State Junior Olympic boxing makes Maui debut on Saturday
The Maui News:
State Junior Olympic boxing makes Maui debut on Saturday
By RODNEY S. YAP, Staff Writer
WAILUKU - The Valley Isle's top youth boxers - from Upcountry gyms to South Maui - will showcase their skills this weekend against the best from around the state in the 2004 USA Hawaii Junior Olympic Boxing State Championships.
War Memorial Gym will be the place to see all the action as boxers ranging from 8- to 16-years-old compete in 18 different weight classes. Saturday's preliminary bouts begin at 7 p.m. and Sunday's finals start at noon. General admission is $10, ringside seating is $20.
Maui has produced its share of champions over the years, including Wailuku Boxing Club's Dat Nguyen six years ago. Last year, however, was arguably Maui's finest showing at the Junior Olympic state championships on Oahu as six fighters earned gold medals and four were eligible to advance to the national competition last June in Alexandria, La. When the group returned to Maui, three of the boxers were ranked among the nation's top 10 in their respective weight classes.
Four of last year's champions are back. Kevin Kaahoohanohano of Wailuku Boxing Club and Kaluka Maiava of Central Maui Boxing Club - two of the island's most promising amateur fighters - are 17 now and too old to compete. But Southside Boxing Club's Thomas Buswell-Ordonez, Central Maui Boxing Club's Chazz Moleta, Wailuku Boxing Club's Keola McKee and Southside's Zachary Masuboy Manangan are all expected to defend the titles they won in Waianae in 2003.
Moleta, a 16-year-old sophomore at Baldwin High School, is currently ranked No. 6 in the nation. He is expected to move up in weight from the 106-pound division he competed in last year. Ordonez, 16, is a sophomore at St. Anthony and currently ranked No. 9. He is also expected to move up in weight from the 101-pound division.
In addition to the Olympic fighting, fans will be treated to open fights in various weight classes, featuring men and women from around the state. Oahu's Police Athletic League (PAL) is also scheduled to have bouts Saturday afternoon at War Memorial Gym, starting at 1 p.m. Admission is free.
Bruce Kawano, the chairman of USA Boxing Hawaii, which runs the Junior Olympic program in the 50th state, and Hawaii's lone member on the national board of directors for the U.S. Olympic Committee since 1999, is responsible for bringing the two-day event to Maui.
"The reason I brought it to Maui is because we know it will draw a good crowd and they have good athletes that have shown well in past tournaments,'' Kawano said. "What I'd like to see is the people in charge of the senior (boxing) programs, like the Golden Gloves and the state championships, hopefully follow my lead and bring more events to Maui.''
Kawano said 10 clubs from Oahu are coming, one from Kauai and four from the Big Island. He predicts there will be as many as 60 fighters from Maui alone. Kawano said news of the event coming to Maui did not sit well with the clubs on Oahu.
"My job is to have the best tournament we can have, regardless of where it is held and I'm just doing my job,'' remarked Kawano, who also coaches at Kakaako Boxing Club. "The fighters on Maui have to travel to Oahu all the time, so it's only fair that Oahu fighters have to travel, too."
Kawano said, "Maui boxing has really stepped it up. They have plenty of fighters all around the island, and USA Boxing is the perfect grass roots boxing program for those young fighters just learning."
All 15- and 16-year-old winners automatically advance to Texas for the national championships in June. Winners from Texas are eligible to box internationally and train at the U,S. Olympic Center training site in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Last year Maiava was asked to join the international team to Mexico City but he could not commit because he had to return to Maui to prepare for the start of the Maui interscholastic League football season.
"He was a newcomer, the kind Hawaii typically gets, someone who has enjoyed success having between 5 and 20 fights," Kawano said. "On the Mainland fighters typically fight as many as 100 fights."
In fact, Kawano expects there will be a number of weight classes where fighters may go unopposed. Kawano said unopposed fighters who are 15 or 16 are eligible to advance to Texas.
One such boxer Kawano expects to be unopposed is 15-year-old Keola McKee, who is preparing to fight in the 85-pound weight class. His father and coach, Jeff McKee, doesn't expect Keola to have any competition here. Nevertheless, Kawano said, "In my opinion, and I've followed this kid since he was 5, he'll win the national championship."
Those who have seen Keola McKee box agree his chances of a national championship are good.
The older McKee said he's just happy Maui is getting to host the competition.
"The best place to have it is here," Jeff McKee said. "Maui has more active fighters than anywhere else, so this is the best thing. Kawano is doing the right thing by brining it to Maui."
Kawano said he's brining 97 medals, from first to third, in weight classes beginning from 80 pounds on up to super heavyweight (unlimited).
"This is great for Maui," said the 37-year-old Kawano, who won three Hawaii Golden Gloves titles and state championships at 119 pounds. "It's this kind of competition that really can get a boxer to the next level. Much like the international competition can help a fighter get to the Olympic level."
State Junior Olympic boxing makes Maui debut on Saturday
By RODNEY S. YAP, Staff Writer
WAILUKU - The Valley Isle's top youth boxers - from Upcountry gyms to South Maui - will showcase their skills this weekend against the best from around the state in the 2004 USA Hawaii Junior Olympic Boxing State Championships.
War Memorial Gym will be the place to see all the action as boxers ranging from 8- to 16-years-old compete in 18 different weight classes. Saturday's preliminary bouts begin at 7 p.m. and Sunday's finals start at noon. General admission is $10, ringside seating is $20.
Maui has produced its share of champions over the years, including Wailuku Boxing Club's Dat Nguyen six years ago. Last year, however, was arguably Maui's finest showing at the Junior Olympic state championships on Oahu as six fighters earned gold medals and four were eligible to advance to the national competition last June in Alexandria, La. When the group returned to Maui, three of the boxers were ranked among the nation's top 10 in their respective weight classes.
Four of last year's champions are back. Kevin Kaahoohanohano of Wailuku Boxing Club and Kaluka Maiava of Central Maui Boxing Club - two of the island's most promising amateur fighters - are 17 now and too old to compete. But Southside Boxing Club's Thomas Buswell-Ordonez, Central Maui Boxing Club's Chazz Moleta, Wailuku Boxing Club's Keola McKee and Southside's Zachary Masuboy Manangan are all expected to defend the titles they won in Waianae in 2003.
Moleta, a 16-year-old sophomore at Baldwin High School, is currently ranked No. 6 in the nation. He is expected to move up in weight from the 106-pound division he competed in last year. Ordonez, 16, is a sophomore at St. Anthony and currently ranked No. 9. He is also expected to move up in weight from the 101-pound division.
In addition to the Olympic fighting, fans will be treated to open fights in various weight classes, featuring men and women from around the state. Oahu's Police Athletic League (PAL) is also scheduled to have bouts Saturday afternoon at War Memorial Gym, starting at 1 p.m. Admission is free.
Bruce Kawano, the chairman of USA Boxing Hawaii, which runs the Junior Olympic program in the 50th state, and Hawaii's lone member on the national board of directors for the U.S. Olympic Committee since 1999, is responsible for bringing the two-day event to Maui.
"The reason I brought it to Maui is because we know it will draw a good crowd and they have good athletes that have shown well in past tournaments,'' Kawano said. "What I'd like to see is the people in charge of the senior (boxing) programs, like the Golden Gloves and the state championships, hopefully follow my lead and bring more events to Maui.''
Kawano said 10 clubs from Oahu are coming, one from Kauai and four from the Big Island. He predicts there will be as many as 60 fighters from Maui alone. Kawano said news of the event coming to Maui did not sit well with the clubs on Oahu.
"My job is to have the best tournament we can have, regardless of where it is held and I'm just doing my job,'' remarked Kawano, who also coaches at Kakaako Boxing Club. "The fighters on Maui have to travel to Oahu all the time, so it's only fair that Oahu fighters have to travel, too."
Kawano said, "Maui boxing has really stepped it up. They have plenty of fighters all around the island, and USA Boxing is the perfect grass roots boxing program for those young fighters just learning."
All 15- and 16-year-old winners automatically advance to Texas for the national championships in June. Winners from Texas are eligible to box internationally and train at the U,S. Olympic Center training site in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Last year Maiava was asked to join the international team to Mexico City but he could not commit because he had to return to Maui to prepare for the start of the Maui interscholastic League football season.
"He was a newcomer, the kind Hawaii typically gets, someone who has enjoyed success having between 5 and 20 fights," Kawano said. "On the Mainland fighters typically fight as many as 100 fights."
In fact, Kawano expects there will be a number of weight classes where fighters may go unopposed. Kawano said unopposed fighters who are 15 or 16 are eligible to advance to Texas.
One such boxer Kawano expects to be unopposed is 15-year-old Keola McKee, who is preparing to fight in the 85-pound weight class. His father and coach, Jeff McKee, doesn't expect Keola to have any competition here. Nevertheless, Kawano said, "In my opinion, and I've followed this kid since he was 5, he'll win the national championship."
Those who have seen Keola McKee box agree his chances of a national championship are good.
The older McKee said he's just happy Maui is getting to host the competition.
"The best place to have it is here," Jeff McKee said. "Maui has more active fighters than anywhere else, so this is the best thing. Kawano is doing the right thing by brining it to Maui."
Kawano said he's brining 97 medals, from first to third, in weight classes beginning from 80 pounds on up to super heavyweight (unlimited).
"This is great for Maui," said the 37-year-old Kawano, who won three Hawaii Golden Gloves titles and state championships at 119 pounds. "It's this kind of competition that really can get a boxer to the next level. Much like the international competition can help a fighter get to the Olympic level."
posted by DP at 2:51 PM
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