Alicea, 18, a two-time Golden Gloves champ in busy boxing night at Browns Stadium

http://www.cleveland.com/sports/index.ssf/2009/04/alicea_18_a_twotime_golden_glo.html

Alicea, 18, a two-time Golden Gloves champ in busy boxing night at
Browns Stadium
by Joe Maxse/Plain Dealer Reporter
Saturday April 18, 2009, 10:56 PM

CLEVELAND -- Something had to give at 152 pounds on Saturday night in
the finals of the Cleveland Golden Gloves amateur boxing tournament.

Eddie Alicea was out to defend his title at Cleveland Browns Stadium
and Brett Simmons, last year's titlist at 132 pounds, was out to take
it away. The two 18-year-old fighters did their best to live up to the
billing as one of the night's best bouts.



It definitely was for Alicea as he put on a business-like effort in
winning the decision by outworking a game opponent.


"I don't take anything away from him, but I was at my natural weight
and was just busier," said Alicea, a senior at Max Hayes High. "Every
combination came off my jab. He caught me with a couple shots and he's
really fast."



However, Simmons was not fast enough to keep Alicea from beating him
to the punch too many times. Late in the first round, Alicea landed
his first scoring flurry of blows.




That set the pattern of the bout as Alicea kept the pressure on for
much of the time. While Simmons would pick off many of the punches,
Alicea's fast hands showed him to be the aggressor and had to score
points with the judges.



"I'm disappointed," said Simmons, a senior at Glenville High. "I would
have done better, but I just got back in the gym three weeks ago."

While his speed was still apparent, boxing at the higher weight cost
Simmons in the power department. Alicea also stuck to the game plan
preached by his coach Francis Figueroa.

"I told him to stay with the jab and keep the pressure on," said
Figueroa, who helps run the Old School Boxing Club in Ohio City. "He's
a good boxer, but by [punching] first he gains confidence."

Alicea reached the semifinals of last year's national tournament. He
said he will improve on that effort this time around at the Golden
Gloves Tournament of Champions in Salt Lake City, Utah.

"This year I'm going to take it all," said Alicea.

Zeddie Adams, a two-time Junior Olympic national champion from Brush
High, won the 141 pound open division title on a decision against
Reginald Barnes from the Thurgood Marshall/Police Athletic League Gym.
Adams, representing Cleveland's Salvation Army Boxing Academy, wore
down his opponent as he took control in the second round.

Cleveland's Terrell Gausha, a champion at 178 pounds the past two
years, picked up the 165-pound title on a decision against Wilkens
Santiago from Lorain.

Also winning in the open ranks were Yuandale Evans at 132 pounds,
Joshua Krosen at 178 and super heavyweight Stipe Miocic.

The open division winners will compete at the national tournament
beginning May 4.
HALCYON CHARITIES, INC. AND OLD SCHOOL BOXING CLUB HAD 3 OVERALL WINNERS!



OPEN DIVISION WINNERS
119: Antonio Nieves (Old School),
152: Eddie Alicea (Old School B.C.)

NOVICE DIVISION WINNER
152: Cassius Foster (Old School)


81ST CLEVELAND GOLDEN GLOVES

Saturday's Championships

at Cleveland Browns Stadium

OPEN DIVISION

112: Anthony Tulley (Good Shepherd B.C.), unopposed; 119: Antonio
Nieves (Old School), unopposed; 125: John Winterich (Empire),
unopposed; 132: Yuandale Evans (unattached) dec. Derrick Moss (West
Side); 141: Zeddie Adams (Salvation Army) dec. Reginald Barnes
(Thurgood/PAL); 152: Eddie Alicea (Old School B.C.) dec. Brett Simmons
(unattached); 165: Terrell Gausha (unattached) dec. Wilkens Santiago
(Freddie's); 178: Joshua Krosen (Warren B.A.) dec. Randy Campbell
(Claymont A.C.); Under 201: Marc Ward (Thurgood/PAL), unoppposed; Over
201: Stipe Miocic (unattached) def. Enam Danley Jr. (Empire B.C.), RSC
1. (Open champions advance to national tournament in Salt Lake City,
Utah, May 4-9).

NOVICE

125: Deontae Malone (Lonnie Burten Rec.) dec. Larry Mattice (Salvation
Army); 132: Greg Gilbert (West Side B.C.) dec. Devon Brown
(unattached); 141: Julius Thomas Jr. (unattached) dec. Von Hunter
(Lonnie Burten); 152: Cassius Foster (Old School) dec. Jimmy Bland
(Glenville Rec.); 165: Matt Brown (Terminator B.C.) dec. Avery Wood
(unattached); 178: Jim Chisholm (unattached), unopposed; Under 201:
Benjamin Horn (unattached), unopposed; Over 201: Alex Obrovich
(unattached), unopposed.

SUB-NOVICE

119: Justin Molnar (unattached), unopposed; 132: Ramiro Hernandez
(Michael J. Zone/Gladiators) dec. Christopher Hanczaryk (Freddie's);
141: Angel Figueroa (Freddie's), by walkover; 152: Eric Watkins (West
Side) dec. Noah Klembara (unattached); 165: Alex Vereshchagin (Empire
B.C.) dec. Kipp Latten (unattached); 178: Shavar Campbell (Empire)
dec. Adam Ferin (Little Italy B.C.); Under 201: Ryan Milligan (Valley
Forge B.C.) def. Jeffrey Hulett (unattached), RSC 1; Over 201: James
Meder (Valley Forge B.C.), walkover.

Female: 141: Carrie Fiol (Warren B.C.), unopposed.

Here is a photo of the 3 fighters with a new member of the team. Halcyon Charities and Old School Boxing Club want to wish Eddie and Antonio good luck at Nationals and to fight with dignity and class!