New York Daily News Golden Gloves Thread

I was just thinking that, since there is no Amateur boxing forum here and there are some that might want to follow what's going on in the New York Daily News Golden Gloves, that I'd make a thread to post about the Gloves. The quarter-finals have just started and here is the latest article I wrote about them for the New York Daily News. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2011/03/05/2011-03-05_ramphal_goes_4it_in_gloves.html?r=sports Golden Gloves quarterfinals rang in Friday night before a standing-room only crowd at St. Athanasius elementary school in Brooklyn. Perhaps galvanized by the sizable audience, three-time Golden Gloves champ Julian Ramphal (Universal BC) of Jamaica, Queens, made a triumphant return to the amateur circuit with a 5-0 decision over Erick Castro (Universal BC) in their 114-pound open matchup. The 22-year-old Ramphal, who hadn't fought since 2009, used his superior hand and foot speed to pick off the tough Castro. "Every time I hit him with a hook or a body shot, I could feel he was hurt so I kept the pressure on him," said Ramphal, who was named the P.C. Richard Boxer of the Night and is now looking to join the exclusive Golden four club. The way Michael Fischetti (Tiger Schulmann) and Marat Michin (Elmcor BC) were swinging in their 178-pound novice matchup, it was all a matter of who connected first. It was the 20-year-old Fischetti of Staten Island who drew first and last blood as he battered Michin's nose and stopped him at 1:49 of the first round. Fischetti, who is also an amateur mixed martial arts fighter and trainer, landed a bomb of a right hand that made Michin sink to his knees, earning him the Empire City Casino Punch of the Night. Frank Castillo (Elmcor BC) of Elmhurst, Queens, was able to improve on his first-round exit in last year's Gloves to make it to the 152-pound novice semifinals, taking a close decision over Joshua Veerman (Veterans Memorial). Castillo, a senior at Newtown High School and GNC sales associate, threw shorter punches and eventually edged out a 3-2 decision. Also in the 152-pound novice class, 25-year-old Konard Harris (Freeport PAL) continued his winning ways by taking a decision over Leshawn Rodriguez (Veterans Memorial) by a 3-2 score. Golden Gloves director Brian Adams credited the support of St. Athanasius Parish head and New York Police Department chaplain Monsignor David Cassato for the success of the event. "Monsignor Cassato is a true visionary, having been an advocate of boxing for over 10 years," Adams said. "Now you see a lot of Catholic churches closing due to a lack of funds. Monsignor was ahead of the game by keeping funds flowing into the school by doing the Gloves." The Gloves continues Saturday night at Saint Patrick School, 9511 Fourth Ave., Brooklyn.