133 pounds
Chris ‘Cougar' Cugliari def. Brian ‘Ghost Hands' Robillard
Senior captain Cugliari's fast hands and quick feet overcame the sophomore Robillard in a unanimous decision. Cugliari opened the fight looking to set the tone and threw plenty of punches. He connected on a big punch early to Robillard's face, knocking him down. After scoring the early knockdown, Cugliari played it safe, picking his spots and pouncing whenever Robillard let his guard down.
Robillard fought back in the second round using his strong left jab to put Cugliari on the defensive. Cugliari seized any chance he got to put Robillard back on the defensive, and he spent a good portion of the second round controlling the action.
Robillard opened the third round punching, nearly knocking down Cugliari, but ultimately Cugliari grounded himself with two strong hooks and earning the unanimous victory.
Michael ‘The Silver City Slugger' Sayles def. Nicholas ‘The Guillotine' Goode
Senior captain Sayles earned a split decision over the bigger Goode, a junior, to return to the finals. Sayles began the fight by evading Goode's punches and jabbing repeatedly to the body. Sayles ended up pounding Goode's body into the corner, though Goode successfully tied up Sayles to stop him whenever he got on a roll.
In the final round, Goode closed very strong, maintaining his energy against the quicker Sayles and landing a number of different powerful hooks to the head. Sayles tripped and fell towards the end of the round, but ultimately the advantage in punches landed throughout the bout was enough to pull out the split decision.
140 pounds
Michael Johnston def. Brian ‘The Good Thief' Heath
The two seniors came out with differing styles, and ultimately Johnston prevailed with a unanimous victory. Johnston landed a number of combinations in the first round, which Heath couldn't counter with enough punches to bring the momentum back in his favor.
Johnston settled into a nice rhythm in the second round, moving shiftily around the ring and striking at will whenever Heath opened himself up to an attack. Heath mounted a couple of combos but Johnston's strong defensive abilities usually cut them short before Heath could gain the upper hand.
In the third, Johnston went to the jab and wore Heath out, coasting to a unanimous victory.
Albert Toscano def. Nick ‘Bronco' Bortolotti
The two sophomores went toe-to-toe for three rounds as Toscano ultimately bested Bortolotti in a unanimous decision in this energetic bout. The pair fought an even first round as both of them came out riding a wave of emotion from their large cheering sections.
Both fighters went right back to work early in the second, as Toscano's relentless left hook started to hit consistently while Bortolotti attempted to use his long jab to keep him at a distance.
In the third round Bortolotti appeared to turn the tide, striking with a number of punches and staying on the offensive. Toscano adapted and rode his uppercut, which he connected with often to help him wrap up the unanimous decision.
147 pounds
Kieran Bulger def. Matthew Lemanski
The senior Bulger advanced the finals after stalling in the semifinals last year by besting the sophomore Lemanski in a unanimous decision. The fight took on a defensive pace early on as each fighter held back their punches and looked to pounce whenever their opponent let down.
Bulger rode the momentum from a strong end of the opening round into the second, dodging a flurry of punches from Lemanski and countering with headshots.
The third round was a slow affair, as both fighters were visibly spent from the furious second round. Bulger's statement in the second round proved to be enough to win him the unanimous decision.
Kevin ‘DiGiornio' Ortenzio def. Thomas ‘Shake and Bake' Enzweiler
Junior Enzweiler had a clear height advantage, giving him the confidence to begin the match with energy, but the sophomore Ortenzio fought back with technique. Both fighters went on the offensive in the second round, and while both ended up worse for the wear, neither took an advantage into the third round. Ortenzio utilized the height disparity well in the third, delivering a series of uppercuts to Enzweiler. In the end, Ortenzio won the very close fight by split decision.
151 pounds
Tim ‘The Slayer' Thayer def. Tommy ‘The Hebrew Hammer' Schanzer
Senior captain Thayer opened the fight on the offensive, delivering continuous jabs to his classmate's jaw. Schanzer returned the favor, beginning the second round with intensity. Control of the match switched back and forth, but Thayer's strength behind his punches could not be matched. He delivered blow after blow, many of which could be heard from the stands. Thayer took the match in a unanimous decision.
Bobby Powers def. Andrew Kristensen
Sophomore Kristensen ended the first round with the advantage, but junior Powers started the second round by knocking Kristensen off his feet and nearly out of the ring twice in a row. These two consecutive hits caused the referee to call the match with 1:05 left in the second round, giving Powers the win.
155 pounds
Ryan ‘Dayman' Slaney def. Andrew Bachinskas
Senior Bachinskas brought the heat as soon as the bell rang, but midway through the first round Slaney got into the match, delivering a series of heavy blows. Bachinskas began the second round with just as much fire as the first, but again, the senior Slaney took control at the end of the second. The energy from both sides died down slightly in the third round, but Slaney held strong, landing a few more punches despite his fatigue than Bachinskas managed to. Via split decision, Slaney advanced to the finals.
Adam ‘Mad' Cowden ‘Disease' def. Kyle ‘No Name Just Game' Kober
Sophomore Cowden took no mercy in the first round, repeatedly finding contact and cornering freshman and fellow Sorin resident Kober. Kober refused to give in, finding the sophomore's face on multiple occasions. Kober began the second round on a better foot, but Cowden's experience showed through with his ability to move quickly and deliver jabs in key locations. After receiving aid to stop a bloodied nose, Cowden forced Kober into the ropes and maintained control of the third round. In the end, Cowden's experience earned him a spot in the finals via a split decision.
160 pounds
John ‘My Body is a Wonderland' Maier def. Kevin Goodwin
Captain Maier established himself as the dominant force early in the first round in the fight between the two seniors. Maier's significant height advantage proved troublesome for Goodwin, as it allowed him the angle to land punches to Goodwin's head and body.
The second round saw a similar pattern as the first, as Goodwin was left on the defensive while Maier danced around the ring and proved to be quick on his feet.
In the third round, Goodwin landed solid blows to Maier's head and had energy saved up to make a strong last effort. Despite Goodwin's initial offensive attempts, Maier landed jabs to Goodwin's head and bloodied his nose. Maier was awarded the match by unanimous decision.
Alex ‘Gatito Loco' Oloriz def. Daniel ‘Cabbage Patch' Chapman
Oloriz unleashed a flurry of punches to open the first round and pinned Chapman against the ropes to set the tone for an aggressive, hard-fought match. As the first round continued both boxers took turns throwing combinations and exhibited strength and intensity. They went punch for punch to the body and head.
Oloriz came out strong in the second round and unleashed a flurry of jabs to Chapman's head. Oloriz exhibited constant energy and placed many well-timed punches. In the third round, the Oloriz pinned Chapman against the ropes and set the tone for the win by unanimous decision.
163 pounds
Jordan Bucci def. Ryan ‘The Show Stopper' Shestak
The two seniors fought an even match bell-to-bell, as both fighters refused to let up throughout the three rounds. The first round saw an even showing from both boxers. In the second round, both fighters engaged in multiple series of jabs and combinations. still remaining close.
Each fighter refused to tire. In the third round, Bucci came out strong and landed multiple punches to Shestak's body. Shestak returned the favor by pinning Bucci against the ropes and landed one staggering blow to Bucci's face. The judges ultimately awarded Bucci the split decision and a return trip to the finals.
Matt Hopke def. Caleb Laux
Toward the end of the largely-even first round between the senior fighters, Hopke began to establish himself as the stronger of the two after completing a series of jabs to the head that put Laux on the defensive.
In the second round, Laux came out strong but Hopke returned his aggressiveness with a series of combinations to the head. Hopke darted around the ring effectively and utilized his height to his advantage.
Hopke came out strong once again in the third round and proved that he would not be taken over by fatigue. He landed multiple controlled jabs to the head in the final seconds of the third round, which convinced the judges that he was deserving of a unanimous victory.
166 pounds
Jason ‘Pretty Boy' Miller def. Matthew Gimlett
The first round opened with Gimlett focused on going low and attacking Miller's body, but Miller was able to counter and land punches when his senior classmate Gimlett crouched in preparation for a body shot.
The second round was much more patient; both fighters tested each other early and not many big punches were landed. For a good part of the round, both fighters bided their time before Miller unleashed another late-round combination that drove Gimlett into the corner.
The third round was markedly more energetic. Miller would land two punches, but Gimlett would come right back, adding a couple shots of his own. In the end, Miller's combinations prevailed over Gimlett's sneaky punches as Miller prevailed by split decision.
Gregory Bennett def. Nicholas Severyn
Bennett displayed an extremely aggressive mentality early, moving in and out, looking for quick evasions and jabs. The first round went back and forth between the fighters until the junior Severyn landed a combination on the sophomore in the corner at the end of the first round.
At the start of the second round, Bennett again came out with near-reckless abandon. Severyn began relying more and more on 1-2 punches in a fight that became extremely chippy.
In the third round the bout went back and forth; the fighters traded punches and got tangled up. In a neck-and-neck fight, the judges took Bennett's side in a split decision.
173 pounds
Alex Kissinger def. Kevin ‘The Night Man' Kray
Kissinger opened on the attack, but Kray also landed punches early. Kissinger utilized his strategy of driving the junior into the ropes in the first round. Kray moved constantly, dancing around the ring while throwing occasional punches, hoping to frustrate the senior.
As the second round began, Kissinger again attacked Kray into the ropes; each time Kray moved off the ropes, he played a defensive game. In the latter part of the round, Kray abandoned throwing punches and evaded Kissinger.
Kissinger continued to play the role of the aggressor and dictate the fight in the third round. He repeatedly drove Kray to the ropes, where he would throw flurries of punches. Near the end of the round Kissinger overpowered Kray at the ropes to the point where Kray nearly fell out of the ring. In the end, Kissinger won by unanimous decision.
Matthew "Cool and Tough" Paletta def. Michael "Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner" Urciouli
Both fighters began the fight biding their time before a flurry of punches opened the sparring, with Urciouli landing the majority. The fight was stopped midway through the first round when the junior Urciouli began bleeding when a previous cut opened up.
The senior Paletta landed more punches than Urciouli at the start of the second round, which was interrupted twice for blood on Urciouli.
In the third round, Urciouli threw lots of punches; despite the volume, Paletta landed more solid punches, forcing the match to be stopped again. The fight continued to be back-and-forth until Paletta landed a body-head-body combination that rattled Urciouli and drew blood again. The referee stopped the match there with 18 seconds left, deciding the match in Paletta's favor.
180 pounds
Mike Doran def. Giacomo "Il Capo" Minafra
Doran and Minafra began tentatively, with few punches thrown. The first round was marked by many dodges from each fighter, leading to many missed punches. The end of the round was back-and-forth with combinations from each fighter, with the junior Doran landing the last before the bell.
The sophomore Minafra attacked Doran aggressively at the beginning of the second round. As the round progressed Doran became more aggressive while Minafra picked his opportunities; at one point, Doran caught Minafra off balance and knocked Minafra to the mat.
The third round was opened by punches from Doran, who forced Minafra into a defensive strategy. Doran parlayed his momentum from the second-round knockdown into a unanimous decision victory.
Dominic "Warsaw War Hammer" Golab def. Nicholas "It's-a ME-a" Ponzio
Senior captain Ponzio came out and tried to be the aggressor right away, but the balanced junior Golab would not let it happen. Golab had a decided advantage in height and reach and used it to his benefit well. When Ponzio wanted to get in on him and go to the body, Golab fired back with a quick counter, or eluded his attacks and make attempts of his own. Ponzio landed a good amount of shots to both the body and head, but Golab absorbed everything thrown at him with grace and made sure he was always in control. By maintaining a constantly balanced, efficient approach that never put him in a vulnerable position, Golab outlasted Ponzio and eventually claimed the unanimous decision to advance to the final.
189 pounds
Bernardo "Blue" Garcia def. Jim Hasson
The fight between the two juniors was a bout of two very similar styles, two tall fighters using a stiff left-handed jab to set up a straight right that went to the head of the opponent. At the end of the first round, the two exchanged a flurry of punches that put both fighters off-balance, and the two ended up in a heap on the map. For rest of the fight, each was patient, picking and choosing their spots, when to attack, when to counter.
Finally, in the third round, Hasson charged at Garcia with a punch and a push, sending Garcia flying through the ropes, over the table, and onto the floor. Garcia was unhurt and unfazed, however, and came back into the fight with a renewed intensity. After an even bout all the way through, Garcia won in a split decision.
Timothy Wallace def. William "The Italian Stallion" Straccia
Both juniors came out with a patient approach before Straccia unleashed a combination of punches. Wallace came back quickly, however, and landed a combo of his own.
In the second round, the two participated in equal exchanges for most of the round. Straccia tried to attack several times, but missed. Wallace, on the other hand, remained hesitant, unwilling to fall into a trap.
Both landed solid shots back and forth in the third round, and neither was fazed by shots to the head. After more of the same back and forth action, Straccia landed a good left to the chin. Despite Straccia's constant attempts to deal a blow that would leave Wallace unsteady, Wallace never left himself in a position in which Straccia could do so, and Wallace claimed the unanimous decision.
205 pounds
Pat "Tigers love pepper, they hate cinnamon" Burns def. Jason Healy
The first round between senior captain Burns and junior Healy was relatively slow. Each wanted to be patient and pick and choose their spots carefully. With both adopting low, wide stances, neither could attack well enough to knock the other off-balance.
At the outset of the second, Healy landed a solid left, and then a few strong body shots as Burns covered. After a stoppage, Burns came out strong and landed a solid right hook to end the round.
In the third, the tempo moved up a notch. With each fighter sensing that he needed to distance himself on the scorecard, the two broke out of the rigidity of their styles. After two good 1-2 combos with a quick right and a swooping right, Burns landed one more heavy right to the head and Healy went down. At that point, Burns celebrated the fight as his and did indeed win in a unanimous decision.
John "Papi" Tchoula def. Luke Scullion
Before the opening bell, it was clear the junior Tchoula would need to overcome a distinct disadvantage in height and reach in order to top Scullion, an MBA student.
By staying low and in close, Tchoula effectively nullified Scullion's advantage and quickly took over the fight. Tchoula was on the offensive nearly the entire fight, and Scullion's only option was to try to counter in the few instances in which Tchoula left himself unsteady after an attack. Although Scullion made several impressive counterattacks and even made it appear that he would make a comeback, Tchoula never really lost control and continued to work the body and occasionally go after the head with reaching jabs. Tchoula advanced to the finals via a unanimous decision.
Heavyweight
Will "at the Edge of Darkness" Burroughs def. Timothy Latham
In a downright dominating performance from captain Burroughs, the law student never really had a doubt in his mind that he was going to put an end to senior Latham's attempt at an upset. After Latham tried to put Burroughs on his heels with a quick combo right after the opening bell, a combo that Burroughs simply absorbed, Burroughs put Latham in the corner with one counterpunch. That's where it ended. Burroughs sent a flurry of body punches that landed with a thud in the ribcage of Latham. When Latham slid his arms down to cover, Burroughs pounded him a few times before the referee stopped the fight less than 20 seconds after the opening bell.
Kevin "The Long Beach Lumberjack" Crepeau def. David "Dutch" Stedman
In a much closer battle than the bout before it, the two southpaws had a great test of mettle. The bout started with an exchange that went both ways for a while, but when the junior Crepeau landed vicious a left hook to the body, senior Stedman hit the mat. In the second, Crepeau came back out on the offensive. Stedman tried to counter, but did so ineffectively. After blow to the chest, Stedman staggered again. But Stedman kept battling back. After the bell rang to start the third, Stedman got right in on Crepeau and landed three consecutive left hands to the body, seemingly knocking the air out of Crepeau. Although Crepeau was ahead in the fight for all three rounds, he just did not have anything left in the tank to finish Stedman off, but still won in a split decision.
