Raul “Rat Joe” Amezcua vs. Buyi “B” Chen
Junior Buyi “B” Chen came in hot with a jab to the face to begin the first round of the first match of this year’s tournament. Amezcua defended well, ducking punches but unable to fully retreat. Amezcua answered but Chen continued to lead the second round, hitting Amezcua with a strong combination. Amezcua brought the energy in the final round and dominated the ring, overpowering Chen with a combination of hooks and jabs. This leveled out the fight and led to a concluding result of a split decision with Chen ultimately taking the victory. Aidan “Tomp” Tompkins vs. Ryan “For The Love of The Game” Tressler
The pair played it cool for the majority of the first round, displaying controlled aggression. Round two took off with strong right hooks from Tompkins, and Tressler was definitely headhunting in response. The two fell pretty evenly throughout the rest of the round with Tompkins dodging a great punch from Tressler and getting in a few jabs before the time was up. In the final round, Tressler delivered a heavy jab to the head. Both fighters displayed quick feet and electric energy, however, Tressler ultimately dominated the ring and won the fight in a unanimous decision. Jack “Topgun” Lannon vs. Drew “Brother” Curtin
Curtin emerged offensively but backpedaled against strong defense in a fast-paced and aggressive fight. Both threw endless combinations that resulted in a break in the action. They began again with Lannon taking a strong right hook to Curtin. In the second round, Lannon drilled Curtin with two hard jabs to the face, causing him to retreat until they ended in another clinch. Lannon then knocked Curtin's helmet off with another headshot. The final round began with Curtin delivering a combination that caused Lannon to retreat to the corner. However, the latter's early dominance resulted in a unanimous decision for Lannon to advance. Nathan “Muscle Man” McLeod vs. Connor “C Breezy" Brinkley
Brinkley started off strong with a heavy jab to McLeod’s face, but the freshman responded with a combination of jabs and dominated the ring for the rest of the round. “Muscle Man” began the second round again taking control of the ring. Brinkley got in a few good hooks and put up a solid defense but McLeod continued to dominate, ending the round with a direct jab to Brinkley. In the final round, Brinkley brought the energy, although it was clear that the two were wearing out. McLeod eventually took control of the ring again, knocking Brinkley until the ref chose to stop the contest, automatically naming Mcleod the winner.
Jack “Twinkle Toes” Lennon vs. Ben “Put ‘Em on a Stretcher" Fecher
Lennon entered the match swinging, but Fecher quickly returned the punches. “Twinkle Toes” lived up to his name, with his fast feet allowing him to dominate the ring and ultimately causing Fecher to retreat to the corner. Round two began with Lennon hitting Fecher hard with a combination resulting in an 8 count. Fecher came back with a few good jabs, but Lennon continued to use his technique of fast-paced combinations to the head. In the final round, Fecher brought the energy but Lennon confined him to the corner again, the match ultimately resulting in the referee deciding to stop the contest. Lennon reigned as champion. Alex "The Love Doctor" Kielbasa vs. Cooper “Sweepin” Scholl
“The Love Doctor” and “Sweepin” both came out strong in the first round. Eventually, Scholl took control of the ring, pushing Kielbasa into the corner until he took a knee. Kielbasa made a quick return, attempting an undercut which Scholl blocked. In round two, Kielbasa shifted the control of the ring this time with a combination of hooks delivered to Scholl. Kielbasa began the final round with a jab and maintained his energy hitting Scholl with a series of hooks. Scholl responded with some hooks and body shots until a reset. They put up an even fight, leaving a difficult determination for the judges. Ultimately, Kielbasa took the win by a split decision. Dan McGuire of St. Edwards Hall vs. Jack “The Train” Lane
Lane came out of the gate hungry, headhunting with fast and aggressive jabs, negating McGuire's body-shot approach. “The Dirty” McGuire dominated the ring in the beginning of the second round, pushing Lane into the corner but he couldn’t effectively combat “The Train’s” headshots and Lane ultimately cornered him by the end of the round. In the final round of the match, McGuire emerged with quick feet and fast body shots, maintaining his energy throughout the fight. He caused Lane to pull back in defense, but he continued to get jabs in. The match concluded with Lane throwing a heavy jab to McGuire’s face and Lane won by unanimous decision. Jerod “The Colonel” Junkins vs. Sirak “Em Sock’Em” Negash
Negash knocked Junkins to the canvas within the first 30 seconds of the fight. Junkins responded well, hitting Negash with a few jabs of his own. Negash drew blood from the nose of Junkins in both the first and second round However, Junkins returned to the fray after getting cleaned up. The two fighters exchanged a flurry of blows before backing off towards the end of the round and coasting to the bell. Junkins came out aggressive in the third round but was caught by a Negash hook that sent him stumbling backwards. The fight concluded shortly after another Junkins' nose bleed. The winner, by unanimous decision, was Negash.
Joe “The Jokah” Fiocca vs. Reed “Nonstop” Popp
Fiocca had a clear home crowd advantage leading up to the opening bell, with the former Zahm House crowd making a strong showing for their sophomore. The two exchanged a few jabs before Fiocca’s shoulder popped out of place. Fiocca returned to fight to raucous cheers. The two landed a few punches in the first round, dancing around the exterior. Both fighters came out much more aggressive in the second round. Fiocca’s shoulder then came out of place again and the stoppage lasted longer this time. After returning, but before the second-round bell, while on the run from Popp, Fiocca asked the referee to call the fight due to his shoulder. The winner, by referee stoppage, was Popp.
David “The Baker” Couri vs. Bryan “BoBrown” Heideloff
Once again, Heideloff had louder supporters prior to the fight, and he rode the energy to land some early uppercuts. The fighters traded some big blows, one of which sent Couri stumbling. Couri then pushed Heideloff back into the ropes as the fighters exchanged punches right up until the bell signaling the end of the first round. The fast-paced exchanges continued throughout the middle stages of the second round, with Heideloff forcing Couri back into the ropes. The third round began with another flurry of punches. Both fighters were hit with big blows as the crowd energy really picked up just before the final bell. The winner, by split decision, was Couri.
William “Double the W” White vs. Hector “Bueno” Juarez
White backed Juarez into the ropes multiple times throughout the first round. In round two, White kept his opponent in the corner after multiple exchanges, and he seemed to turn the momentum in his favor by landing a variety of punches on Juarez. Juarez came back with a big right hook late in the round to even up the bout. Juarez came out hot in the third round, and his devastating right hook made contact time and time again with White’s head. The hot finish gave Juarez the win by unanimous decision.
David “Dorf Dog” Arndorfer vs. Josh “Barstool Athlete” Williams
The two fighters settled in after a few wild exchanges, circling slightly as they both targeted their opponent’s head. Neither boxer wasted any time getting into the action in the second round, and punches were flying left and right. Williams seemed to be in the driver’s seat, but Arndorfer landed some solid blows of his own. Williams landed some huge jabs early in the third round and continued to press forward, drawing blood from Arndorfer’s nose as the round wound down. Williams landed two right hooks in quick succession just before the final bell. The winner, by unanimous decision, was Williams.
Drew “Hammerfist” Lyons vs. Elliot “Big E” Como
Lyons pressed inside early, pushing Como back to the ropes and throwing flurries of punches in quick succession that kept Como off balance. Como seemed reluctant to engage throughout the round. Lyons continued to be the aggressor in round two, landing enough punches to earn Como a count from the referee. Como stayed on the defensive, preferring to try and strike from distance. Como was much more aggressive in the early stages of the third round, but Lyons held his ground and went back on the offensive, with his right-hand jabs doing damage to Como. Lyons was named the winner by unanimous decision.
Nolan “Schweffo” Schwefler vs. Mark Choate
Schwefler knocked Choate to his knees midway through the first round, but both boxers continued to push the pace throughout the round. The two got wrapped up multiple times as the bell approached, and they ended the round grappling in the middle of the ring. Choate seemed to settle in as the second round progressed, but Schwefler responded by pushing him to the ropes. Both Schwefler and Choate both fought aggressively in the third and final frame. The two fighters exchanged a series of jabs down the stretch, with Schwefler landing the majority of the blows. The winner, by split decision, was Schwefler.
Andres “The Road Runner” Mejia vs. Alex “Jack” Potts
Potts went on the offensive first, knocking Mejia to the canvas early and pushing him back into the ropes. Mejia found his rhythm late in the round with a few hooks. In the second round, Mejia was able to sneak in some body shots. Potts responded with a few left jabs, but it was evident that Mejia’s body shots had done some damage. Both fighters were aggressive in the early stages of the third round, but neither seemed to be landing many solid punches. Potts fired in some jabs to the head of Mejia, but the body shots kept coming from Mejia and were ultimately the difference in a closely contested fight. The winner, by split decision, was Mejia.
James “Simple Man” Meiman vs. Rogba “The Bug” Ayoola
Both Meiman and Ayoola came out incredibly aggressive. A huge right hook from Ayoola earned a count for Meiman, but they continued moments later. Ayoola landed a few more head rocking shots, and another count for Meiman only ended when the bell rang. Ayoola dominated the second round. He forced Meiman to the canvas to start. Sensing blood, Ayoola went to the body and forced Meiman into yet another count. Less than a minute into the third round, Ayoola ducked under yet another punch and rose up with a thundering right jab, which ended the fight at the discretion of the referee.
Creed “Apollo” Leathers vs. Jack “The Ghost” Crilly
A rowdy crowd welcomed these two fighters to the ring. Leathers went on the attack early before the two got wrapped up multiple times. Leathers then backed Crilly into the corner with a flurry of headshots, and it was clear that the freshman was not intimidated. The second round started slower. Then, out of nowhere, Leathers hit Crilly with a vicious right hook to the head that sent Crilly careening back into the ropes and eventually to the ground. Crilly got up quickly but was evidently shaken as he stumbled towards his corner. He did not make it to the end of the referee’s count, granting Leathers the victory.
Andrew “Red Scare” Cassidy vs. Jack “Cakeboss” Kelly
Cassidy was the first to land a few blows after some initial pacing of the ring, and his success really got the crowd into the fight. After that, however, the defensive skills of the two were on full display. Kelly came out much more aggressive in round two, but Cassidy responded with some punches of his own that sent Kelly to his knees. Kelly responded well, taking the fight to the body. Both fighters came out swinging in round three, with hooks flying left and right. The two shared an embrace after the end of the match, capping off an exciting and hard-fought bout with a moment of great sportsmanship and respect. The winner, by unanimous decision, was Cassidy.
Bobby “Boba’ Fitzpatrick vs. Will “Vlad” Covington
Covington came out on the offensive in this one, immediately making Fitzpatrick uncomfortable in the ring. Covington continued to bring the fight to Fitzpatrick throughout the first round, landing a vicious left jab with 10 seconds left in the first round. Fitzpatrick eventually settled in and landed a big left jab. Covington responded with two big headshots that seemed to daze Fitzpatrick. Covington once again came out swinging in the third, landing a big headshot that seemed to be a dagger. Covington’s consistent offense proved to be the difference. The winner, by unanimous decision, was Covington.
Alexander “Excalibur” Frank vs. Alex “Baller” Flor
The senior Flor brought the initial action, delivering a hard right hook that earned a count for Frank from the referee. Just seconds later, another flurry from Flor forced Frank into another count that brought the first round to a close. Flor continued his relentless attack in the second round, earning another pair of counts, one ending the round. Flor was not content to wait for a decision and once again pressed forward as the third round opened. The next count proved to be the last one, and Flor’s dominant night ended in victory.
Mitchell “Mr. Snowman” MacDonald vs. Nicholas “In The Lounge” Dodi
After an even start, MacDonald broke the fight open with a vicious right cross that sent Dodig spinning away across the ring. The crowd really got into it following this punch, and the two fighters drew on the energy. MacDonald landed a few right-hand jabs through the raised arms of Dodig. MacDonald carried this momentum into the third round by landing some blows early in the final frame. Dodig responded with a rally of his own, but MacDonald shut down any comeback concerns with some powerful right hands. The winner, by unanimous decision, was Mitchell “Mr. Snowman” MacDonald.
Connor “The Milkman” Tsikitas vs. Charles “Chip” Martin
The two fighters settled in and began trading blows. Round two began in similar fashion, with Tsikitas bringing the action. The sheer volume of punches seemed to overwhelm Martin, and he struggled to keep up with the pace of Tsikitas. However, Martin hit Tsikitas with a couple blows that forced a count from the referee, and a fight that Tsikitas seemed to have under control just minutes before was now anyone’s bout. Martin continued the onslaught, and another count brought the fight to a close as the final bell sounded. The winner in a hotly contested bout, by split decision, was Martin.
Josh “Too Hot to Handle” Peters vs. Jackson “The Stallion” Graham
Fists were flying as soon as the bell signaled the start of the fight. The two finally settled down about halfway through the round, and a final exchange punctuated a fast and furious first round. The pace picked back up again in the second round, with Graham throwing the majority of the punches, landing three big right-handed body shots late in the round that hurt Peters. Peters was much more aggressive in the third. This aggressive style, however, suited Graham, and he was more than happy to exchange punches. They finished with one final exchange just before the final bell. The winner, by split decision, was Graham.
Matthew “Plaid” Eichten vs. Griffin “Premium” Hawthorne
In a battle of two Keenan seniors, Eichten landed the more forceful of the blows early in the fight. Hawthorne responded by driving Eichten to the ropes. Hawthorne, once again taking the fight to the body, seemed to gain an advantage early in the second. Eichten hit Hawthorne with a flurry of his own, but Hawthorne finished the round strong with a few solid headshots. The fight was still up for grabs heading into the third and final round, and the Keenan crowd was raucous. Hawthorne continued to press forward aggressively throughout the third, but Eichten held his own. The two shared an embrace before the final decision. And the winner, by split decision, was Hawthorne.
“The Real Big” Mike Guyette vs. Sean “Ice” Cole
Guyette came out swinging early, but it cost him a few times as Cole caught him with a few jabs. Guyette continued to press the action, but Cole’s blows seemed to land heavier than Guyette’s. Guyette’s punches landed much more accurately in the early stages of the second round, and Cole seemed to be caught off guard by the onslaught. Guyette took control of the fight heading into the third and final round. Guyette kept Cole under constant pressure. The flurry of punches earned Cole a referee’s count, but Guyette kept coming following the interruption, and a second count took the fight to its conclusion. And the winner, by unanimous decision, was Guyette.
Aidan “Sigma” Francfort vs. Dante “The Inferno” Gardini
A slow pace continued through the first round, with a right-hand hook from Gardini highlighting the action. Both boxers picked up the pace in the second round, but the frequent exchanges usually only lasted a few punches. It was anybody’s fight heading into the final round of the night. Gardini was more eager for action in the third round and Francfort responded in turn. Both fighters began to land consistent headshots, and the remaining crowd really got into the fight down the stretch. Both fighters went out swinging in the final 10 seconds of the bout, and the night concluded with a raucous finish. And the winner, by split decision, was Gardini.
Solutions by The State News
