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11/10/2003 Archived Entry: "116th N.E. Tournament"
Top amateur boxers in 116th N.E. Tournament of Champions
Nov. 10-11 at Goodtimes in Somerville
BOSTON, Mass. - The first leg on the Road to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens for New England amateur boxers will take place November 10-11 in the 116th New England Tournament of Champions at Goodtime Sports Emporium in Somerville (MA).
N.E. winners in open division competition will advance to the Regional I Championships, November 21-22, in Lake Placid, New York. Victors there will qualify for the National Championship at Colorado Springs in January. Olympic rules will be used featuring four two-minute rounds. Participants compete to eventually qualify for the USA Box-Offs in February, which will determine Team USA's boxing roster for the 2004 Olympic Games.
The first 100 fans with paid tickets each night, Nov. 10 (opening round) and Nov. 11 (championship finals), will receive an autographed picture of N.E. favorite "Irish" Micky Ward. Following NETC action, Monday Night Football (Green Bay-Philadelphia) will be broadcast, while highlights of Ward's boxing career will be shown on a giant screen Tuesday evening.
Ninety-year-old Charles "Skeets" Scioli, of Somerville, will serve as ring announcer. He was USA Boxing/New England's Man of the 20th Century and has been involved in amateur boxing for 72 years.
Former NE Tournament of Champions (NETC) amateur title-winners that went on to capture world titles as professionals: active boxers such as WBA welterweight champion "El Gallo" Jose Antonio Rivera (Worcester, MA), ex-WBA heavyweight title-holder John "The Quietman" Ruiz (Chelsea, MA), and five-time former champ Vinny "Pazmanian Devil" Paz (Warwick, RI); retired champions include Willie "Will 'o the Wisp" Pep (Hartford, CT), Marvelous Marvin Hagler (Brockton, MA), "Irish" Micky Ward (Lowell, MA), Joey Gamache (Lewiston, ME), Marlon "Magic Man" Starling (Hartford, MA), Paul Pender (Brookline, MA), Sal Bartolo (East Boston, MA), Harold "Chubby" Gomes (Providence, RI), Joey Archibald (Providence), Lou Brouillard (Worcester, MA), Dick "Honeyboy" Finnegan (Dorchester, MA), and Bill "Honey" Mellody (Charlestown, MA).
The Boston Garden was the site of the NETC tournament, sometimes promoted under a different name, between 1930 and 1979, as three rings were used simultaneously over a four-day period with more than 100 participants.
Tickets are $15.00 (general admission) for table seating. Call 617.628.5559 for more information. The first bout kicks off at 7:30 P.M. each night.
The tournament includes the following fighters:
Open Division
Massachusetts
Beverly: 152 lbs. Derek Silveira, 168 Jonathan SilveiraDorchester: 141 lbs. Tito Francis, 201 Eric ShanksHolden: 201+ William MosleyLowell: 132 Sean Eklund, 201+ Aaron EmmonsMalden: 201+ Nate James *Marlboro: 152 lbs. Luis ViramontesMethuen: 132 lbs. Kermith GonzalezNewton Corner: 165 lbs. Nathan BusaNew Bedford: 119 lbs. Jonathan Vasquez, 125 Jose Peralta, 152 Xavier LugoPeabody: 141 lbs. Simeon Dunwell **Osterville: 178 lbs Robert Brando-HuntRochester: 112 lbs. Ken MeyersSomerville: 141 lbs. Francisco TejadaWakefield: 152 lbs. Daniel GallucciWeymouth: 141 lbs Nick Morganelli, 165 David SheehanWorcester: 132 lbs. Edwin Rosado, 165 Edwin Rodriquez
Maine
Lewiston: 165 lbs. Antonio VasquezLisbon Falls: 132 lbs. Willie Carrville
Rhode Island
Pawtucket: 119 lbs. Raymond GonzalezProvidence: 132 lbs. Omar Pena * & Nester Colon *, 165 Michael Andrade *
Novice Division
Massachusetts
Allston: 165 lbs. Paul West, 201+ Dan HigginsBoston: 132 lbs. Kidani Abadi, 152 Mike AlajajianCambridge: 201 lbs. Tamerlan TsarnaeDanvers: 141 lbs. Viet Nguyen, 152 Nam Nguyen Dorchester: 165 lbs. Ronny VelasquezLowell: 141 lbs. David Cruz, 152 Eliezer PerezLynn: 178 lbs. John HanzopoulisMalden: 132 lbs. John WalshMedford: 141 lbs. Keith Baker, 165 Joey DussaultMansfield: 132 lbs. Aneury OlmoPeabody: 178 lbs. John BlodgettTopsfield: 201 Jason Copp
Maine
Portland: 119 lbs. Jorge Abiague, 165 Russ LamourScarborough: 201+ lbs. Todd Bacon
Rhode Island
Pawtucket: 119 lbs. Raymond GonzalesProvidence: 152 lbs. Demetrius Andrade, 201+ Jose Arias
* Denotes New England Golden Gloves winner
