on the other site gizzy was listed at 132, but looks like region 2 doesn't have anyone at that weight so i don't think the fight will happen

St. Paul Region II Boxers advancing to the Upper Midwest Tournament of Champions, Walker, MN  April 14 & 15, 2012

114#  Zoo Vang - Rice Street
123#  Brad Heroff - Brunette's
141#  Renam Garcia - 4th Street
152#  Oscar Soto
165#  Cory Thompson
178#  Dalton Outlaw
Hwt    Manny Contreras
SHwt  Jonathan Sharpe

Region II did not have any boxers at 108# or 132# this year.

75-pounder Francisco Escamilla, out of Rochester 4th  lost a decision to Adrian Contreras, out of North Dakota

Escamilla started behind his jab and he used aggression to back Contreras. Contreras did well firing back at times but Escamilla looked the better of the two.

In round two Contreras came forward and traded more, but Escamilla used his jab and worked the inside well.

In the final round, Eschamilla again pushed the action as Contreras took some good shots but was never hurt. He did fight back and fought back hard.

 
125-pounder Jesus Chuy Rivera out of COD, took a decision over Damon Lachman, out of White Bear Lake

There wasn’t much action in round one. But Rivera might have stolen it as he landed some good right hands, and he forced Lachman to stay on his bicycle.

In round two, Rivera picked up his jab, but once again there wasn’t much action although Lachman did get in some good blows.

In the final round, Rivera backed up for the first time in the fight. Lachman bounced on his toes and countered Rivera with ease.


126-pounder Jordon Kelly, out of Tommy Jo’s Madson City, WI lost a decision to David Chu, out of Peek-a-boo Boxing

There wasn’t much action although Chu have pulled out the round by being the slightly more aggressive of the two.

In round two, Kelly looked the fresher of the two.  He backed Chu up although Chu countered well at times.   

In the final round, Kelly started strong. He connected with an overhand right that looked like  it knocked Chu more off balance than anything.  But nevertheless, the referee gave Chu a standing-eight. After the count, Kelly jumped on Chu until the sound of the bell.

 
80-pounder Francisco Quiterio, out of COD lost a decision to Chris Morton out of North Dakota

Quiterio tried to assert himself, but Morton got in the better of the two using jabs and overhand rights.

In round two, Quiterio got the better of the two in exchanges. 

In the final round, Morton was the one who started strong but Quiterio held his own. At one point Quiterio connected with a good punch that knocked Morton’s mouthpiece out. But when the action continued, both boxers threw many punches with no real impact.

135-pounder Mitch White, out of Savage Boxing took a decision over Trinidad Lopez, out of White Bear Lake.

White was just too much for Lopez as he took control of the fight from start to finish. Inn rounds two and three, White got in shots hard that rocked Lopez and he was given two standing-eight counts in each round. 


140-pounter Alexis Gomez, out of COD lost a decision to Nate Burkhalter out of Rochester 4th street gym.

Although both boxers used their jabs to start round one, Burkhalter got the better of the two as his punches were sharper.

In round two, Gomez tried his best but Burkhalter once again got the better of the two as he landed the flusher blows.

In the final round, things continued to go Burkhalter’s way, and at one point Burkhalter hurt Gomez with a one-two combo and the referee gave Gomez a standing-eight.

 
155-pounder Steve Papp, out of White Bear Lake stopped John Yates, out of Peek-a-Boo Boxing. 

Papp controlled the tempo from the get go. Papp’s blows came fast and one of them rocked Yates, and the referee gave Yates a standing-eight.  After the count, Papp jumped on his foe landing at will until the match was called off.

Heavyweight Adam Hill, out of Rochester 4th Street was stopped by Manny Contreras, out of Rice Street in round three

This was a sizzling fight. In round one Contreras waited as Hill came out strong. Never did Hill give up in the fight, but Contreras started to take more control using good counters. But toward the middle of the round, Contreras looked gassed—a problem he had the whole night.  Hill took advantage of Contreras’ conditioning.  Hill got in good right hands that either forced Contreras to the ropes or made him adjust.

Referee Mark Nelson let the fight take its own course; when Hill took clean shots, Nelson didn’t jump in and give standing-eights; fans were able to see Hill’s heart. He fired back. But Contreras, whose mouth hung open from being tired, got the better of the two.

In round two Contreras started strong.  Hill took many big shots, and at one point Nelson was forced to give Hill a standing-eight.

In the final round, Hill backed Contreras up and hurt him with a good right hand.  But to his credit he fought back and Nelson had to stop the fight moments later as Contreras connected against Hill with too many solid blows.

 
141-pounder Renam Garcia, out Rochester 4th Street took a decision over Randy Lene, out of Oakdale Mn.

There wasn’t much action in this fight, but Garcia was able to out work Lene and he took a  decision.   


152-pounder VeShawn Owens, out of COD took a decision over Rondale Hubbert

This was a darn good fight.  Both boxers looked good early as they traded at will.  But as the round closed, Owens got the better of the two; Hubbert got wined and he left himself open to clean shots.

In round two, Hubbert got into things as he moved and worked on the inside.  Both boxers didn’t stop. But Owens once again got the better of the two. His blows started to snap Hubbert’s head back.


S HWT Tristan Steward, out of Element Boxing  lost a decision to Jonathan Sharp, out of Brunette’s Boxing 

While this was only Sharp’s second fight, he held his own.  But Sharp did a little more work.  At one point, Steward held sharp’s head down, and he landed a hard right which rocked Sharp.  The referee gave Sharp a standing-eight.   Both guys fought hard. But in the end, Steward did a little more work. `

 
152-pounder Flavio Becerra, out of White Bear Lake lost a decision over Oscar Soto, out of Rice Street . 

In round one both boxers looked tensed. But Soto started to connect during the middle of the round. 

In round two, Becerra moved trying to set up his blows.

Soto looked the fresher of the two. 

In the final round Soto kept Becerra at bay with his jab and good right hands.


165-pounder Luis Molina, out of Rochester 4th Street lost a decision over  vs. Cory Thompson, out of Brunette Boxing. 

Molina tried his best, but from the outset Thompson was too much. Thompson worked behind his jab, used effective aggression and he never seemed worried about Molina’s attack.

Here is a photo gallery of the photo's I shot at the Region 2 tournament....

http://www.flickr.com//photos/16861263@N03/sets/72157629724883175/show/

yes, toddcathy on livefromringside is awesome at getting video of all fights around central minnesota and the Upper Midwest the last few years.

Now that Manny is up at 201 then that should be a great division with Contreras, Glen Sommers and Ryan Watson. 152 with Soto, Owens, and Lucero will be great too. Owens vs Lucero I think will be the best match of the Upper Midwest.

Thanks. I didn't realize that Brunette's was going yesterday too. Sounds good, UMGG should have a few stacked divisions, especially 152

Good stuff Jesse.

Are there any unopposed champions in Region 2? Heroff? Anybody at 178, 132, 123, 114?

Looks like Manny Contreras is moving to heavyweight. He says he was drained at the USA tournament last month which is why he is moving up.