Air Force wins sixth boxing championship

  • Published
RENO, Nev. (AFPN) --  The Air Force boxing team clinched its sixth consecutive National Collegiate Boxing Association title here April 3. Senior Clell Knight earned his second national title and was named the outstanding boxer of the tournament.

Air Force won the national team title with 40 points, edging out Navy who finished second with 36 points. Army rounded out the top three teams with 21 points. The Falcons have now won 18 of the 25 national team titles sponsored by the association.

At the 2004 national championships, the Falcons had 11 boxers earn all-American honors, with a collection of medals that included one gold, seven silver and three bronze.

Knight defeated Army's Matt Pride in a 156-pound bout to win his second national title. He is the 90th Falcon to earn an individual championship. Knight also won the 165-pound title during the 2003 championships.

Air Force recorded seven second-place finishes. One of six cadets making his first national championship appearance, freshman Willie Lloyd, was defeated by Moon Kim of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, at 112 pounds. Junior Darren Smith lost a 119-pound decision to Osahon Omo-Osagie of Lockhaven, while Blake Baldi fell to Todd Wilson of Virginia Military Institute at 139 pounds.

Junior Ryan Dorsey-Spitz finished as a runner-up to Anthony Peters of VMI at 147 pounds, while Leif Nordhagen lost in a decision to Ryan Healey of Nevada-Reno at 165 pounds. Augustin Kamdem earned silver-medal honors at 175 pounds, losing a decision to Amir Shareef of Navy, while Ryan Coates lost to Lockhaven's Miro Jelev when the referee stopped the contest in the third round.

"This meet shows why collegiate boxing is a total-team effort," Air Force head coach Eddie Weichers said. "Everyone contributes to the point-total. Yes, it's gratifying to win an individual championship belt and receive a gold medal, but putting ‘national champions’ on your photo and hanging a team banner … means a lot to these cadet boxers."