They say Queens is one of the most diverse places in NYC, if not in the world, and tonight’s New York Daily News Golden Gloves in Astoria’s Melrose Ballroom proved it as two live opera singers powered through arias before the 165-open class let leather fly.
Last year’s silver medal winner at 165-open, James Abraham (New York Athletic Club) sent notice to the division as he did away with crafty Kuanysh Niyazov (Atlas Cops N Kids). Abraham was not intimidated by the icy cool calm of his opponent. Instead, Abraham took advantage of Niyazov’s low punch output and equally as low guard, and came forward to deliver 3-4 power combinations, often to the head of Niyazov.
“I was a little sluggish. I could have performed a little better…Coach kept calling numbers out. I heard them. Kept going with numbers.”
Perhaps James Abraham’s humility is a product of having a 2014 National Golden Gloves champ as his teammate in the same weight class—a Mr. Chordale Booker who closed the show tonight against a game Justin Montalvo (Starret City BC). Booker, the favorite to win the Gloves this year at 165-lb open, almost knocked Montalvo through the ropes midway through the bout.
Abraham avoided naming Booker a threat for the finals rounds of the tournament, but when I asked him if the two spar, all Abraham can say is, “I sparred him one time, and that one time stays behind doors.”
I guess only time will tell, and there isn’t very much time left till April 1st and 2nd, the finals at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.
One 165 lb-open fighter who knows all about the essence of time is Ronniel Vargas (Atlas Cops N Kids) who counterpunched and beat to the punch a very technical and tough Mentor Balidemaj (Gleason’s Gym).
“This is a new experience for me—a new weight class, new competition—I’m not as comfortable as I was at 152. I won the Gloves in 2012 at 152.”
And in 2013 Vargas lost to Brian Ceballo, now a leading Olympic prospect for 2016 in Brazil, in a “really close fight,” says Vargas.
His ring experience has won him something many an amateur fighter does not have in his arsenal: patience. The patience that allows him to make his opponent pay for his mistakes.
“I studied some of the greats. Such as Sugar Ray Leonard. Roy Jones, Jr. Floyd Mayweather. My counterpunching I get from Mayweather. My accurate punching I get from Sugar Ray Leonard. And then my style, my moving around, my patience, my attack mode, I get from Roy Jones, Jr.”
I’m not sure if there’ll be any more opera in the tournament but whether it’s Abraham, Booker, or Vargas, it won’t be over till the fat lady sings.
– Ryan Agius/ @RyanJAgius
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