(CINCINNATI, OHIO) – Eleven national champions were crowned on Friday night at the 2010 Under-19 National Championships in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ten men’s final round bouts and one female championship contest took place on the final day of competition at the Hyatt Regency Cincinnati.

The boxers in the light flyweight division experienced more excitement than they bargained for with a fire alarm going off in the second round, causing a brief stoppage. Yet that didn’t deter Carlos Suarez (Lima, Ohio) from his mission in the light flyweight final round bout with Rondarrius Hunter (Atlanta, Ga.). Suarez grabbed the first lead in the bout and built it out throughout the three rounds despite the brief interruption and point deductions from both boxers. Suarez won a 15-7 decision over Hunter to win the light flyweight crown.

Emmanuel Folly (Philadelphia, Pa.) put on an impressive performance in his championship round bout with David Carlton (Cincinnati, Ohio). Folly controlled the first two rounds of the bout, moving out to a 10-1 lead after the second. Yet Carlton remained aggressive and began scoring points in the third round, but Folly kept up his own output as well and went on to win a 22-6 final decision and the flyweight title. 

The momentum swung throughout the bantamweight title bout between Emonte Scruggs (Dayton, Ohio) and David Rios (Edinburg, Texas). Scruggs took a slim 5-3 lead after a closely contested opening round but turned up the head in the second to claim a 13-8 advantage with one round remaining. Rios came storming back in the third, pulling the bout within two points but Scruggs held on to win a 15-13 victory and the bantamweight crown.

Luis Angel Zarazua (Edinburg, Texas) kept his bout with Luis Feliciano (Milwaukee, Wis.) close in the first round with Feliciano holding a slim 5-4 lead. Yet those four points were all that Zarazua would score. Feliciano continued to add to his own point total throughout the next six minutes and went on to win a 13-4 final decision and the featherweight title.

Ryan Martin (Chattanooga, Tenn.) won his first Under-19 title with a victory over Antonio Capulin (Houston, Texas) in their lightweight championship bout. Martin got off to a quick start in the bout and never looked back. He held Capulin scoreless in the first round and enjoyed a 9-1 lead as the final round began before moving out to a 14-4 final decision victory. 

In light welterweight action, George Rincon (Dallas, Texas) put on a defensive clinic, holding his opponent David Moore (Milwaukee, Wis.) scoreless throughout the nine minutes of action. Rincon enjoyed his strongest offensive round in the first, scoring seven points to take a 7-0 lead after the first. He pushed his advantage to a 10-0 margin at the end of two before winning a 12-0 final decision. 

The lone women’s title bout was contested in the welterweight division as Maria Norton Baumer (Cincinnati, Ohio) faced Sariah Edwards (Lexington, Ky.). Edwards took the first lead in the bout and held a 5-3 lead after one, but Baumer grabbed the advantage in the second and with strong crowd support behind her, held on to her lead throughout the bout. She pushed her edge to 17-10 after three rounds and held Edwards scoreless in the final round to win the 24-10 final decision.

The men’s welterweight title bout featured one of the closest contests of the evening with Alantez Fox (Forrestville, Md.) taking on Moshea Aleem (Richmond, Va.). It was Aleem grabbing the slim 5-4 lead after the first round, but a low-scoring second round pulled the bout to a 5-5 tie with one round remaining. The bout was up for grabs in the third and Fox decided to reach out and take it, outscoring Aleem by a 3-1 margin to win the 8-6 decision and the welterweight title.

The middleweight bout showcased a highly anticipated match-up between Dimitrius Ballard (Temple Hills, Md.) and Daquan Arnett (Orlando, Fla.). Ballard enjoyed the early momentum in the bout, using his advantage and boxing to take a 14-8 lead after two rounds. Arnett came out firing in the final round, looking to overcome his six point deficit. Arnett made a valiant effort but Ballard wouldn’t be deterred and won a 21-17 final decision and the middleweight title.

The string of Washington DC area boxers continued into light heavyweight action as Jerry Odom (Bowie, Md.) faced Trevor McCumby (Yorkville, Ill.) for the Under-19 title. Yet Odom’s night didn’t go as well as the first two athletes from the nation’s capitol. McCumby poured on the points from the opening bell and Odom couldn’t match his opponent’s output. He held a 17-7 lead at the end of the second and although Odom came out throwing punches in bunches, he couldn’t penetrate his opponent’s advantage. McCumby won a 21-11 final decision and the light heavyweight crown.

A heavyweight title bout between Joshua Temple (St. Louis, Missouri) and Timothy Moten (Louisville, Ky.) closed 2010 Under-19 National Championships action. Temple showcased an impressive performance, claiming an 8-0 lead after the first and pushing it to an 11-2 margin after two. Yet the bout didn’t go to a decision as Temple stopped Moten in the third to take the victory and the heavyweight championship.

Dimitrius Ballard (Temple Hills, Md.) and Maria Norton Baumer (Cincinnati, Ohio) were named Outstanding Boxers of the tournament.

The evening concluded with a feature bout showcasing two-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren (Cicinnati, Ohio) and Jesus Vasquez (Denver, Colo.). Warren won a third round stoppage victory over Vasquez. Cincinnati Olympians Ron Siler (2004) and Timothy Austin (1992 bronze medalist) were on hand at ringside to take in the action and support the young boxers looking to follow in their footsteps.

Final Round Results

106 lbs/48 kg: Carlos Suarez, Lima, Ohio, dec. Rondarrius Hunter, Atlanta, Ga., 15-7
112 lbs/51 kg: Emmanuel Folly, Philadelphia, Pa., dec. David Carlton, Cincinnati, Ohio, 22-6

119 lbs/54 kg: Emonte Scruggs, Dayton, Ohio dec. David Rios, Edinburg, Texas, 15-13

125 lbs/57 kg: Luis Feliciano, Milwaukee, Wis., dec. Luis Angel Zarazua, Edinburg, Texas, 13-4

132 lbs/60 kg: Ryan Martin, Chattanooga, Tenn., dec. Antonio Capulin, Houston, Texas, 14-4

141 lbs/64 kg: George Rincon, Dallas, Texas dec. David Moore, Milwaukee, Wis., 12-0

152 lbs/69 kg/female: Maria Norton Baumer, Cincinnati, Ohio dec. Saraiah Edwards, Lexington, Ky., 24-10

152 lbs/69 kg: Alantez Fox, Forrestville, Md., dec. Moshea Aleem, Richmond, Va., 8-6
165 lbs/75 kg: Dimitrius Ballard, Temple Hills, Md., dec. Daquan Arnett, Orlando, Fla., 21-17

178 lbs/81 kg: Trevor McCumby, Louisville, Ky., dec. Jerry Odom, Bowie, Md., 21-11

201 lbs/91 kg: Joshua Temple, St. Louis, Mo., stopped Timothy Moten, Louisville, Ky., RSC-3

Unopposed Champions

Men’s

201+ lbs: Domonique Varela

Women’s
101 lbs: Charise Jones

106 lbs: Cassandra Mendoza

141 lbs: Diona Wigand

178+ lbs: Traynora Locke

USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).