Silver Gloves Update From KC!

If you hear a big rumble coming from Kansas City, it is the sound of countless U.S. amateur boxers convening in today’s National Silver Gloves Tournament for the championships. It is the best in the biz facing off against each other as the pint-sized sluggers fight for the title. It’s Region versus Region; it’s East vs. West, North vs. South–and everything in between. It’s for all the marbles, folks.

This prestigious tournament propels the talented kids toward the Golden Gloves, the Olympics and maybe a career in professional prizefighting as they continue battling through the years. These fresh faces in the sport are boxing’s future champions with many already catching the eye of scouts and sponsors.

I’ve turned the amateur spotlight on several standouts in my previous columns, including the pride of Waldorf, Maryland, Zimmie Dickinson.

Here’s an update from the team as they compete in KC!

Poised to compete in the Silver Gloves finals, Zimmie and all the fighters’ plans were KO’d by a force of nature. Originally slated to fight the first week of February in Independence, Missouri, the youth were waylaid by Mother Nature. After training and competing in their individual state’s regions, the children were given the bad news that the big tourney was postponed due to the snow flurries and threatening blizzards blanketing the area. The boxers were devastated, to say the least. Last month, I spoke to many of the kids and their families who had their bags packed, with some already there who had to turn around and fly back home to safer climates.

Now it’s showtime for the kids. Rescheduled for this week, the amateurs have had an extra five weeks to gear up for these USA Boxing championships. The boys were all looking on the bright side too. Relocating from the original location, the fighters are happily ensconced in a kid-friendly hotel–with an indoor water park.

Yesterday morning I received some messages and fun photos from Team Zimmie as his bout was to take place later that day. The young amateur was looking forward to stepping in the ring. His father and co-trainer Kullen was amped and ready to go too. This chapter in this newest story about the talented teen from Region 3 was to have a happy ending.

But yesterday, the young pugilist learned what many older pros have learned along the way: How to bounce back after defeat.

In the sweet science’s “School of Hard Knocks,” Zimmie lost his bout–but won an invaluable lesson on his path to the top.

A consecutive National Silver Gloves Champ with multiple titles as a Washington DC Silver Gloves Champion, DC Junior Olympic Champ, Ringside World Champ, and Outstanding Boxer to his name, Dickinson is used to winning.

But the talented and tough teenager is learning another important lesson in the fight game in dealing with defeat–as you’ll hear in the interview below.

In this chat with the camp, his dad, Kullen Dickinson, gave me an update on all the haps in KC as Zimmie was getting ready for his bout at fight headquarters. Boxing parents are in a category themselves. They are the most loyal and dedicated sort you will ever meet. And Zimmie is the son of two educators, so his regimen involves both disciplines in training and studying.

Kullen has a popular website that features over 1,000 bouts online so that competitors can watch, learn, and improve their skills. He’s also told me that he is the first to put his own son’s bouts online for any future opponents to view. Through their travels, father and son have also made friends with many other fighters and trainers throughout the U.S.

While looking at the photos he sent me, I saw some familiar faces as I caught up with Zimmie’s corner before the bouts began on Friday.

Michele Chong: Thanks for the photos, Kullen. There’s Zimmie with Ryan Garcia from California! When did the boys first meet–they have not fought each other yet, right?

Kullen Dickinson: This is the first time they have been able to really meet, although I think Ryan was here last year and they both were at the Ringside too. Zimmie has a lot of Californian boxing friends that we only get to see once or twice a year but we are planning a West Coast trip to visit some of those gyms soon!

Zimmie is 14 (he turned 14 the week after the original tournament date) but he’s boxing in the 12/13 division and is 95 pounds now. Ryan is boxing at 85 pounds in the 12/13 year old division too.

MC: And since Ryan’s only 12 so they won’t be fighting each other for a while. But it would be a good matchup if they did!

KD: Yes, they would have a lot of people watching! I think everyone can agree on that.

MC: The postponement must have been hard for everyone…

KD: Yes, it was! Iit was more like “snowed in and out.” There was no travel to the Midwest from the East Coast or the Midwest! It was the first time it was postponed since 1968.

MC: So what’s the atmosphere in Kansas City like today?

KD: Considering the circumstances, it is great they were able to even pull it all together so fast! Also, I don’t think many kids are complaining that it is held at the CoCo Key Resort here in Kansas City. There will be a lot of water activities I’m sure on Saturday after the finals!

MC: That sounds fun for the kids. Is the weather over there nice now?

KD: It chilly but it’s an all-indoor waterpark.

MC: It’s a busy schedule today for the boys, isn’t it?

KD: Yes, they have two sessions of Semis today at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. And Ryan Garcia boxes Isaiah Tafoya from Region 7 at the evening session. Zimmie boxes in the afternoon session versus Region 2’s Cortez Todd. (He won his Quarter-Final bout against Carlos Mendoza.)

MC: Great! I look forward to catching some of the action on tape.

KD: I’m trying to convert videos before today’s afternoon session starts. I’ll send you video of some of the West Coast guys too. The Evan Sanchez-Jordan White bout yesterday was a crowd pleaser! And I’ll try to get Ryan Garcia’s bout too; he is a nice young man. Zimmie is boxing against Region 2 today–and he is going for his fourth National Silver Gloves title in the last 4 years. Wish us luck!

MC: Good luck to Zimmie and have fun over there!

KD: Thanks, Michele!

After the matches were completed, I was waiting for news of victory. But this time, Zimmie’s skilled and talented foe Cortez Todd bested him in the Semi-Finals. Such as in life, there is no guarantee of anything. And as we know, we learn the most from the heartbreak and hardships endured.

Now a day after Zimmie’s loss, the team is already looking ahead.

MC: So tell me what happened in the fight yesterday.

KD: I’m uploading the fight now. I think Zimmie let it be closer than it should have been, and at the Silver Gloves when you leave any doubt as to who won, you run the risk of losing–it happens. But as long as it makes him better, it is worth it. It is a good lesson learned.

MC: When will Zimmie’s next competition be?

KD: He made his school’s basketball team two weeks ago so he’ll do that for a couple of months and then come back. He said that this (the loss) is going to be a big motivation!

And there’s nothing really coming up in boxing except for the Junior Olympics, but I think he’ll sit this one out this year to take a break.

Ryan Garcia looked good and I’ll try to make sure that I get his fight tonight along with some other California guys like Gary Salazar and Michael Dutchover from Texas!

MC: Okay, cool. Thank you and tell the guys hello.

KD: Okay, I will!

That sums up these little champions and their teams. Bouncing back from defeat, Kullen and Zimmie will cheer on their fellow boxers–in and out of their own region– in a classy display of true sportsmanship.

Sometimes it is all about winning.

But sometimes you earn–and learn more–in defeat.

And sometimes it is all about life’s lessons that make you stronger, tougher and better the next go round.

Congratulations to each and every boxer competing in the Silver Gloves–our future champs!

Photos courtesy of Kullen Dickinson/Team Zimmie