Missouri Boxing News

St Louis American: "Fighting words: Champions on a shoestring
By: Glenn McBrady For the St. Louis American September 30, 2004
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Juzzton Hill. Photo by Wiley Price
In an individual sport such as boxing, the people who form a fighter's support system often remain anonymous. The attraction of one-on-one competition is what lured Juzzton Hill into boxing five years ago, but he is quick to credit those who have trained and supported him on his way to becoming one of the top amateurs in the nation.
In the last two years, Hill has won the Junior Olympic Tournament in his age and weight class and recently took second place in the Ringside National Boxing tournament. But he carries a team mentality - perhaps because, at the gym where he trains, it's a case of making something out of nothing.


The West End Community Center sits on Union Boulevard near Soldan High School. I visited Juzzton there recently on what happened to be his fifteenth birthday. The accessories he wore made standing seem like a workout. With two amateur championship belts draped across his shoulders and an array of medals from past tournaments weighing heavily around his neck, he led me toward the boxing room.

His coach, Anthony Larry Floyd, turned and smiled.

'Wait until you see what we've got to work with.'

As he twisted the padlock open on the thick wooden door, the purpose of the slot carved through at eye level was revealed. The room is an old raquetball court with peeling paint and chewed-up floors.

Large halogen lamps cling to the high ceiling and metal folding chairs line the back wall. Above the chairs is a homemade poster taped to the wall that reads 'West End Boxing Club.' But most notable is the absence of boxing equipment.

There is a canvas heavy bag suspended from a creaky metal frame that looks as if it couldn't withstand a wind gust. A thin, vinyl canvas stretched across the floor serves as the ring. Rounding out the inventory is one medicine ball, a pair of focus mitts and a few sets of headgear and gloves.

Yet this space is where the kids train, spar and become teammates - and it produced at least 10 current amateur champions.

Coach Floyd has a stable of fighters who have championship wins at the Golden Gloves, Silver Gloves, Diamond Gloves, the Junior Olympic Tournament and several local and regional meets.

'I don't do it for the money,' Coach Floyd said, 'I do it for the kids. Boxing saved my life, and some of these kids will grow up and become trainers themselves.'

'When we're out of town, we're all one family,' Hill said.

'We look out for each other. If one of us is down, we gotta lift him up, because most of the time we're trying to win a team trophy.'

His journey is just beginning, but Juzzton Hill has his goals, his path and a solid foundation built with teammates in a sport that glorifies the lone man in the ring.

"

Boxing Record Archive :: View topic - Oct. 29 - St. Joseph, MO: "All-American Promotions, Inc.
Tickets: 816-232-2348

Friday, October 29, 2004
St. Joseph, Missouri
Civic Arena

WBF Intercontinental Heavyweight Title
Rob Calloway 52-5-1 38 KOs VS Andy Sample 37-8-2 21 KOs (Heavyweight 12 rds)

Tony Tubbs 43-10 24 KOs VS TBA (Heavyweight 6 rds)
Franchesca Alcanter 13-5-1 7 KOs VS TBA (Super Featherweight 6 rds)
Gary Dydell 4-0 3 KOs VS TBA (Heavyweight 6 rds)
Holly Shores 3-0-1 2 KOs VS TBA (Minimumweight 4 rds)
Travis Hartman 2-0-1 1KO VS TBA (Lightweight 4 rds)
Charles Tucker 2-1 2 KOs VS TBA (Heavyweight 4 rds)
Darwin Doney 0-0-0 0 KOs VS TBA (Heavyweight 4 rds)
Craig Dydell 0-0-0 0 KOs VS TBA (Super Middleweight 4 rds)
Ryan Ault 0-0-0 0 KOs VS TBA (Middleweight 4 rds)"

News-Leader.com | Sports | One fight at a time: "Published September 24, 2004

One fight at a time
A single slip-up could badly hurt B.J. Flores' young boxing career

B.J. Flores receives instruction from co-trainer Kenny Adams after a sparring session Thursday at Lewis Boxing Gym on Commercial Street. Flores (8-0-1) fights Saturday night at Shrine Mosque.
Steve J.P. Liang / News-Leader
B.J. Flores warms up before getting in the ring with sparring partner Terry Smith at Lewis Boxing Gym in preparation for Flores' fight against Cruz Quintana on Saturday night.
Steve J.P. Liang / News-Leader
Adams

Frank Flores

Want to go?

What: Five-fight pro boxing card

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: Shrine Mosque, Springfield

Tickets: $16 to $76, available at the Mosque ticket office, by calling 1-800-293-5949, at www.metrotix.com, or at the door the day of the fight

Who's fighting: Willard native B.J. Flores (8-0-1) will take on Cruz Quintana (10-2) of Kearney, Neb., in the six-round heavyweight main event; other bouts on the card are featherweights Jose Diaz (3-0) of Houston Texas vs. Carlos Zambrano (7-9-1) of Los Angeles; super middleweights Josh Flores (1-0) of Springfield vs. Quentin Simmons (1-2) of Oklahoma City; bantamweights Raul Martinez (3-0) of San Antonio vs. Roberto Solis (0-2) of Miami, Fla.; and super middleweights Brian Cook (9-3) of Springfield vs. Steve Mayo (4-11) of Oklahoma City

B.J. Flores' pro fight results

Date Opponent Location Rounds Result
May 3, 2003 Dallas Lane Las Vegas 1 TKO
May 17, 2003 Jimmie Franklin Atlantic City, NJ 4 Win
July 26, 2003 Cesar Carbajal Los Angeles 1 TKO
Oct. 3, 2003 Gabriel Taylor Houston, Texas 2 TKO
Nov. 22, 2003 Semisi Bloomfield Houston, Texas 4 Draw
Jan. 24, 2004 Chris Hairston Atlantic City, NJ 1 TKO
April 3, 2004 Eric French Little Rock, Ark. 4 Win
May 8, 2004 Brian Maclin Tucson, Az. 1 TKO
July 17, 2004 John Turlington Houston, Texas 4 TKO

Record: 8-0-1

'No doubt it's pressure, but I think he thrives on that. He's been in so many big competitions, internationally and so on. It all prepares you for this type of thing.'

-- Kenny Adams, co-trainer for heavyweight boxer B.J. Flores, on the Willard native's preparation for his fight in Springfield

By Scott Puryear
News-Leader Staff

Coming 'home' for the first time for a professional boxing match has brought back a flood of memories for B.J. Flores.

Training the past three weeks at the Lewis Boxing Gym on Commercial Street has led to flashbacks of his childhood days of fighting at the Boys and Girls Club on Boonville Avenue.

Pretty clear ones, too.

Surely by now, a twentysomething Travis Hancock can't be too ashamed of the beating he took from Flores in the latter's first-ever fight, when both were duking it out as 10-year-olds in the Musgrave Unit.

'I gave him three eight-counts ... bloodied him up real bad,' Flores said with a grin.

How the stakes have changed.

The 25-year-old Flores is now considered one of pro boxing's rising young heavyweights.

The Willard native has a contract from the Main Events boxing promotional machine that will pay him at least $1.5 million over the next six years.

And with continued success — starting with Saturday night's scheduled six-round bout with Cruz Quintana at the Shrine Mosque in Springfield — Flores could be on his way to someday landing one of those ridiculously large paydays for pay-per-view fights ... maybe even a world champ"

News-Leader.com | Sports | One fight at a time: "What: Five-fight pro boxing card

When: 8 p.m. Saturday

Where: Shrine Mosque, Springfield

Tickets: $16 to $76, available at the Mosque ticket office, by calling 1-800-293-5949, at www.metrotix.com, or at the door the day of the fight

Who's fighting: Willard native B.J. Flores (8-0-1) will take on Cruz Quintana (10-2) of Kearney, Neb., in the six-round heavyweight main event; other bouts on the card are featherweights Jose Diaz (3-0) of Houston Texas vs. Carlos Zambrano (7-9-1) of Los Angeles; super middleweights Josh Flores (1-0) of Springfield vs. Quentin Simmons (1-2) of Oklahoma City; bantamweights Raul Martinez (3-0) of San Antonio vs. Roberto Solis (0-2) of Miami, Fla.; and super middleweights Brian Cook (9-3) of Springfield vs. Steve Mayo (4-11) of Oklahoma City"

St Louis American: "Fighting words: Coach for life
By: Glenn McBrady For the St. Louis American September 23, 2004
Buddy Shaw works with one of his boxers at the Gamble Community Center. Photo by Wiley Price
On a late summer evening in North St. Louis, a group of kids have descended the steps leading to the lower-level boxing area of the Gamble Community Center. As the aspiring fighters glove up, the sharp snapping sound of a boxer punishing a heavy bag clashes with the dull thumping of basketballs being dribbled on the hardwood court directly overhead.
The boys are preparing to shadowbox and spar under the scrutiny of coach 'Buddy' Shaw, a former amateur boxer with 27 years of coaching experience.

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Over the years, Shaw has learned that coaching kids in the inner-city involves much more than running drills and tacking up slogans on a bulletin board. His role in many youngsters' lives transcends that of simply 'coach.' He often serves as counselor and father figure to kids in need.

Winston Shaw was born in St. Louis and grew up in the area of 14th and Chouteau. He began boxing at age 13 at the Soulard Rec Center, located above Soulard Market. He competed in amateur tournaments such as the AAU and Golden Gloves.

Despite his passion for participating, boxing was gradually replaced by work, marriage and fatherhood. When the two oldest of Shaw's three sons were old enough, 'Buddy' took his boys to the Tandy Rec Center. The boys boxed for awhile, but it was the elder Shaw who was once again bitten by the fight bug.

Shaw started coaching by picking the brain of Sam Westbrook, the man who would eventually become 'Buddy's' mentor. It wasn't until Shaw's first experience at a national tournament in Greensboro, N.C., in 1979 that he felt qualified and comfortable as a boxing coach.

In addition to training at Gamble, 'Buddy' has worked with kids at the DeSoto and Wohl centers and spent 21 years at the Cochran Community Center. He smiles warmly when asked about some of the amateur standouts from the countless kids he's taught. He talks proudly of fighters such as Anthony Robinson and Artez Mapp. But it's immediately clear that he also sees the bigger picture.

'Buddy' believes his experience of growing up in a single-parent home instilled a drive inside him to be the father figure for kids trying to avoid the pitfalls and dead ends they often face.

'Boxing is simply the tool,' he said. 'What we're really teaching is discipline. Some kids come in with it, but discipline can be learned.'

All of Shaw's boxers are required to bring in their school report cards, and this emphasis on education provided the theme for a success story that Shaw considers one of his greatest achievements.

His expression softens as he tells of when, many years ago, one of his boxers confided that, despite getting good grades, he was thinking about dropping out of high school. 'Buddy' persuaded him to stay in school and persevere, and that young man went on to graduate from college, get a master's degree, and is now principal at a school in St. Louis County.

After 27 years of highlights in the ring, the coach counts that story as one of his greatest victories.


©St Louis American 2004"

St Louis American: "Fighting words: A hard puncher hits downtown
By: Thomas Crone For the St. Louis American September 16, 2004
Boxer Steve Vincent works the bag with trainer Jim Howell. Photo by Wiley Price
It's doubtful that Steve Vincent filled out a calendar at the beginning of the year, calling for his first six professional bouts before October rolled around.

But, as it turned out, Monday night will find Vincent in the ring for exactly that contest: his sixth pro match since March, and his second at home. Vincent will bring a 3-2 record into the ring against a still-to-be-determined opponent on 'Big Hands' Willis' 'The First Battle' card at the downtown Marriott Hotel.
Starting out with three straight knockout victories, Vincent's professional career hit a bit of turbulence with a pair of losses - only two weeks apart - in June and July, including a split decision to a tough Jens Pulver in Chicago.

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A lean, rangy, 147-pounder, Vincent is a live wire around the NCAA gym where he trains. On the phone, he's a bit more reserved during a late-evening interview.

Asked whether it matters that his opponent is a mystery to him, just a week before fight night, he said, 'I mean, it does and it doesn't.' Asked if he enjoys competing out of town, as opposed to in St. Louis, he said, 'It doesn't matter. I like fighting here and out of town.' He even has a stock answer for how he hopes the bout winds up on Monday, saying, 'I just hope everything goes right. I'm gonna go out and do my thing. Put on a good show.'

That's a given. In his five pro fights, he has taken men down and been down himself, though not knocked out. That's a crowd-pleasing formula, but too many dust-ups early in a career can give trainers a weak stomach.

Making the transition to the pro ranks is always a progression for young fighters, but Vincent's pedigree is solid. As an amateur, he was ranked in the top 10 in the nation, due to strong showings at several major tournaments and at the Olympic Trials.

Manager-coach Jim Howell figures that he will be knocking on the door sooner than later.

Howell said, 'He was a good amateur boxer, ranked fifth in the U.S. when he turned pro. He's a hard, boxer-puncher and he'll make a better pro than an amateur. He likes to pick his shots and take up time. I'd love for him to go someplace. We need a little more time, but I think in two years, he could be in the rankings.'

Asked for his own take on where he'll be within that timeframe, Vincent, 22, gave a surprisingly fresh answer.

'In boxing, I want to see myself go further,' he said. 'I want to meet some cool people, do a lot of cool, little things. I'm looking for a big future in my boxing game.'

Those words are more like Steve Vincent's jabs.

Doors for Monday's 'The First Battle' open at 6:30. For ticket info, call 721-2946.


©St Louis American 2004"

St Louis American: "Fighting words: Around the ropes
By: Thomas Crone September 09, 2004
Jamar Hampton (left) delivers a hard jab to the jaw of Jerry Brannon. Photo by Wiley Price
With the end of summer comes a resurgence of amateur cards in the area, and the fight calendar is also blocked with two professional shows. So let's survey the scene, with some reviews and previews.

Felt, but not seen: The best scraps are often the ones that fans never see, the intra-gym collisions that take place as fights approach. On a muggy Labor Day, Phillip 'Bring the' Payne and Cornell 'The Assassin' Jackson put on quite a show in a sparring session that slowed the activity around the North County Athletic Association to a crawl.
The pair, each prepping for a separate, upcoming fight show, seemed match-ready, trading lefts and rights for three tough rounds, capturing the attention of assorted fighters and trainers.

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Jackson will be on a fight card promoted by veteran NCAA trainer/manager Jim Howell under the Gateway Boxing banner at the Heart of St. Charles Banquet Center on Thursday, Sept. 16. In addition to Jackson, the card will include local pros Mike Wood, Brian Davis, Shawn Hammack and Joe Stofle. Tickets are priced from $25-40. Call (636) 561-2380.

Payne, as previously noted here, will be defending a couple of super bantamweight titles on a card put together by Anthony 'Big Hands' Willis a few days later, on Monday, Sept. 20. Local names on that bill include Steve Vincent, Leon Bobo, Kelly Wright and a debuting Karoz Norman, who is wrapping up an impressive amateur career in the process.

Willis provides a phonebook-sized list of local ticket-request numbers: 381-9090, 382-8900, 721-4483 and 383-4400.

Tar Baby triumphs: Profiled in this space a couple of weeks after a loss at the Ringside tourney, Chanel 'Tar Baby' Ivory (SBAC) rebounded nicely, as one of winners at an outdoor show promoted by the IBSS, held this past Sunday. Winning over Dyneecha Robinson (Major Hawkins), the tall, lanky Ivory used her reach advantage to good effect, banging out a three-round decision in front of approximately 800 fight fans on the Hill.

Also on the positive end of the results that night were fighters from a variety of local training grounds: lightweight Bennie Culpepper and heavyweight Marchuls Clemens (both 12th & Park); and Ryan Williams (Major Hawkins), among others.

In the shadows of the Spinks undercard: There's still talk coming out of the Cory Spinks camp about the champ's lack of respect in his hometown. A reasonable topic, since the three-belted Spinks seems unable to land his much-desired title defense here. But, in fairness, there's been an uptick in local play for Spinks recently, on TV and radio in the daily paper. Spinks and trainer/manager Kevin Cunningham certainly did the media rounds in the week leading up to fight night.

Hidden in the shadows of the Spinks undercard, a young fighter from Spinks' gym continued his own ascent. Welterweight Vaughn Alexander, who started his pro career this spring while still attending high school, moved to 4-0 with a KO win over Jose Juan Mendiola. He, too, has found the road to his liking, with three of four W's coming in Las Vegas, and with only one home appearance, so far. If a Spinks defense comes here, expect the teenaged sensation Alexander to be on the bill as well.


©St Louis American 2004"

Boxing News -- 24 hours/day - Reload often!: "
Unbeaten Wills headlines!

September 9, 2004

By Francisco Salazar






Boxing returns to the bright lights of Southern California as Terry Claybon's LB4LB Promotions presents "Hollywood Fight Night V" on Friday night at the Henry Fonda Music Box Theatre in Hollywood, CA.
Cruiserweight Darius Watson will face Preston Tony Kenney in a six round bout.

Watson, (7-0, 3 KO's) from Los Angeles, will fight for the first time since defeating Jermaine Johnson in February.

Watson has gone the distance in his last three bouts. Currently, he is a physical education teacher at a South Central Los Angeles Junior High school.

Kenney, (5-11, 4 KO's) from Columbia, MO, has won his last two bouts after having dropped five bouts in a row. In his noteworthy fights, he has lost to Anwar Oshana and to Damon Reed. "

An Undercard Chock Full of Talent at the Mandalay Bay:


September 6, 2004
By Mike Sloan at ringside (Sherdogsloan@cox.net)

Las Vegas, NV:
"Rising welterweight contender Vaughn Alexander kept his unblemished record in tact by easily discarding opponent Jose Mendiola in the second round. Mendiola was content on not really fighting Alexander as he instead chose to taunt him with arms down and sticking out his chin. Alexander was unfazed by the tactics and kept his composure, eventually ending things in somewhat emphatic fashion.

Alexander landed two crunching right uppercuts as Medniola entangled himself within the ropes. Once the punches landed flush, it was obvious that Mendiola was in trouble and that the ropes were keeping him afloat. Hall of Fame referee Richard Steele wisely rled him down and issued the count. Medniola clearly wanted nothing more to do with Alexander and stayed on the ropes for the duration of the count. Steele eventually reached the count of ten, ending the fight at just 1:04 of the second round. With the knockout, Alexander, St. Louis, MO, remains perfect at 4-0 with 4 KOs while Mendiola, from Los Angeles, plummets to 3-9 with 1 KO. "

Grey Wolf Promotions

Springfield based Grey Wolf Promotions to have first match Friday Oct 15th.
Billed as "The Fight Against Hunger" spectators are asked to bring non
perishable food items to be collected at the door, all collected food will
be given to the Ozarks food pantries.

Fight Card Released For Sept. 23: "Kelsey 'Road Warrior' Jeffries (28-8, 2 KO's) of Gilroy, Calif. who will take on Jeri Sitzes (5-5-1, 3 KO's) of Springfield, Mo. in a 10 round Jr. Featherweight IBA World Title Fight.
For more event information, check out the official Web site at www.millerlitefightnightatthetank.com."

St Louis American: "Fighting Words: Cherokee champs
By: Thomas Crone For the St. Louis American September 02, 2004
Otis Brown (left) and Cory Walker Jr. Photo by Wiley Price
Housed in a building dating back to the Cervantes administration, the Cherokee Rec Center has offered hundreds of fighters a chance to work, spar and find some training structure. Coach Jesse Davison has been there nearly 20 years and veteran trainer Ben Stewart joined him for the past few, after his Wellston Rec Center shuttered.
Despite all those years of history in the South Side space, the current team of young amateurs at the Cherokee might wind up becoming the most decorated. Hand-made signs in the steamy, second-floor boxing gym highlight their achievements.

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Two weeks back, at the Kansas City-hosted Ringside Tournament, four Cherokee athletes walked away winners, destined to have their names tacked up on the wall: Theortric Dailey (11-12 age group, 90-pound division); Otis Brown (11-12, 132); Cameron Williams (13, 200 ); and Joshua Temple (11-12, 119).

Joshua Temple - a soft-spoken kid whose father, Willie, also coaches at the Cherokee - won at both the local and national levels, winning his age group at the National Silver Gloves, among several other key wins in his brief career.

Joshua would rather box than boast or even talk, for that matter. But Willie Temple is anything but shy about the center's success.

'We have more champions at Cherokee than any other gym in the city,' Temple said. 'We have about 35 guys in here and 15 have won championships.'

Among the most solid is his son, Joshua, a sixth-grader at City Academy who, like his brother Jabril at Gateway Tech, plays football on the side. In the ring, Joshua has taken on matches at the National Silver Gloves, National Junior Golden Gloves and local tourneys like the PAL, Gateway Classic and City Rec championships.

'He's been fighting kids from all over,' said Willie Temple, not having to note that he wins those contests, too.

'It's fun fighting out of town,' Joshua said.

The sacrifices inherent in boxing occurred to him, first, as a dietary matter. 'You can't eat candy, you have to eat salad,' he said.

Willie Temple, as father and coach, keeps a close eye on his ward. He figures that, with summer over, Joshua will get in a good three days of training a week.

And these aren't easy workouts for the kid, either. Last week, on a steamy day, he worked out in two T-shirts and a pair of sweatshirts after checking in five pounds over his ideal fighting weight of 115. A bit more candy than salad lately, perhaps.

Joshua starts out each workout with a brisk, three-mile run around Benton Park, which surrounds the Cherokee Rec. Sweltering in his four layers of clothes and wearing a pair of Chuck Taylors, Joshua headed out for a run.

He explained his dedication by saying, 'I want to get more belts.'


©St Louis American 2004"

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DODGE CITY NATIVE TO FIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT ON SHOWTIME


Professional boxer Francisco Diaz had a vision before his fight with Indiana's Mike Stone that he would record a knockout in the first round and become the North American Boxing Council's Americas middleweight champion.

Then he went out and did what he visioned with a first-round technical knockout of Stone to claim the title.

"It worked exactly as I planned and I wasn't surprised because I felt like I was going to win," Diaz said. "I felt strong in the dressing room because I prepared myself pretty well. I just caught him with a left hook and then a right hand as he was on the way down."

dodgeglobe.com. To read the rest of the article, please visit::
http://www.dodgeglobe.com/stories/090104/sports_090104008.shtml

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