Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
Thursday, March 28, 2024
The Observer

88th Bengal Bouts host opening rounds

141 lbs.

Thomas “The Dank Engine” Walsh def. Justin “Hardly Know Her” Isner

Walsh, a Keenan Hall sophomore, landed the first punches of the opening round to Isner’s head, but it did not take long for Isner, a Morrissey sophomore, to take charge of the fight, forcing Walsh into a corner and dominating most of the first round. Walsh worked his way back into the fight in a more evenly-matched second round, frequently broken up by the referee.

Despite appearing to have the advantage entering the third round, Isner started the round with great aggression, but Walsh soon took over the fight and took advantage of Isner’s risky strategy with more blows to Isner’s head. Walsh was awarded the victory by unanimous decision.

1518748199-0beabd07748318c-700x509
Katelyn Valley | The Observer
Keenan sophomore Thomas "The Dank Engine" Walsh faces off against Morissey sophomore Justin "Hardly Know Her" Isner in the opening round of the 88th Bengal Bouts in Purcell Pavilion.


 

Dan “I Don't Tan” Wilborn def. Christopher Wall

Both fighters came out swinging immediately in a heated start, but the fight soon regressed to clinching with few actual punches landed. Wilborn, an Alumni senior, appeared to take charge late in the first round and rode that momentum to a dominant start to the second, landing several flurries and blocking any of Wall’s attempts. Although the referee started a count late in the second round, Wall, a Zahm freshman, was able to fight on into the third, where Wilborn was content to defend early in the round before another aggressive burst led to Wall seeing the count again. Wall made it to the end of the fight but Wilborn was awarded the victory by unanimous decision.

 

Patrick “Dunny” Donovan def. Ryan “Lochte” Lockhorst

Morrissey sophomore Lockhorst and Dunne sophomore Donovan both started aggressively but neither appeared to land many punches during the first round. The second round started much more cagey as Lockhorst attempted to keep his distance from Donovan. Eventually, Lockhorst managed to get close enough to land some late blows that seemed to put him on top entering the final round. Early in the third round, however, Donovan appeared to take over, but could not maintain the momentum as Lockhorst went back to keeping Donovan at the end of his reach. Neither fighter appeared to be a clear-cut winner by the end of the third round, but Donovan was awarded the victory by split decision.

 

Chris “Chip Blood” Dethlefs def. Timothy McGuire

Dethlefs, a Sorin senior, dominated the fight early on and landed a rapid flurry against McGuire, a Siegfried freshman. McGuire soon improved his defensive stance and, although Dethlefs remained on top, ensured that few other punches could land. The second round continued in similar fashion, with Dethlefs occasionally inviting punches from McGuire in order to land some counter-blows of his own. The strategy appeared successful as the referee started a count against McGuire late in the second round. With Dethlefs well in control, he played it safer in the final round, content to keep his distance on his way to the unanimous decision victory.

 

Evan “Almighty” Muller def. Dan “The Hedgehog” Hanlon

Both men came out swinging from the start. Hanlon, a senior from Fisher, started swinging fast in the first round but there was no clear advantage in the beginning. Muller, a freshman from Zahm, opted for more variety, frequently throwing uppercuts as he held his own against the senior. Muller began to pull ahead in the second round, but both started losing steam as the round finished up. Hanlon continued to throw punches, but Muller’s accuracy gave him an edge in the less energetic third round. Neither boxer fought very defensively throughout and kept the frequency of their attacks up. But in the end, the freshman was more efficient with his punches and beat the senior by unanimous decision.

 

Arthur “El Fuego” Ortiz def. Conor “Cinnamon Apple” McConville

Ortiz, a sophomore from Keough, was on the offensive from the opening bell for a powerful start against  McConville, a freshman from Keenan. McConville had an impressive defense and did his best to defend himself before the referee had to stop the fight. The ref stopped the fight once again and McConville struggled to get in one solid hit before the bell rang to end the round. In the second round, Ortiz continued to control the ring, but McConville attempted some more jabs. Still, Ortiz kept up powerful and persistent combinations and McConville continued to take a beating in the third round, causing the ref to pause the bout again. After a dominating performance, a unanimous decision gave Ortiz the win.

 

Thomas “Tommy Gun” Manno def. Kyle “Yo Pi’ierre” Pieri

Both fighters came out swinging in an energetic first round. Manno, a Zahm junior, got in more punches, but Pieri, a sophomore representing Morrissey, defended himself well. Manno kept throwing combinations of hits in the second round, getting in some solid blows. Pieri continued responding to Manno’s persistent punches with some consistent jabs and crosses of his own. After two rounds, Manno maintained his agility, while the match began to wear on Pieri. But by the time it was all over, the Zahm junior had regained his offensive advantage, throwing more punches and making more contact. Edging out the Morrissey sophomore, Manno took home the win by unanimous decision.

 

“Sweet Baby” Ray Zhao def. Gregory “Pockets” Wall

The off-campus graduate student Zhao preferred using low hooks in the first round to make contact with his taller opponent, Wall, a Fisher sophomore. Wall’s jabs and crosses often went over Zhao’s head, but he persisted in throwing punches up high for the first round. In the second round, Wall threw some good hits, but Zhao’s combinations overpowered his single-punch style. Wall deflected as many of Zhao’s punches as he could, but was still outmatched in the second round. Both boxers’ energy was noticeably drained. To open the third round, Wall started to make more contact, but Zhao continued to respond, but with less impactful hits. Both were clearly exhausted by the end of the fight, but Zhao’s earlier performances got him the win by unanimous decision.

 

148 lbs.

Christopher Nunes def. Thomas “6’3” on Tinder” Tran

In a fight between two off-campus grad students, both started with aggression but it was Tran, who had more success in the first round. Nunes appeared to start the second round on top, but Tran soon fought back cutting Nunes’ mouth with a jab midway through the second round. The aggression of the first round appeared to tire out the two fighters, as each moved slowly for the remainder of the second. Despite the effects of both blood and tiredness, Nunes landed some well-timed punches towards the end of the second round. The fight was sloppy through the third round, with neither fighter landing many punches, but Nunes continued to have the better of the bout and was awarded the victory by unanimous decision.

 

Conor “Baby Face” Ward def.  Dan “The Man” Moran

In another senior-freshman face-off, Ward, a senior from Knott, and Moran, a Stanford freshman, started the match dancing around the ring, looking for an opening. When he did strike, Ward went for high hooks and jabs which continued to land on Moran. Moran fought more patiently and took the defensive position for most of the first round, but held his own. Ward kept up his combinations to solidify an advantage in the second round. He pushed Moran up against the ropes and landed a big hit to the torso before the ref paused the bout right before end of the round. In the third round, Moran barely made any contact and took several hits to his head from Ward, whose higher energy and aggressive approach got him the win with a unanimous decision.  

 

Leonard “Lenny” Calvo def. Joo Sung Kim

Leonard “Lenny” Calvo, a freshman from Keough aggressively went after Joo Sung Kim, a Duncan sophomore, in the first round and landed the most punches. Kim hit his stride in the second round, landing more punches than the first. In a decisive third round Calvo came out of the gate hard, immediately landing a series of quick punches on Kim. The judges rewarded Leonard “Lenny” Calvo for his aggressive offensive style with a win by unanimous decision.

 

Juwang “Dat Stick” Lee def. Michael “Ginja Ninja” Kurkowski

The crowd roared through nearly all of the Kurkowski-Lee matchup, as Juwang “Dat Stick” Lee, a sophomore from Fisher Hall, went after Kurkowski aggressively in the first round. Michael “Ginja Ninja” Kurkowski, a sophomore from Knott Hall, responded with hard hits of his own. However, Lee’s relentless series of hard and fast punches to the head nearly knocked Kurkowski to the ground in the first few minutes. Kurkowski threw the first punches of the second round, coming out a bit stronger putting Lee on the defensive. Lee used his quick footwork shorter stature to his advantage, as he managed to duck under  Kurkowski’s punches. The two continued their fierce battle into the third round, with both landing hard punches, but the judges eventually awarded Juwang “Dat Stick” Lee with a unanimous-decision win.

 

Matthew “The Fighting Amish” Yoder def. Ryan “Short Stack” Smith

Smith, a Morrissey freshman, held his own against O’Neill senior Yoder. Smith’s first round was filled with precisely-placed hits against Yoder’s strong and continuous stamina. Smith started the match strong with a high caliber of play while Yoder gained momentum throughout the fight. Yoder was given the victory in a split decision.

 

David “R.A. Dave” Hamilton def. Tim “Jim Jhompson” Thompson

Thompson, a Keenan sophomore, took on Hamilton, a Siegfried senior. Hamilton had a strong ringside showing, with a large group of Siegfried residents supporting the senior RA. Thompson had a strong defensive performance, fighting tirelessly throughout the match while Hamilton continuously gained speed and motivation from his group of supporters. Hamilton ultimately fought with experience and precision and went on to win the match in a unanimous decision.

 

Joaquin “Hindi Humuhupa” Camara def. Liam “Nuge” Nugent

Joaquin “Hindi Humuhupa” Camara, a senior from Keenan, took on Liam “Nuge” Nugent, a sophomore from Dunne, in the 148-pound weight division. Camara’s expertise shone through the entire match, and he put on an aggressive performance. His combination of strong hits and quick dodges made him an impossible target. Nugent relied heavily on stamina, continuing to fight against a highly-skilled opponent. Nugent fought through Camara’s fast hits and held his own in the ring. Nugent finished the match strong, but Camara ultimately won with a unanimous decision.

 

154 lbs.

Tim “Dirty T” Mikulski def. Michael “Dirty Mike” Doherty

Tim “Dirty T” Mikulski, a sophomore in Duncan, went on the offensive early, landing several punches to Doherty’s head and body. Michael “Dirty Mike” Doherty, a junior in Alumni Hall, was able to land a few hits of his own, but Mikulski’s barrage of hits to Doherty’s head and to either side of his face in the second round. The match ended in the second round after Doherty signaled that he was in pain. He appeared to be experiencing an issue in his chest or his arm. Michael “Dirty Mike” Mikulski won the fight due to referee stoppage.

 

Sean “The Louisville Slugger” Graham def. Henry “The Dancing Queen” Davis

Both boxers came out strong in the first round, with Graham, a senior from Keough, taking a slight offensive advantage. Davis, a Duncan junior, however, lived up to his nickname, using quick footwork to dodge some of Graham’s slower punches. Each fighter was able to land several punches to the other’s face and chest during the second round, though Graham continued his aggressive offensive strategy, causing Davis to land fewer punches, despite his many attempts. Though both were visibly winded in the third round, they continued to throw several punches to each other’s faces, getting their arms tangled multiple times. Davis made a strong effort to respond to Graham’s aggressive offense, but Graham was able to win by unanimous decision.

 

Nick “At Nite” Jeffrey def. Joao Virzi

Neither fighter hesitated to throw the first punch as the referee signaled the start of the match, with each attempting to several hits to the other’s face and chest. Both opted for a variety of hitting styles in the first and second rounds, throwing punches to the face, chest, side of the head, and lower body, and both were able to dodge some of the punches thrown their way. The rapid-fire punches continued into the third round, though both appeared more winded. Virzi, a freshman from Morrisse, continued to throw a variety of punches to Jeffrey’s face and body, while Jeffrey, a junior from Alumni, began focusing his efforts more on Virzi’s head. In a close battle Nick “At Nite” Jeffrey was awarded a split decision victory.

 

Michael “The K.O.” Feijoo def. Drew “Man Bear” Cushing

Feijoo, a junior living in Morrissey, was strong on offense, maintained a high level of energy and delivered powerful, well-placed hits. Cushing, a sophomore living in Alumni, had a good defensive first round and maintained his energy throughout the fight. Feijoo’s well placed hits were countless in the second round as the Morrissey junior slowly began to dominate the fight. Feijoo moved with swift agility, making use of the entire ring. His experienced strategy ultimately shone through as he proceeded to win in a unanimous decision.

 

Ben “Gumbo” Bernhard def. George “Azucar” Azcarate

Sophomore Fisher resident Ben “Gumbo” Bernhard faced off-campus graduate student George “Azucar” Azcarate in the 154-pound weight division preliminary round. Bernhard and Azcarate were evenly matched, making for an engaging fight. Both boxers were strong on offense, continuously and relentlessly throwing hits and maintaining their power throughout the fight. Azcarate started strong but slowly lost his momentum, while Bernhard continued to elevate his level of play as the match went on, playing with both accuracy and focus. Bernhard’s stamina brought him through the end of the match, coming out victorious in a split decision.

 

Julian “Do You Have A Warrant” Minondo def. Michael “The Process” Shannon

Michael “The Process” Shannon, a freshman from Keenan faced off-campus senior, Julian “Do You Have A Warrant” Minondo, in the 154-pound weight division. Minondo stepped into the ring with confidence and executed the match with prowess and finesse. Shannon utilized his long reach and delivered a high caliber performance. Shannon matched many of Minondo’s hits in the first round. Minondo, however, had an electric performance through the entirety of the fight. Minondo’s strong offensive from the opening bell ultimately led him to a unanimous decision victory.

 

162 lbs.

Johnny Link def. Kyle Mettler

Link, a sophomore from O’Neill, dominated the first round, beginning the match with an aggressive series of hits to Mettler’s head. This caused Mettler, a freshman from Alumni, to spend the first few minutes shielding his face from Link’s rapid-fire hits. Link continued his barrage of hits to Mettler’s head in the second round, though Mettler came out a bit stronger and managed to land some hits to Link’s body while ducking to avoid Link’s eye-level punches. Link continued his quick, repeated hits into the third round, eventually winning the match by unanimous decision.

 

Steven “Beefcake” Ramos def. Daniel “Mata Leao” Guerra

Ramos, a Zahm senior, came out swinging and making contact with junior Guerra from Morrissey. Both Ramos and Guerra were hesitant at the beginning of the first round until some hooks were thrown. Ramos actively moved around the ring while Guerra took a more defensive stance. Entering the second round, Guerra was able to throw some jabs but Ramos retaliated and pushed him against the ropes. Both fighters visibly tired toward the end of the fight, staggering in the ring. Ramos continued to press Guerra against the ropes on multiple occasions. The final round started with Ramos delivering combos to the face and both eventually got locked in each other’s grip. Ramos won by unanimous decision.

 

Jack “Tomato Can” Feger def. Tom Bauer

From the first round, Bauer, a sophomore from Fisher, came out with a bounce in his step. Feger, a Keough sophomore, met Bauer’s energy as he delivered a hook to the face and some powerful jabs to end the round. Entering the second round, Bauer kept ducking in an effort to dodge Feger’s hits, but Feger’s reach gave him the advantage. Bauer was able to throw in a few combinations, but Feger’s hooks were dangerous. During the final round, Feger was still calm and collected, pushing Bauer into the corner. With fatigue setting in, both Feger and Bauer started getting tangled in each other’s punches until the match was called. Feger won by unanimous decision.

 

Pat “Pickle Rick” Rafferty def. Trey “Red Baron” Greer

Sophomore Rafferty from Duncan and junior Greer from Knott came out fast and throwing in quick combinations. Greer threw fast hooks and pushed Rafferty around the ring. Both Greer and Rafferty were more offense-oriented during the first round with little defense. During the second round, Greer delivered some jabs to the head, before they both got fatigued. The final round included Greer and Rafferty getting a bit sloppy, but Rafferty was able to shield himself and deliver more hits. Rafferty had more energy to accurately land punches at the end, and he won by unanimous decision.

 

Tim Lesienring def. Jack “License to” Kill

Senior Jack “License to” Kill from St. Edward’s came out fighting against sophomore Tim Leisenring from Morrissey. Although Kill was shorter, he attempted to get under Leisenring and deliver quick blows to the abdomen. Leisenring had a reach advantage and kept Kill at arms length most of the time while directing him around the ring. The second round involved both Kill and Leisenring being more cautious and defensive, but Leisenring took control again as he delivered combinations to Kill. The final round gave Kill an opportunity to throw in some jabs and hooks, but Leisenring’s height and reach allowed him to block a majority of them. Leisenring won by unanimous decision.

 

Parker “Zika” Revers def. Patrick Johnson

Sophomore Parker “Zika” Revers came out during the first round swinging and trying to hook Patrick Johnson, a freshman from Stanford. Johnson was not as successful and had to lunge to deliver some jabs. As both eased into the round, Revers was able to sneak in a powerful hit the face and he continued to knock Johnson around. The second round was similar to the first round, as Revers used his reach to keep Johnson at arm’s length. At the same time Revers snuck in some more solid jabs. Johnson was mostly in a defensive stance, but he was able to get a rhythm and throw in some hooks. During the final round, Revers looked more stable while Johnson continued to lunge in efforts to deliver jabs. Both Revers and Johnson got tangled at the end due to fatigue, but Revers came out on top winning by unanimous decision.

 

Matthew “Likes To” Scherer def. Dominic “April 18th” Angelotti

The first round between Scherer, a senior from O’Neill Hall, and Angelotti, a senior from Carroll Hall, was a close contest, with Scherer appearing lighter footed and more aggressive. In the second, Scherer showed better stamina and was able to capitalise by connecting on more punches than his opponent. In the last frame, it became clear that fatigue had really kicked in for both fighters, with both only connecting on small volume of punches. Ultimately, Scherer’s work in the first two rounds was enough to get him a split decision victory over Angelotti.

 

Joey “Mrong” Quinones def. Noah “Libre” Furneri

Keough senior Quinones came out early with quick and heavy punches against Sorin freshman Furneri. In the first two rounds, Quinones was able to command the pace of the match and landed significantly more punches, but in the third Furneri was able to connect on a flurry of punches that caught Quinones off guard. This last round proved to be an action-filled one, but Quinones’ domination in the first two rounds and ability to respond in the last round ensured his unanimous victory.

 

Jack “the Polish Hammer” Posluszny def. Luke Fraser

The first round between Fraser, a freshman resident of Dunne, and Posluszny, sophomore from St. Edward’s, was a tight one, with both fighters taking measured approaches to the match. Posluszny was able to connect on a big hit early in the second round, a round in which the taller sophomore employed a relaxed fighting method that helped him save energy. By the third round, both fighters were visibly exhausted, resulting in a back-and-forth battle with few significant hits, but in the end, Posluszny was able to squeeze out the split decision victory over Fraser.

 

Tim “Boy Kid Wonder” Lawler def. Barry “Big Hoss” Lee

Off-campus freshman Lawler came out of the gate with plenty of enthusiasm and energy in the first round against Lee, a freshman from Dillon. Lawler was able to land the majority of the punches in the opening round, while showcasing his agility by dodging a series of Lee’s punches. Lawler came into the second round in a controlled demeanour, which significantly slowed the pace of the match, but he still managed to command the round. By the last round, the stamina of both fighters began noticeably waning with Lee unable to capitalise on his opponents fatigue. Lawler, ultimately, took the fight in a unanimous decision.

 

Ian “Sparky” Waller def. Peter Eckard

Fisher sophomore Waller and O’Neill sophomore Eckard began the match with a close opening round in which neither fighter was able to take an early lead. The second round progressed similarly to the first until Waller landed a big hit on Eckard that brought him to the floor. Eckard was able to continue to fight after the fall and stood his ground for the rest of the round. Eckard did manage to come into the last round more aggressively, but was unable to land too many significant hits. After three rounds Waller earned the unanimous victory over Eckard.

 

165 lbs.

Patrick “Silky” Sullivan def. William “Thor” Olafsson

Sullivan, an off-campus sophomore, came out swinging and dominated the first two rounds, putting Olafsson, a freshman from Keenan, who struggled to gain a foothold in the match. In the third, Olafsson managed to get back in the fight, putting Olafsson on the back foot for most of the round. But it was too little, too late, and Sullivan won by unanimous decision.

 

Patrick English def. Nick “Rosee” Courtney

Both fighters spent the preliminary period of the fight trying to find an opening. From the outset, both Zahm freshman Patrick English and his opponent — Fisher senior Nick Courtney — came out swinging. Both were able to land solid hits on each other in the first round, with English escaping the round with a slight edge. English came out particularly aggressive at the start of the second round, landing more blows than he took. At the end of the round, he managed to escape from Courtney after he’d been pushed against the ropes, connecting on multiple punches in the process. The third round contained very few lulls in the action, as English and Courtney each sought an advantage. English continued to hold the upper hand as he had all match, and won the bout by a unanimous decision.

 

Kenneth “The KGB” Bryson def. Jack Woodhull

At the start of an incredibly hard-fought match, both Carroll sophomore Kenneth Bryson and Sorin sophomore Jack Woodhull came out swinging. The first round went very back and forth. Both fighters managed to land several solid hits, but neither was able to come away with anything resembling a clear advantage. The second round went much the same way, with many successful punches and few lulls in the action. Whenever either Bryson or Woodhull would seem to gain momentum, the other would connect on a series of successful strikes. Throughout the third round, both fighters seemed hit by fatigue, but the match very much continued its previous back-and-forth quality. After deliberation, Bryson was declared the split-decision winner.

 

Nicholas “Bonsai Bob” Yano def. John Swift

This freshman-on-freshman bout between Keough’s Yano and St. Edward’s Swift began with an energy-filled Yano blitzing Swift with a flurry of blows. The script was mostly the same early on in the second round, but Swift came back with solid shots midway through the round, until Yano landed an uppercut to end the round. The final round resulted in a more balanced contest, with Yano connecting on a few more critical hits early in the round. Yano’s early round attacks eventually led to him coming through with the unanimous victory over Swift.

 

170 lbs.

Joseph “Z” Trzaska def. Davis “The Dynasty” Lee

Trzaska, a St. Edward’s junior had a strong start to the match, landing some punishing hits on Lee, a senior from Keough. Davis’ mouthguard fell out in the first and twice in the second round, as Trzaksa delivered big hit after big hit, especially towards the end of the second round. Third round started off electric with both competitors delivering several big hits, but by the final bell the decision was clear, as Trzaska won by unanimous decision .

 

Patrick Iannelli def. Ryan “Rubby” Pierson

Iannelli, a freshman from O’Neill, managed to land a big hit to the head on Pierson, a junior from Siegfried, which stunned him for much of the first round. Iannelli kept up the punishment with big hits in the second round, requiring Pierson to recover several times. While Pierson finally managed to return some hits in the final round, the final decision was clear, as Iannelli won by unanimous decision.

 

David “Doc” Salazar def.  Steven “Schweaty Steve” Johnston

During the first round, sophomore O’Neill resident David Salazar was able to successfully trap his opponent — Dillon freshman Steven Johnston — by the ropes multiple times, landing numerous blows in the process. While Johnston found himself eventually able to escape, this set a pattern for the rest of the match. Round 2 progressed in a similar fashion. Johnston was forced to the ropes multiple times again, this time with his back against the side of the ring as the round ended. Salazar had to contend with some particularly aggressive attacks from Johnston at the beginning of the third round. Eventually, Salazar was able to connect with some more strong blows, and ended up winning by unanimous decision.

 

178 lbs.

Ishaan Goel def. Josef “JP” Hageman

Goel, a sophomore from Dunne, dominated the first round, unleashing a flurry of hard hits to start the match. Hageman, a senior from Keough, put up more of a fight in the second round, defending better than in the first but, Goel still got plenty of big hits on him. The third round started slow and ended slow with both competitors clearly exhausted by the end. But Goel’s long arms were just too much to overcome for Hageman, and he won by unanimous decision.

 

Matthew “Beef” Dodig def. Dominic Noel

The match unfortunately had to end early after Noel, a sophomore from O’Neill dislocated his shoulder during the contest, and Dodig, a senior from Stanford, advanced through the referee stoppage.

 

Mark “He Need Some Milk” Chaikovsky def. Matt “Money Baby” Cyrs

Chaikovsky, a senior from Keenan, started off well, landing strong hits on Cyrs in the first round. The second round started with both fighters exchanging big hits. Towards the end of the round, Chaikovsky had Cyrs on the ropes. In the third round, the sophomore from St. Edwards started off the round with a huge hit to Chaikovsky that suddenly shifted the momentum. Cyrs took control of the round and trapped Chaikovsky on the ropes, desperately trying to recover. But in the end, the judges awarded Chaikovsky a split decision.

 

Chris “tmas” Lembo def. “Dirty Dan” Martin

Chris Lembo landed the match’s first hits, and had a clear advantage from the start. The Siegfried sophomore made effective attacks throughout the first round. Early on, he was largely able to block and parry the strikes made by his opponent, off-campus graduate student Dan Martin. Martin came out swinging in the second round, trapping Lembo in the corner and by the ropes at multiple times in the fight. Nevertheless, Lembo continued to land solid hits as well, still appearing to hold an advantage as the penultimate round came to a close. Neither fighter let up in the third round, but it became increasingly difficult for Martin to avoid and respond to Lembo’s attacks. Ultimately, Lembo was able to secure the victory through unanimous decision.

 

Grant “G-Dawg” Barthelmes def. Shane “Right on Time” Ryan

Neither fighter was able to come away with an overwhelming advantage after the first round, as neither Dunne freshman Grant Barthelmes or Knott senior Shane Ryan could manage to strike his opponent consistently. Barthelmes appeared to pull away as the second round progressed, as Ryan struggled to find a reliable answer to his fast-paced attacks. Ryan did not relent in the third round, opening the period with a series of particularly aggressive blows. Barthelmes responded with strikes of his own, resulting in a relatively even third round by the time the bell rang. At the end, it was announced that Barthelmes was the split-decision victor.

 

Charlie “Tigger” Puntillo def. Bo “Stonewall” Heatherman

Shortly after the first round began, freshman Knott resident Bo Heatherman let off a series of aggressive jabs, forcing O’Neill junior Charlie Puntillo into a corner early. Puntillo fought his way out, and much of the rest of the round passed with the fighters standing apart from one another, seeking to find an opportune moment to strike. In the second round, the action unfolded in a similar way. Both fighters kept their distance for much of the time, but this time Puntillo landed some strong blows on Heatherman as the round came to a close. The third round was a relatively even contest. Both Heatherman and Puntillo made some solid contact, and the fighters were more offense-minded than they had been for the rest of the bout. While neither boxer had a glaring advantage at the end, Puntillo was declared the split-decision victor.

 

186 lbs.

James “The Implication” Fraser def. “Pope” Francis Schickel

Schickel, a sophomore from Knott, went straight for Fraser to start the match, but the off-campus senior held him off for most of the first round. Fraser started off the second round with a hot start, and Schickel went down in the second round towards the end, prompting the referee to start a 10-count. Schickel made it on to the third round, but Fraser dominated the third round, prompting the ref to stop the fight early and give the decision to Fraser.

 

Eric “Cheese Sandwich” Requet  def. Thomas “Hogville USA” Wine

Requet, a sophomore from Sorin, started off hot, but Wine absorbed the onslaught and countered, delivering big hits and dodging his opponent’s in the first round. Requet finished the first round strong however, keeping the freshman from O’Neill on the ropes. The second round started off well defensively for Wine, but Requet had him tied on the ropes for much of the round. Wine took a tumble in the third round but, got right back up without referee interference. But Wine was visibly exhausted by all of Eric’s big hits, and in the end the winner was clear, as Requet won by unanimous decision.

 

Bryce Tournat def. Brian “String Veen” Veenstra

From the beginning of the fight, Keough freshman Bryce Tournat seemed to have the upper hand over fellow Keough resident and senior Brian Veenstra. Tournat connected on several strikes from the opening bell, and Veenstra had to fight hard to block and respond to his attacks. At the beginning of the second round, Veenstra was forced into a corner, with Tournat landing strong blows in the process. While most of the rest of the second round was spent with the two fighters standing apart from each other, Tournat often got the better of the brief exchanges they had. Veenstra stayed aggressive in the third round, but Tournat was still able to connect on more of his punches than his opponent. Tournat was declared the winner by unanimous decision.

 

Daniel “Baby Alpaca” Duran def. Matthew “Big Red” Sloan

Both fighters came out swinging in the first round, each connecting on some solid blows throughout the round. Senior Keenan resident Daniel Duran initially appeared to have a slight advantage over his opponent, O’Neill freshman Matthew Sloan, but he pulled ahead more significantly in the round’s waning moments. Sloan found himself very much on the defensive at the beginning of the second round, but he managed to even out the contest with several strong strikes of his own as the round continued. As the third round opened, the outcome of the contest was still in doubt. In spite of fatigue, Duran and Sloan continued to show the sort of aggressiveness that had characterized the whole match, but Duran eventually secured a palpable advantage. At the fight’s conclusion, Duran was declared the split decision victor.