Lamont Roach Jr. & Kareem Martin Top The Class At U.S. Boxing Championships
by Sarah Deming
SPOKANE, Wash.–Things are heating up at the Northern Quest as we sprint toward the finish. Yesterday the men’s elites fought their semifinal bouts and the new junior champions were crowned.
The two best junior bouts of the night were won by D.C. schoolmates. Lamont Roach’s (above right) upset of Genaro “El Conde” Gamez was grand cru amateur boxing. Both young lightweights showed superb skill, handspeed, and heart, but Roach was just a bit too strong. Props to the conditioning coach called “Heavy,” whose good work with his fighter made the difference.
Welterweight Kareem Martin (Above left) showed off the Headbanger’s trademark body attack in his steady, relentless assault on Timothy Lee of Las Vegas. Tiara Brown told me Martin goes ten rounds in the gym with junior welterweight contender Lamont Peterson.
Both young champions will graduate from Dr. Henry A Wise, Jr. High School this spring. Roach is headed to Howard University, where he plans to study electrical engineering like his father. My crappy photo does not do justice to his great Mohawk or surprising amber eyes.[[MORE]]
Chicago had a strong showing in the lighter weights of the elite men. I enjoyed the soulful expertise emanating from Jeff Mason in the corner of Shawn Simpson, who had his way with Cristian Williams in a 114-pound mugging. Simpson says he learned a lot from his London sparring sessions with three-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren. He advances to meet DC’s Malik Jackson tonight.
Fellow Chicagoan Kenneth Sims was lucky to get the decision in a slugfest with Luis Sedano of Duarte, California that saw both men hurt. Hopefully Sims got a good night’s sleep. Ditto for Jose Alday, who edged out fellow Texan Arthur Karl in light welterweight semi so brutal I had trouble watching. At this point in the tournament, wear and tear becomes a big factor, especially for those fighting without headgear.
Photos by Sue Jaye Johnson
I feel bad for anyone who has to fight an Al Mitchell-trained heavyweight. Sue got the great shot above of Paul Koon’s devastating first-round knockout of Edgar Martina, which reminded me of the 1999 mismatch between Roy Jones, Jr. and a New York police officer named Richard Frazier, who was rumored to have sold ad space on the soles of his shoes.
Koon’s teammate Josh Temple (below) outclassed Javonta Charles of Las Vegas, who seemed content to run. Temple is a Physical Education student at Northern Michigan University. He enjoys working with special needs students and has that peculiar gentleness you sometimes find in great heavyweights. He would have faced my own fighter, Earl Newman, Jr., in the finals, but Earl lost to Trenton’s Michael Hinton in another one of those odd decisions that favored the forward-moving fighter over the more effective boxer.
“I thought he won, too,” said Temple. “I tell you what. I’ll knock that other guy out just for you and Earl.”
What kind of boxing writer would I be if I didn’t give extra love to the white boys? Although all-American Arthur Karl (below) goes home, two authentic gringos are still alive in the tournament.
Six-foot-four middleweight Daniel Thomas of Concord, California has looked dashing in his three tournament wins, two of them by stoppage. The son of a Pentecostal minister, Thomas sings and plays guitar in his church band. He benefits from the excellent, precise cornering of Gary Sullenger, who says that his fighter is just starting to bloom and come into his power. They’ve been studying tapes of Tommy Hearns.
“Why do all white fighters have good left hooks?” I once asked my (black) boxing trainer.
He said, “It’s a punch you can throw when you’re off balance.”
Jersey boy John Magda also advanced to the semis in the light heavyweight division. His sunny, equanimous nature shows in the ring. Power comes in many forms, and I admire fighters like Magda, whose strength is rooted in relaxation.
Magda’s New Jersey squad has a secret weapon: Bella the Maltese. Flyweight Ayesha Green (below) of Trenton put down her copy of Becoming a Woman of Excellence long enough to pose for a picture with the team mascot, who is a certified therapy dog.
