Boxers
Return Home Early from PAL While several metro Detroit boxers are progressing toward the finals at the 2009 National PAL tournament in San Antonio, Texas several more from west and northern Michigan were not as successful. Four boxers from MLK gym in Grand Rapids included three fighters that competed but lost and one who was unable to compete because of injury. A fighter from Traverse City’s Trigger Boxing also lost his bid early. Ryan Schmidt (132) lost a close 12-11 decision on Monday to Lavale Wilson. The twenty-four year old had trained and conditioned to compete at 125 pounds but found out on Sunday that the 125 weight class had been reduced two pounds to 123. That change, and his belief that it would be difficult to maintain the lower weight throughout the week-long tournament, prompted him to fight up at 132. Vincent Jennings (132) suffered an 11-5 first round loss on Monday to Ricky Edwards. Germaine McKinney (165) decisioned Jaime Garcia on Tuesday before losing 9-1 to southpaw Samuel Vasquez the next day. Nick
Klein, who has been sparring with professional Troy Rowland in preparation
for Rowland’s upcoming fight, was injured before leaving for
Texas during one of those sparring sessions. He made the trip west
with the MLK team – and his coach father – but was unable
to compete because of the injury. The team has since returned home. |