EAST TEXAS BOXING

Friday, February 10, 2012 10:14 AM CST

By REY SIFUENTES JR. Tribune Sports Editor




Four local amateur boxers - all of whom are students at Mount Pleasant High School – won gold medals at the 72nd annual East Texas Golden Gloves Boxing tournament held at the Louis Herrington Patriot Center Gymnasium of the University of Texas at Tyler Thursday through Saturday of last week.

Jose Perales took the title in the 152 lb. open division after earning a unanimous decision over his opponent on Saturday. Perales will move onto the state Golden Gloves event which will be held February 25 through March 3 in Fort Worth. He will also be part of a nine-fighter team which will represent East Texas.

“In the finals on Saturday, Jose found himself in a war inside the ring,” Trainer Eliseo Barrios said. “But he came out victorious by landing more punches and pretty much being the smarter fighter while becoming more aggressive in the end.”

Barrios - who is a high school employee of Mount Pleasant Independent School District – said Perales will face tougher competition in Fort Worth.

“At the state tournament we will see some good fighters especially out of the west side of Dallas,” Barrios said. “The competition coming out of that area is always fierce. All of the fighters at state are fighting to become one of this state’s representatives for the national tournament which will take place in Colorado Springs a few months from now.”

Juan Hurtado brought home the title in the 141 lb. weight class after winning a grueling three-round match by outscoring his opponent.

“Juan won his first fight on Friday and qualified for the finals on Saturday,” Barrios said. “He fought a toe to toe fight in the finals and pretty much out-boxed his opponent throughout his match.”

Winning gold medals by going unopposed were Oscar Mata (107 lb. division) and Eric Gonzalez (153 lb. weight class) whose opponent pulled a no-show.

“Both of these guys are champion material, I felt confident they would win had they actually fought, no doubt about that,” Barrios said. “Oscar was ready to go on the day of the finals after streamlining through his division because there were no other fighters. But his opponent for the finals did not show up.”

All four amateur fighters train at ‘The House of Champs’ boxing gym in Omaha, which Barrios has owned and operated for the past three years.

Barrios said his own boxing seeds were planted while growing up.

“I grew up in the inner city of Los Angeles,” Barrios said. “Kids are very competitive by nature and need something to satisfy that urge. It was always my dream to open a gym up because boxing guided me as a boy and that is something I want to give to my fighters now. These kids are very tired after their workouts, so they go straight home, do their homework, eat dinner and then go to sleep.”

Pugilism offers many lessons which Barrios hopes his fighters will carry with them as far as he has.

“Boxing gives these kids direction and discipline,” Barrios said. “It also shows them how to work hard. You cannot cheat in boxing because if you do then you will get beat up in the ring.”


The Daily Tribune

Thanks to The Daily Tribune for the written boxing coverage.