(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – The first event of 2007 kicked off with 20 bouts of outstanding competition between 40 of the nation’s top boxers. The elite athletes battled for a spot on the 2007 Pan American Games team, facing off in semifinal action on Saturday afternoon at the One Springs Boxing Program gym in Colorado Springs, Colo.
 

The winners from today bouts will face off on Sunday afternoon with the winners earning a spot on the United States Pan American Games team. Once they make the U.S. team, the athletes will have to qualify internationally, and the first opportunity will be at the Pan American Qualifier in Caracas, Venezuela, February 1-10.

Light flyweight action opened boxing competition with a match-up between 2005 National Golden Gloves champion Roberto Ceron (Doraville, Ga.) and 2005 National Champion Marco Rangel (Scottsdale, Ariz.).The bout was close throughout the first two rounds, but Ceron turned up the heat in the third stanza, moving out to a commanding 10-point after three. He held on to the advantage in the last round to win an 18-9 decision over Rangel. The second flyweight bout featured a contest between 2006 National Champion Luis Yanez (Duncanville, Texas) and 2006 National PAL Champion Gabino Saenz (Indio, Calif.). Yanez controlled the contest from the start, holding Sanez scoreless through the second round to take an 8-0 lead at the midway point. Saenz scored his first point in the third round, but couldn’t overcome his deficit. Yanez moved out to a 14-3 final victory to set up a rematch with Ceron. The light flyweight championship will be the third match-up between Ceron and Yanez in the past year. Yanez won close decisions in the previous two match-ups.

In flyweight action, 2006 Under 19 National Champion Qa’id Muhammad (Ventnor City, N.J.) faced off with 2006 U.S. Championships silver medallist Oscar Venegas (Maywood, Colo.) in the third bout of the afternoon. After a close first round, Muhammad turned up the pressure in the second round, giving Venegas a standing eight count in the second round on his way to a 14-4 lead. He continued to let his hands fly in the third round, giving Venegas a second standing eight count and doubling his lead. Muhammad took a 20-point lead at the :49 mark of the third round to win a mandatory stoppage victory and advance to the final round. Shawn Nichol (Lakewood, Colo.) enjoyed strong hometown support in his bout with 2006 National Golden Gloves champion Aaron Alafa (Visalia, Calif.). The two boxers battled in a close contest with the lead changing hands throughout the bout. A strong Nichol flurry led to a standing eight count and Nichol’s first lead. The referee took two points from Alafa in the contest before Nichol pulled out a 15-12 victory to advance to the championship contest.

A second Colorado boxer took the ring in the first bantamweight contest as 2006 Junior Olympic National Champion Roberto Marroquin (Dallas, Texas) faced off with Rick Lopez (Lakewood, Colo.). Lopez took the early lead in the bout, holding a slim 2-1 advantage after the first but Marroquin took a four-point advantage into the final round of boxing. He added an additional point in the fourth round to win an 18-13 final decision. In the second bantamweight bout, Victor Valenzuela (Passaic, N.J.) took on Zachelus Watkins (Doraville, Ga.). Valenzuela held a two-point lead at the midway point of the bout and the contest stayed close through the last two rounds. He built his advantage to three as the bell rang for the fourth round, but Watkins looked to pick away at his lead through the last two minutes. Watkins fell just short as Valenzeula won a 12-11 final victory to advance to the championship bout with Marroquin.

2006 U.S. Championships bronze medallist Luis Del Valle (Newburgh, N.Y.) and 2006 National PAL silver medallist Walter Sarnoi (Monterey Park, Calif.) led off featherweight competition. Del Valle held the lead throughout the bout as Sarnoi had points taken by the referee on the three different occasions, leading to a disqualification victory for Del Valle in the third round. 2006 National PAL Champion Rico Ramos (Los Angeles, Calif.) enjoyed a short afternoon in his bout with 2006 U.S. Championships bronze medallist Johnny Narvaez (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.). Ramos moved out to an 11-1 lead after the first round of boxing. He continued his onslaught in the second round before the referee called a halt to the bout at the 1:38 mark due to Ramos’ 20-point advantage. He lost

The lightweight division showcased a contest between 2006 U.S. Championships silver medallist Luis Ramos (Santa Ana, Calif.) and 2006 National PAL Champion Terence Crawford (Omaha, Neb.). Crawford took the early lead in contest and never relinquished it, grabbing an 11-7 lead after two rounds. He doubled his advantage in the third round before moving out to a 25-15 final decision and a spot in the championship round. Diego Magadaleno (Las Vegas, Nev.) will be the second lightweight advancing after a walkover win over Danny Garcia (Philadelphia, Pa.).

Light welterweight Karl Dargan (Philadelphia, Pa.) returned to “Dynamite” form in his bout with Ray Rivera (Kansas City, Mo.). Dargan took control in the opening seconds, giving Rivera a standing eight count en route to an 11-2 lead after the first round. The trend continued into the second round as Dargan continued throwing strong, quick punches before the referee called a halt to the bout at the 1:11 mark of the second. Dargan will face off in a U.S. Championships final round rematch with Hector Ramos (San Antonio, Texas). Ramos faced off with fellow Texan David de la Cruz (Grand Prairie, Texas) in the second light welterweight bout. Ramos moved out to an early 6-0 lead after the first round but De la Cruz came flying back in the second, pulling to within two points. Ramos took a two-point lead into the fourth round as well, and built on his advantage to win a 16-9 final decision.

2006 National Champion Demetrius Andrade (Providence, R.I.) opened welterweight action in a contest with 2006 National PAL Champion Keith Thurman (Oldsmar, Fla.). The bout remained deadlocked through the first two rounds and moved into the third round tied at five. Yet Andrade began to build a slim lead in the third round, holding Thurman scoreless to take a 9-5 lead after three rounds. Andrade sustained his advantage through the last two minutes of boxing to win an 11-7 decision. 2006 U.S. Championships silver medallist Boyd Melson (Fort Carson, Colo.) and 2006 U.S. Championships bronze medallist Peter Haro (Inglewood, Calif.) faced off in the second welterweight bout. The bout was close from start to finish with Haro holding a two-point lead at the end of the first three rounds. Melson pulled the bout to a tie in the fourth round but couldn’t take the lead and Haro recorded a 13-12 win to advance to final round action.

The middleweight division boasted an action-packed bout between 2006 Under 19 National Champion Shawn Porter (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) and 2005 U.S. Championships silver medallist Jonathan Nelson (Little Rock, Ark.). The punches flew from start to finish as Porter moved out to a 12-9 lead at the midway point in the bout. He gave Nelson a standing eight count in a strong third round before moving out to a 17-10 lead at the end of three. Porter went on to win a 19-12 decision to earn a spot in final round action. He will face off with Shawn Estrada (San Bernadino, Calif.) in the championship bout following Estrada’s walkover victory.

One hometown boxer advanced to the final round action as light heavyweight Christopher Downs (Fort Carson, Colo.) recorded a 25-10 victory over 2005 National Champion William Rosinsky (Richmond Hills, N.Y.). After a close first round, Downs blew it open in the second round. He took a 14-5 advantage into the third round and continued to build his lead from there to win the 25-10 final decision. Downs will face off with Yathomas Riley (San Diego, Calif.) in the championship bout. Riley won a walkover over victory to move on to the championship round.

2006 National Champion Adam Willett (Bellport, N.Y.) recorded his first win of 2007 in a semifinal bout with Ray Stallings (Princeton, Ind.). Willett kept Stallings’ point total low throughout, taking a 7-1 lead after two rounds. He continued his pace through the final two rounds to win a 13-3 decision and a berth in championship action. Willett will face 2006 U.S. Championships bronze medallist David Carey (Anchorage, Alaska) in the championship bout. Carey took on 2006 U.S. Championships silver medallist James Zimmerman (San Jose, Calif.) in the semifinal contest. Zimmerman led the majority of the bout as he took an early five point led, which he held after each of the first two rounds. Carey began to peck away at the lead in the third round, pulling to within three as the final round began. Carey took his first lead in the fourth round, winning a 17-16 decision to advance on the finals.

The first super heavyweight bout showcased a rematch from the 2006 National PAL Championships finals as Jonte Willis (Tacoma, Wash.) faced off with Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.). After taking a slim two-point advantage after the first round, Hunter took built out his lead in the second round, doubling Willis’ point total with an 8-4 advantage. A late third round surge pulled Willis to within one point at the end of three and the bout went into the final round with the outcome in doubt. The fourth round showed several lead changes and ties as the two boxers gave everything they had, and the bout was deadlocked at 16 after four rounds. Willis took the semifinal victory, avenging his PAL loss with his 37-34 total punch count edge. Two-time national champion Mike Wilson (Central Point, Ore.) and 2006 U.S. Championships bronze medallist Lucas Runion (College Park, Md.) battled in the final bout of the day. Wilson took a commanding lead early in the bout, moving out to a 13-1 advantage after two rounds. Wilson continued to press the action in the third round, taking a 20-point advantage at the :39 mark of the third round to win the mandatory stoppage.

Results
106 lbs/48 kg: Roberto Ceron, Doraville, Ga., dec. Marco Rangel, Scottsdale, Ariz., 18-9
106 lbs/48 kg: Luis Yanez, Duncanville, Texas, dec. Gabino Saenz, Indio, Calif., 14-3
112 lbs/51 kg: Qa'id Muhammad, Ventnor City, N.J., stopped Oscar Venegas, Maywood, Calif., RSCO-3 (:49)
112 lbs/51 kg: Shawn Nichol, Lakewood, Colo., dec. Aaron Alafa, Visalia, Calif., 15-12
119 lbs/54 kg: Roberto Marrqouin, Dallas, Texas, dec. Rick Lopez, Brighton, Colo., 18-13
119 lbs/54 kg: Victor Valenzuela, Passaic, N.J., dec. Zachelus Watkins, Atlanta, Ga., 12-11
125 lbs/57 kg: Luis Del Valle, Newburgh, N.Y., won disqualification over Walter Sarnoi, Monterey Park, Calif., DQ-3
125 lbs/57 kg: Rico Ramos, Los Angeles, Calif., stopped Johnny Narvaez, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., RSCO-2 (1:38)
132 lbs/60 kg: Diego Magdaleno, Las Vegas, Nev., won on walkover over Danny Garcia, Philadelphia, Pa., W/O
132 lbs/60 kg: Terence Crawford, Omaha, Neb., dec. Luis Ramos, Santa Ana, Calif., 25-15
141 lbs/64 kg: Karl Dargan, Philadelphia, Pa., stopped Ray Rivera, Kansas City, Mo., RSC-2 (1:11)
141 lbs/64 kg: Hector Ramos, San Antonio, Texas dec. David de la Cruz, Grand Prairie, Texas, 16-9
152 lbs/69 kg: Demetrius Andrade, Providence, R.I., dec. Keith Thurman, Oldsmar, Fla., 11-7
152 lbs/69 kg: Peter Haro, Inglewood, Calif., dec. Boyd Melson, Ft. Carson, Colo., 13-12
165 lbs/75 kg: Shawn Porter, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio dec. Jonathan Nelson, Little Rock, Ark., 19-12
165 lbs/75 kg: Shawn Estrada, San Bernadino, Calif., won on walkover over Edwin Rodriguez, Worcester, Mass., W/O
178 lbs/81 kg: Christopher Downs, Fort Carson, Colo., dec. William Rosinsky, Richmond Hills, N.Y., 25-10
178 lbs/81 kg: Yathomas Riley, San Diego, Calif., won on walkover over Alfonso Lopez, Huntsville, Texas, W/O
201 lbs/91 kg: Adam Willett, Bellport, N.Y., dec. Ray Stallings, Jr., Princeton, Ind., 13-3
201 lbs/91 kg: David Carey, Anchorage, Alaska dec. James Zimmerman, San Jose, Calif., 17-16
201+ lbs/91+ kg: Jonte Willis, Tacoma, Wash., dec. Michael Hunter, Las Vegas, Nev., 16-16 (37-34)
201+ lbs/91+ kg: Mike Wilson, Central Point, Ore., stopped Lucas Runion, College Park, Md., RSCO-3