On Saturday, March 29, 13 boxers at 13 different weight classes etched their names in the Bengal Bouts history books as champions in the 95th annual edition of the tournament.
Edward “Pi Hard” Couri def. Ryan “Rango” Lally
The first fight of the night saw junior Ryan Lally take on sophomore Edward Couri. Couri attacked early in round one against the southpaw, putting him on the ropes multiple times. Round two saw a more even bout, with Couri looking slightly fatigued and content to let the clock tick. In round three, both fighters landed punches, but Couri managed a few hard hits and two clenches. This would be enough for him to clinch the split-decision victory.
Emiliano “Sleeping Brute” Gomez def. Will “Socal” Brady
In the second fight, two veterans, graduate student Emiliano Gomez and senior Will Brady, squared off in the ring. Brady connected with an early right to knock Gomez down as both gentlemen threw haymakers. Brady needed maintenance on his right glove before the round ended, while Gomez went for repairs on his face. The tide began to shift in round two as the graduate maintained his aggressiveness. Despite being knocked down just 10 seconds in, Gomez won by a referee stoppage resulting from Brady’s bloodshed.
Brooks “BMC” McConnell def. Richie “The Don” Mistichelli
The 158-pound weight class featured junior Richie Mistichelli and senior Brooks McConnell. The first round was methodical and evenly matched. Mistichelli put McConnell on the ropes frequently at the beginning of round two and dominated the middle frame. McConnell took advantage of his technical superiority and landed a series of successful punches in the third round, doing just enough to earn a very close split-decision win.
Erick “Wutang Warrior” Valdez def. Charles “Pride of the Palisades” Collins
The fourth bout saw senior Erick Valdez face off against sophomore Charles Collins. A high-energy first round ended with Valdez landing some critical punches in the dying seconds. It did not take long for Collins to land some socks in round two, but both fighters looked fatigued in the last 1:30 of the frame. The third round resembled the latter 75% of the second, but it was the veteran Valdez out of the blue corner who came out on top via unanimous decision.
Michael “Crispy Chicken” Rauch def. Zachary ”Obi” Egan
In the 165-pound weight division, senior Michael Rauch and sophomore Zachary Egan squared off. Rauch came out flying with a series of quick body shots, controlling the pace of the first two minutes. There were fewer fireworks in round two, although Egan found himself on the ropes a couple of times. The sophomore rallied for a strong third round, but it was not enough. Rauch became the fifth champion of the night by a split decision.
Jackson “Amo” Amorosa def. Kyle “The Sheriff” Mackey
The sixth fight of the night saw sophomores Jackson Amorosa and Kyle Mackey battle it out in the ring for six minutes. A reigning champion, Amorosa started strong and continued that momentum throughout the opening frame. Amorosa kept his foot on the gas in the middle period with isolated jabs and combination sequences. Mackey forced Amorosa to nearly fall between the ropes early in the final round, but “Amo” knocked his foe down quickly after to put any doubt to rest. Amorosa won by unanimous decision to go back-to-back.
Owen “Chami-Man” Serkes def. Brendan “Classic” McGinn
Owen Serkes and Brendan McGinn matched up in the 170-pound weight class, as both seniors looked to graduate as Bengal Bout champions. Both men paced themselves in an even first round. Serkes showed some life offensively towards the end of round two to swing the judges in his favor. The bout closed with another even round. In one of the most even contests of the evening, Serkes took home the championship on a split decision.
Apollo “Creed” Leathers def. Henry “Goldilocks” Phillips
The eighth fight featured 172-pound boxers senior Creed Leathers and sophomore Henry Phillips. The contestants threw plenty of punches to open the fight. Leathers stayed aggressive in the second round, but Phillips hung tough against his more experienced opponent. Both fighters landed several punches in the third round before the final bell sounded. In the end, Bengal Bouts president Creed Leathers took home the jacket by split decision.
Matthew “Two Cup” Turzai def. Tommy “T-Rex” Santarelli
Both freshman Tommy Santarelli and senior Matthew Turzai entered the final round off unanimous decision victories in the semi-finals. Turzai controlled the pace out of the gate as Santarelli struggled to generate many punches. Before the first round ended, Turzai grounded the freshman with a right hook. “T-Rex” responded with a strong sequence at the midway point of the second frame and took that momentum into a strong third. However, thanks to his strong start, the judges ruled Turzai the victor by unanimous decision to mark his third championship.
Jake “Your Friendly Neighborhood” Loughran def. Michael “Deagle” Nilsen
Junior Michael Nilsen and sophomore Jake Loughran met in the finals for the 184-pound weight division. The first round ended with little separation between the two fighters. The second paused with 41 seconds left for blood cleanup, but saw both competitors connect with several jabs to set up a crucial final period. Loughran cornered Nilsen a few times in the final two minutes, including with just twelve seconds to go, which is where the match ended. That was enough for Loughran to honor his late grandfather and become the 10th champion of the night.
Max “Soyster” Soyster Heinz def. Michael “Honey Badger” Heffernan
The 11th matchup of the evening featured sophomore May Sosyter Heinz and freshman Michael Heffernan. The fighters came out with electrifying energy, but it was Soyster Heinz who was able to pin Heffernan to the ropes before the opening frame ended. The sophomore continued to outpunch his opponent throughout round two as both athletes tired. Blood was shed in the third round as fatigue took over. After the final bell sounded, the judges chose Soyster Heinz as their unanimous winner.
Ijeh “The Golden Child” Nwaezeapu def. William “B.O.A.” Johnson
The penultimate match at Purcell Pavilion saw Ijeh Nwaezeapu face off against William Johnson in the 195-pound weight class. Nwaezeapu, a past finalist and champion, set the tone early and forced Johnson to the ropes. He continued to dominate the early stages of the middle period as he wore Johnson out. The flurries did not stop until the final bell. Ijeh won his second championship via a unanimous decision in an impressive show of power and stamina.
“Suga” Sean O’Gara def. Ryan “The Gentleman” Davey
The final showdown featured heavyweights senior Sean “Suga” O’Gara and sophomore Ryan “The Gentleman” Davey. O’Gara lost his mouthpiece in round one amidst a relatively even round. The second frame was very similar, as O’Gara offered some lefts and Davey countered with rights. “Suga” landed an uppercut at the start of the third round, causing “The Gentleman” to start leaking blood in the final minute. That was enough to convince the judges. O’Gara took home the 13th and final jacket via unanimous decision to cap off a thrilling evening of bouts.
Baraka Bouts captain Anna Prest became the first female to officiate a Bengal Bouts fight in its 95-year history, and three-time champion Matt Turzai took home the Larry Ash Award as the best boxer for 2025.
