“Empires Collide” As China Edges USA 6-5 in Chinatown, NY!

“Empires Collide” As China Edges USA 6-5 in Chinatown, NY!

By Ken Hissner (Oct 2, 2010) Doghouse Boxing

It was an exciting night of boxing billed as “Empires Collide” featuring eleven bouts at the Capitale, in Chinatown’s Bowery section Friday night! Dino Duva’s Global Sports & Entertainment brought in the Chinese team which included three female matches since females will be included in the 2012 Olympics in London.

All officials were from the US and the judge’s leaned toward the USA team as much as the referee’s leaned toward the China team. At times it was very frustrating at least three matches were in question that the USA team won. On the other hand the foul tactics of the Chinese with not a point taken away was very hurtful toward the USA’s chances of winning fair and square.

Olympic celebrities at this event were the former cruiser and heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield and the 1984 Olympic Bronze medalist. Also on hand was one of New York’s finest amateurs along with the 1984 Gold medalist and world welterweight champion Mark Breland. Representing the 1976 team was Silver medalist Charles Mooney who along with Northern Michigan University’s Al Mitchell assisted several of the Chinese boxers prior to the team’s meeting.

I was told by Mitchell all the fighters were the same weight. I previously understood that the female 132 division started at 123 for the Olympics. That is a nine pound difference. The Chinese boxers were so much bigger in all but a couple of bouts starting with Philadelphia’s outstanding talent Jesse Hart. He fights for Mitchell at Northern Michigan University. Hart was the most outstanding USA boxer as he showed a variety of skills in defeating Hanting Zhang by 15-7 at the 165 weight limit division. His win gave the USA team the lead 5-3.

Before entering the ring Hart got advice from his father the former world contender Eugene “Cyclone Hart” who had a left hook that knocked out many a fighter. His son doesn’t have his power but possess a much more variety of punches including an excellent jab that he hooks off to the body and a smashing right and had Zhang in trouble at various times. In the final round it looked like Hart was fading but he hung in there to gain the victory. All in all he displayed a showing that not only had his dad proud but the USA fans proud of his performance. Dave Laredo was the referee.

The night got stared with the first of three female bouts with China’s Cancan Ren defeating Tyreishia Douglas of Baltimore, MD, 21-10. Both boxers were southpaws in the 112 division. Ren had too much reach. This writer questioned Douglas after the match about how her headgear almost covered her eyes causing her to box with her head up which is something all boxers are told not to do. This was not a fight she was going to win one way or another but for her trainer not to make the adjustment was strange. Several fans yelled it out during the fight. The referee was Laredo.

In the 123 division southpaw Jiawei Zhang had his way with Ricky Rodriguez, of Greeley, CO, with the RSC coming after the bell sounded for the second round. In the first round Zhang dropped Rodriguez to his knees. In the second round Rodriguez received a standing count after a left rocked him. A right hook dropped Rodriguez at the bell. He beat the count and look all right to continue but referee Ray Russell waved it off. It sounded like Russell told the officials at ringside Rodriguez had a problem seeing. Zhang was warned in both rounds for low blows. No points taken.

In the 132 division Patricia Manuel of Commerce, CA, looked like she knew how to fight by holding her own in the first round against Cheng Dong. In the second round Dong started putting Manuel into a head lock and it continued throughout the four rounds while referee Mike Rosario seemed to ignore this foul tactic. In the fourth round Manuel landed a combination that dropped Dong into the lower rope causing a standing count. It was a close fight with Manuel giving the USA their first win 11-10.

In the 132 division Eric Flores, of Ingle, CA, was much the shorter of the two as southpaw Qing Hu used his jab the entire fight to keep Flores from getting inside. On top of that whenever Flores did did get inside he was pushed off by Hu without warning by the referee Laredo. This was a very good boxer from the Chinese team who didn’t need foul tactics to win the fight. The biggest surprise was that two judges had it 9-9 while the third judge had Flores by a point giving him the win. This did not go over well at press row as USA evened the score at 2-2.

In a very good fight at 141 southpaw Michael Reed of Waldorf, MD, and Bilige Huricha, who looked Mongolian, had a first round that could have gone either way though it seemed like Huricha got the better of it. In the second round Reed came out landing some good right hooks to the body and head causing Huricha to be warned twice by referee Russell for pushing off. It seemed to be the only way Huricha could keep Reed off of him. In the final round Reed seemed to be content laying back for the first two minutes before opening up in the final minute winging punches. Again Huricha was warned for pushing off. This was a close fight with Reed gaining the win 18-15. It could have gone either way. Though press row was mixed, this writer questioned the decision though Reed is a very good prospect.

In the 152 division, Qiong Maimaitit and southpaw Alex Martin, of Crest Hill, IL, fought on even terms from the start. Martin using his right hand as a guide for landing his left won the first round. In the second round Maimaitit dominated Martin. The third round was the best round of the fight with Maimaitit doing enough to win 14-6 evening the score at 3-3. Rosario was the referee.

At 165 females Alyssa Defazio of Phoenix, AZ, and Jinzi Li put on one of the best fights of the night. Defazio started out showing good movement and out landing Jinzi. In the second Defazio was showing good angles but Li was landing with some heavy overhand rights to take the round. Li, the stronger of the two seemed to edge out Defazio in the third round. In the fourth round it went down to the wire with Defazio gaining the edge. The match ended up 15-15 with Defazio getting the win by Olympic rules. This bout could not have been more even. If it were a professional bout it would have been declared a draw. Russell was the referee in this one.

Hart gave the USA team a 5-3 lead but the last thing to cheer for. With Al Mitchell in his corner southpaw Fanlong Meng at 178 dominated Marquice Weston, of Tacoma, WA, 18-2. Meng would be a big hit in the USA with his aggressive but pin point punches with power. This writer felt he was the most impressive of the Chinese boxers. Weston did his best to stay upright. Russell was the referee.

Olympic Gold medalist Zou Shiming had an easy time in the 108 division against Santos Vasquez, of Reno, NV, winning 15-2. Shiming would switch at times to southpaw only to find himself squared up and with a better opponent may find him easier to hit. When a boxer like Shiming dominates in such a way and still uses foul tactics like hold his shorter opponents head down it does not please the fans though the majority were Chinese and they seemed to enjoy the dominance. Shiming seemed to play to the crowd in a way that did not sit well with American fans. There is no question he is good. Why the smallest boxers were put on before the biggest was a mistake. The super heavyweights are the slowest as it is but by following light flyweights even made them seem slower.

With the match 5-5 the much talked about Olympic Silver medalists Zhilei Zhang at 201+ didn’t seem to live up to his reputation especially considering the not so slim opponent in Danny Kelly, of Washington, DC. The much taller Zhang seemed to paw with his right jab and though had a nice hook to the body never had Kelly in trouble. Zhang took the first round and the second round was at a snails pace. The third round saw Kelly coming out aggressive for the first time but he then went on the defense probably conserving his energy. In the final minute Kelly again showed some aggression but it was too little too late losing 16-8. This gave team China the dual win 6-5. There were thirteen matches originally scheduled. Philadelphia’s Miguel Cartagena was without an opponent due to injury prior to the fight.

Overall it was a very good event. This writer knows the best Americans were not on hand and at least three of the top Chinese were. It will be without a doubt though that in 2012 there will be members from both teams participating at this event will be gaining an Olympic spot on their perspective teams.

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