Southeast Texas Regional Golden Gloves

Texas’s top amateur boxers are currently preparing for the 74th annual Houston area Southeast Texas Regional Golden Gloves competition held at the Denver Harbor Multi Service Center, 6402 Market St., Houston, Texas 77020, January 27th thru January 31st, 2010 and will attract an array of spectators, some of Houston elite professional boxers and boxing promoters keeping tabs on the next crop of upcoming talent.

There will be two boxing rings used and approximately 25 bouts in each ring per night. The unique event provides an opportunity for male, female and junior boxers as young as 8 to compete in one tournament. The 2010 event is on track to boast one of the largest turnouts in the history of the event with over 400 boxers currently pre-registered for the tournament.

The Southeast Texas Region has won the team title six consecutive years at the Texas state tournament. Returning champions in this year’s field will include Eric Fowler (Lightweight from Cardio Boxing Gym in Spring) seeking his fourth title, Mercedes Manriquez (Featherweight fighting Unattached) going for his fifth title. Daniel Ybarra (Flyweight from Elite Boxing Club in East Houston), Juan Leija (Flyweight from Santa Fe Boxing Club), Damazo Tello (Middleweight from Savannah’s Boxing Club in SW Houston) and Zavier Combs (Light Welterweight also from Savannah’s Boxing Club) will be seeking their second titles.

The Gulf Amateur Boxing Association is under new leadership this year after many years of great service from Walt Hailey who retired to San Antonio. Mr. Juan Moya takes over the reigns and brings over 50 years of experience working in the boxing community. An ex-ROTC instructor, Moya served in the US Army including tours of combat and multiple service medals. After over 20 years of teaching Moya is very experienced in working with youth and building the strong character and bravery in young men and women that is required to be a Golden Gloves boxer.

Alumni list of greats

any future greats began their careers by boxing in their local Golden Gloves. Joe Louis was a Golden Gloves champion in 1934. Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Oscar de la Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and budding Houston pro Hylon Williams Jr. are past national champions. Ronnie Shields was a three-time national champ and, along with Kenny Weldon, Termite Watkins, Raul Marquez, Jesse Valdez and Rocky Juarez, all represented Southeast Texas in the tournament.

Constable Victor Trevino from Harris County Precinct 6 is an annual sponsor of the tournament.  In last year’s keynote address, Trevino stressed the courage and discipline required from each amateur boxer to step inside the ring and that each young man and woman who enters the competition comes out a better person through positive development of both their bodies and minds.  He thanked the coaches and parents for supporting their fighters and emphasized from the point of view of the police department that, “having our area youngsters fighting in the ring keeps them from fighting in their schools.”

For a five day tournament, encompassing over 350 contests, dedication from ringside officials is a requisite and all should be thanked and commended for their time, energy and love for the sport and its competitors.
USA Boxing Gulf Association, Inc. holds the franchise for the Southeast Texas Regional Golden Gloves Tournament. They are non-profit organization under our parent organization USA Boxing, which is located at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO and also are tax exempt with the State of Texas. Proceeds from this event will support our year round amateur boxing program and Constable Victor Trevino’s project, Constable’s Athletic, Recreational and Educational Events (C.A.R.E.) to aid youth and senior citizens.

Children under the age of 12 are $5.00, general admission tickets are $12 and ringside tickets are $20.

USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). It is responsible for the selection and management of the United States Olympic Boxing Team, and for the governance and oversight of USA Boxing’s national organization of 38,000 members, 1,400 individual boxing clubs, and 1,600 sanctioned events annually.
For more information contact Juan Moya at 832-466-5153 or email at moya01@aol.com.

Juan Moya, Sr., President, USA Boxing Gulf Association, Inc
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