championship, beating Nic Rendon of Lubbock, Texas, on a slim 15-14 final decision.

The junior division was contested by 15 and 16-year-old athletes and saw an outstanding week of competition in Virginia Beach. The division began at the 114-pound weight class as Duran Caferro of Helena, Mont., defeated Bryan O’Connor of Helena, Mont. Saddam Ali of Brooklyn, N.Y., was the next to win a PAL title, beating Cornell Harris of Sarasota, Fla., 25-12 to win the 119-pound division. The 125-pound junior title went to Joseph Trusello of Ransomville, N.Y., after 15-12 win over Yaundale Evans of Cleveland Heights, Ohio.  Darnell Jiles, Jr. of Rochester, N.Y., won his second national title of the year, defeating Miguel Garcia of Oxnard, Calif., 18-11, in an action-packed bout to win the 132-pound weight division. Jason Rolon of Runnemede, N.J., boxed his way to the 138-pound title, beating Anthony Casal of Niagara Falls, N.Y., 17-4 to win the championship. Another power-puncher from central Florida emerged in the 154-pound weight division. Keith Thurmond of Oldsmar, Fla., moved up a weight class to find an opponent and Thurmond won a 20-5 decision over Damar Singleton of Toledo, Ohio. Thurmond not only won a National PAL title but was also named Outstanding Boxer of the Tournament in the junior division for his performance. The 165-pound division title will travel back to California with Patrick Estrada of Lynwood. Estrada defeated Michael Martinez of Lubbock, Texas, 12-5 to win the championship. Trevor Bryan of Albany, N.Y., capped the junior Olympic divisions with a 21-10 victory over John Harless of Wilson, N.Y., 21-10 to win the super heavyweight division.