Many of the city’s top amateur boxers will duke it out at the annual Golden Gloves Tournament, to be held at the EPCC gym at the Valle Verde campus on Feb. 8-10.
The event, spanning three consecutive days, is open to all nonprofessional boxers, male and female, ages 17 to 34 and weighing 106 lbs. to 201 lbs.
“There will be about 100 athletes in 11 weight divisions,” said Herman Adams, president and one of the registration chairmen of the El Paso Golden Gloves organization.
Adams said that each fight will have three rounds, two minutes each, with a minute break in between rounds.
The tournament will feature 15 fights per day, with one champion per weight division.
According to Ladislao Vicencio, executive director of Golden Gloves at El Paso,
winners from this competition
will be able to advance to the
state level, which precedes the nationals.
He also said that the winners will be represented by Border Boxing, a local branch of USA Boxing, which is the national division of the Olympic committee.
The Golden Gloves organization at El Paso also trains members as young as 8 years old and although there are no fees, according to Vicencio, all must register with USA Boxing and pay a $40 yearly fee.
This includes medical insurance coverage.
“They [the members] will learn boxing skills, good citizenship and practice physical fitness,” said Vicencio.
Nicolas Dominguez, a member of the EPCC Board of Trustees, was responsible for bringing the Golden Gloves boxing Tournament to EPCC.
“I think that boxing, just like any other sport, is good for the students, because it keeps them focused on their studies and education,” he said.
Dominguez also added that even though it’s a contact sport, he considers boxing to be safe.
“I plan on winning,” said Israel Han, culinary arts major. Weighing 152 lbs., he will be fighting in the middleweight division.
Han, 19, has already won one state Golden Gloves title and comes from a family of boxing champions.
His brother Abraham Han, 23, won both a regional and a state tournament.
His sisters Stephanie Han, 17, won the national tournament, Heather Han, 17, won the national tournament twice and Jennifer Han, 24, won the national tournament thrice.
“The Golden Gloves is the most prestigious tournament in the nation,” said Jennifer Han.
She will be taking time off from her professional boxing career to coach her brother at the tournament.
After a late night training session, Israel had time to reflect.
“I want to follow in my family’s footsteps,” he said, “and keep the Han’s name feared.”
The fights will be held at the Valle Verde Gym.
Tickets, which will be sold at the door, are $5 for the general public, $3 for students and children aged 12 and under.
For additional information and fight times, call Ladislao Vicencio at 203-0493 or Herman Adams at 821-2153.
