Going for the Gold

Golden Gloves Tournament spotlights L.A.’s best amateurs

The Golden Gloves District Tournament held their final championship bouts this past weekend in Lincoln Park, California. Featuring the best fighters in the L.A. area, there was plenty of action during the 19 bouts that took place.
The first Golden Gloves Tournament was held in 1923 and since then, various state franchises have held district tournaments that lead up to the Salt Lake City Championship Finals. Local tournaments like this past weekend’s show draws out thousands of hopeful young athletes who continue in their quest for Olympic glory.

The amateur combatants began the tournament a week ago–with each victory inching them closer to the final rounds on Saturday evening. As the competition was whittled away, only a handful of final bouts remained (including 5 female fights).

Gyms represented in the championship matchups included Wild Card, The Rock, Coachella, De La Hoya, Montebello PAL, L.A.Y.A.C., Commerce, Norwalk and Maciel. Both novice and open finals took place in weight divisions ranging from 119 pounds to 201 pounds and over.

There were some thrilling matchups and some very close bouts that had the audience hollering in appreciation. Wearing protective headgear and tank tops, the amateur boxers fought in two-minute rounds. And even though they are still amateurs, their skill, determination, courage and heart of the fighters are just as strong as in the pros.
For the victors in this tournament (in association with USA Boxing) another golden opportunity awaits. “The fighters that win tonight go on to the finals in Sacramento,” Liberty Maxwell, Lincoln Park Recreation Assistant tells me. “The state finals start in two weeks.”

For boxer Sal Tabullo, out of Sit Yod Tong Gym, the tournament was a success for him, to say the least. In this round robin of matchups, each win assures one more fight the next night. After earning a spot in the champion rounds, Tabullo won his hard-fought battle against the taller Maurice Preston. The southpaw Tabullo was later awarded the “Male Novice Outstanding Fighter” award and he said, “I heard them announce the weight division I’m in and it caught my attention. Then they announced my name! It was great and a nice surprise.”

How did the boxer stay cool, calm, and collected during the week of competition? Sal’s wife answers this one, “He slept well every night,” says Yveth Tabullo. “He was very focused. He worked hard. And he never underestimated his opponents at all.”

East L.A. standouts Seniesa Estrada and Denise Rico also both fought on the card. The teen girls and BFFs were light-hearted while getting ready in the dressing room, but once the bell rang both came out in full attack mode against their opponents. With father/coach Joe Estrada in her corner, Estrada won her bout against the tough Danielle Tupper. For Rico, a 2007 Junior Olympics Champ, she was narrowly outpointed by Wild Card’s talented Mia Etelapelto. 

All of the bouts featured offered hearty action and if you said during the female bouts that they “fought like a girl” it would only be a compliment!  The female fights were all action-packed and the very first bout of the night was a terrific fight in the 119-pound division. Maria Suarez from Santa Maria was later awarded the “Female Novice Outstanding Fighter” trophy for her performance.

The five-day competition (held in two rings with simultaneous action) brought out a lot of familiar faces in the L.A. boxing community. Seen during the semi-final bouts were heavyweights Chris Arreola, Al “Ice” Cole, Larry “The Legend” Donald, pro fighter Simon Brown, trainer Jack Mosley, former Olympians and currrent pro fighters Alfredo Angulo and Vanes Martirosyan, cutman Joe Chavez, and Lincoln Park Rec Center Facility Director Andy “The Hawk” Price.

Seen in the crowd Saturday night was pro fighter Joey Olivera, veteran cutman Cassius Green, and the Wild Card bunch who were all busy with their young fighters in the corner. Amateur standout Frankie Gomez was in also attendance watching the amateurs go at it in the ring. 

Keep your eye on this year’s group of amateurs and you just may see some of them in future Olympic Games!

Photos by Michele Chong/Steve Harpst: Lincoln Park Rec Center’s Liberty Maxwell and Andy Price, Cassius Green, Joey Olivera, Frankie Gomez, Denise Rico, Seniesa Estrada, Sal Tabullo, Maurice Preston; Zachary Wolhman celebrates; Sammy Sanders with glove lineup