Air Force box-offs showcase lean, mean card

  • Published
  • By Wayne Amann
  • 37th Services Division
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  The 2005 U.S. Air Force Boxing Championship, known as the box-offs, was on the ropes before the first punch was thrown here Jan. 22.

Global operations reduced this year’s boxing trial camp to just 10 available fighters, down two-thirds from 2004.

Seven bouts were on the card, which was unofficially billed as the Air Force versus San Antonio since five fights pitted Airmen against boxers from various local boxing clubs.

A near-capacity partisan crowd roared its approval of the victorious amateur debut of heavyweight Staff Sgt. Melvin Allick, who won on a retirement 31 seconds into the second round.

“Since this was my first fight, I was nervous but not scared,” said Sergeant Allick, who is from here. “My background gave me a mental advantage in camp and in the ring.”

Airman 1st Class Hector Ramos, two-time Armed Forces lightweight champion from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., withstood early body shots to handily win his light welterweight debut.

“I feel a lot stronger and healthier at 141 pounds than at 132,” said Airman Ramos, who confidently predicted his third armed forces title. “The guys I fight now will be bigger, but so will I.”

In other bouts, Senior Airman Ramon Castro of Hurlburt Field, Fla., used effective left-right combinations to take the welterweight class over Senior Airman Michael Walker of Minot AFB, N.D., while 1st Lt. Aaron Banks from Kirtland AFB, N.M., took a close middleweight decision over Senior Airman Roger Seward from Youngstown Joint Air Reserve Station, Ohio.

Senior Airman Richard Mora of Tinker AFB, Okla., weathered an early flurry in the opening round to claim the lightweight class.

Senior Airman Jimmy Montgomery of Eielson AFB, Alaska, withstood a series of body blows and knocked his opponent partially through the ropes, but it was not enough for him to capture the bantamweight class.

In unopposed classes, Senior Airman Carlos Casasola from Nellis AFB, Nev., won the featherweight medal, and Senior Airman Celsa Reyes of F. E. Warren AFB, Wyo., claimed female honors.

The Air Force next targets the Armed Forces Boxing Championships from Feb. 15 to 20 at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., where Airmen are looking for their first team title since 1975.

“I was pleased with the guys’ progress and work ethic, so we’ll focus on conditioning to prepare for the armed forces (matches),” said Air Force boxing team head coach Staff Sgt. Eddie Rivas from McChord AFB, Wash. “It’s important not to trade punches all the time. Instead, work on angles, throw combinations and keep moving. Some people don’t like to see that, but it wins fights.”

Winners of the Armed Forces Championships will compete in the USA National Boxing Championships from March 12 to19 in Colorado Springs, Colo. From there, boxers will vie for the Conseil International du Sport Militaire Championships from June 29 to July 9 in Pretoria, South Africa.