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By Ryan ********/New York Daily News
At first glance, 17-year-old Ronniel Vargas (Atlas Cops N Kids) immediately evokes memories of his older brother, three-time Daily News Golden Gloves champion Ronny Vargas. He's tall and rangy, but not completely out of his element in close quarters. The primary difference is their hair, as Ronniel wears it neat and short while Ronny kept his long and in a ponytail.
After the elder Vargas was cut down in a senseless murder in 2008, it devastated the close-knit family that had emigrated together from Maracaibo, Venezuela in 1996.
Now a fighter in his own right, Ronniel draws inspiration from his fallen brother as he hopes to follow in his footsteps and make a name for himself in the Gloves.
Vargas took that first step at the Yonkers PAL Thursday night as he won a tough decision over John Hogan (Yonkers PAL) in a 152-pound novice fight. The shorter Hogan, whose great-grandfather was Yonkers boxing favorite Shamus O'Brien, didn't give Vargas a moment to breathe as he jumped on the slick Jackson Ave., Bronx resident from the opening bell.
"I usually take the first round to study the opponent but I didn't have time to observe him," said Vargas, the P.C. Richard Boxer of the Night.
Vargas did a good job of laying traps along the ropes and sliding away with counter right hands as Hogan charged in. Hogan was relentless in his pursuit as he continued to force his opponent to the ropes and landed hard uppercuts in the second round as he found a weapon that could infiltrate Vargas' defense.
With the fight seemingly on the table, Vargas closed the show strongly by knocking Hogan's mouthpiece out with an uppercut of his own. Vargas moved and used his legs to close it out.
"I give him all the respect possible," Vargas, a student at Jane Addams High School, said of his opponent.
"Everything I do is because of my brother and coming into the same rings he fought in gets me more amped," Vargas said. "My brother won the Mark Breland novice trophy and I'm aiming for the same trophy my brother had."
Amedeo Calandriello (Aaron Davis BC) conceded that his opponent, Eric Carmona (Unattached), had more skills than he does. He also admitted that Carmona was a bigger puncher, stronger fighter and had the quicker hands. What Calandriello took credit for is something that can't be tracked with statistics.
"I'm a brawler," the 25-year-old Calandriello, of Palm Bay, Bronx, said after taking a close decision in their 152-pound novice bout. "I'm Italian, we fight with heart. What I lack in skill I make up for in will."
Calandriello, a biochemistry major at Hunter College, never stopped throwing at his taller opponent, walking through heavy fire from the harder-hitting Carmona. His nonstop aggression eventually wore down Carmona.
PUNCHING IN
James Clarke (Aaron Davis BC) earned Empire City Casino Punch of the Night honors by dropping Claude Paul (Freeport PAL) for a second-round knockout at 165 novice. ... The Golden Gloves continue Friday night at Bishop Kearney High School, 2202 60th St., in Brooklyn. First bout, 7:30.
At first glance, 17-year-old Ronniel Vargas (Atlas Cops N Kids) immediately evokes memories of his older brother, three-time Daily News Golden Gloves champion Ronny Vargas. He's tall and rangy, but not completely out of his element in close quarters. The primary difference is their hair, as Ronniel wears it neat and short while Ronny kept his long and in a ponytail.
After the elder Vargas was cut down in a senseless murder in 2008, it devastated the close-knit family that had emigrated together from Maracaibo, Venezuela in 1996.
Now a fighter in his own right, Ronniel draws inspiration from his fallen brother as he hopes to follow in his footsteps and make a name for himself in the Gloves.
Vargas took that first step at the Yonkers PAL Thursday night as he won a tough decision over John Hogan (Yonkers PAL) in a 152-pound novice fight. The shorter Hogan, whose great-grandfather was Yonkers boxing favorite Shamus O'Brien, didn't give Vargas a moment to breathe as he jumped on the slick Jackson Ave., Bronx resident from the opening bell.
"I usually take the first round to study the opponent but I didn't have time to observe him," said Vargas, the P.C. Richard Boxer of the Night.
Vargas did a good job of laying traps along the ropes and sliding away with counter right hands as Hogan charged in. Hogan was relentless in his pursuit as he continued to force his opponent to the ropes and landed hard uppercuts in the second round as he found a weapon that could infiltrate Vargas' defense.
With the fight seemingly on the table, Vargas closed the show strongly by knocking Hogan's mouthpiece out with an uppercut of his own. Vargas moved and used his legs to close it out.
"I give him all the respect possible," Vargas, a student at Jane Addams High School, said of his opponent.
"Everything I do is because of my brother and coming into the same rings he fought in gets me more amped," Vargas said. "My brother won the Mark Breland novice trophy and I'm aiming for the same trophy my brother had."
Amedeo Calandriello (Aaron Davis BC) conceded that his opponent, Eric Carmona (Unattached), had more skills than he does. He also admitted that Carmona was a bigger puncher, stronger fighter and had the quicker hands. What Calandriello took credit for is something that can't be tracked with statistics.
"I'm a brawler," the 25-year-old Calandriello, of Palm Bay, Bronx, said after taking a close decision in their 152-pound novice bout. "I'm Italian, we fight with heart. What I lack in skill I make up for in will."
Calandriello, a biochemistry major at Hunter College, never stopped throwing at his taller opponent, walking through heavy fire from the harder-hitting Carmona. His nonstop aggression eventually wore down Carmona.
PUNCHING IN
James Clarke (Aaron Davis BC) earned Empire City Casino Punch of the Night honors by dropping Claude Paul (Freeport PAL) for a second-round knockout at 165 novice. ... The Golden Gloves continue Friday night at Bishop Kearney High School, 2202 60th St., in Brooklyn. First bout, 7:30.
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