Cadets, staff and faculty rallied in droves at Eisenhower Hall to watch cadets from the Army West Point boxing team and Corps of Cadets compete against one another in a no holds barred match, showcasing their boxing acumen during the 67th annual Army West Point Brigade Boxing Open Finals Feb. 24 at the U.S. Military Academy.
Eighteen competitors fought in nine weight classes ranging from super featherweight (132 pounds) to heavyweight (over 201 pounds).
The event kicked off with junior Brandon Agran, Company F-4, versus junior Dylan Sheriff, Co. C-1, at 132 pounds. Both men showed heart and finesse as they tested each other with jabs followed by explosive short hooks with straight rights and left hands on the inside. Agran kept his attacks measured and concise, using footwork to measure distance with close and long-range attacks and evading dangerous shots from Sheriff, earning him the victory.
Next up was senior Jahryca McClean, Co. E-4, versus freshman Daisy Terrones, Co. B-2, at 112 pounds.
Both fighters began with equal intensity and skill. The fight was neck-and-neck during the first two rounds, as both warriors refused to relent, throwing non-stop combinations. In the end, it boiled down to who had more gas in the tank, with Terrones throwing and landing more combination shots battling her way to a split-decision victory.
“It was a really euphoric feeling because I’ve been working and stressing about the fight so much up to that point, to the extent that I could barely eat lunch that day,” Terrones said. “Once they announced blue corner (me) as the winner, it took a second to sink in, but once it did, it felt like all my exhaustion didn’t even exist anymore. I was just happy and thankful for all the work I put in beforehand. It made everything feel worth it, and it gave me the determination I needed to work harder for nationals.”
The third fight was senior Colin Morgan, Co. D-3, up against junior Ryan Chi, Co. I-2, fighting in a high-speed chess match at 165 pounds. The bout was a measured display of the sweet science as Morgan applied smart pressure stepping carefully into combination shots, to which Chi responded with solid head movement, slipping, dodging and rolling with punches after countering with his own thudding shots. Despite Morgan’s best efforts, Chi proved he was the more efficient boxer-puncher that night.
Senior Skye Williams, Co. D-1, and junior Sharnae Harmon, Co. A-2, were up next in the fourth bout at 125 pounds. The action was non-stop, with both fighters showcasing their first-rate conditioning. Neither fighter took their foot off the gas pedal, however, in the third round, Williams effectively created openings on the inside, landing the cleaner, more effective shots granting her the victory.
“Reflecting on my victory at the Brigade Boxing Opens this past Friday, I realized that it was my last time having the opportunity to box at home in front of my beloved West Point family and community,” Williams said. “It was an honor to box and experience a truly sentimental and joyous moment that I will cherish from my time at West Point.”
Junior Aleksandre Jolia, Co. F-1, clashed with senior Amadou Bah, Co. G-3, at 175 pounds in the fifth bout.
From round one, Bah utilized a superb jab that would offset Jolia’s momentum in spots of the fight. Jolia came back with his own jab followed by some hard hooks and straights. However, Bah remained defensively responsible and secured the win by controlling the distance with the jab, timing and countering Jolia, and landing clean shots to the body and head.
The sixth bout kicked off with freshman Lia Stokes, Co. C-1, and sophomore Annika Scott. Co. G-3, at 139 pounds in another barn burner. Both fighters jabbed consistently and carefully picked their shots. As the rounds came and went, the intensity rose as both ladies locked into a head-to-head slugfest. Stokes rejoiced as she came away with the victory and embraced Scott afterward.
The seventh bout featured senior Jon Parham, Co. C-1, versus senior Matthew Beason, Co. C-4, at 195 pounds. Parham came forward with aggressive combinations. While Beason countered using proper distance control, he relentlessly pressed the action with mid-range combination punching, earning the win.
The final female bout between senior Ruby Romsland, Co. H-2, and junior Gabby Nelson, Co. D-2, at 147 pounds left the crowd roaring as both fighters clashed in a high-intensity matchup. Both ladies threw swift and speedy combinations and exhibited varied levels of defense throughout the fight. However, Nelson’s relentless combination punching led her to victory.
The crowd felt the quake of the heavyweight giants as sophomore Caleb Tomlin, Co. A-2, and junior Spencer Roy, Co. F-3, stepped into the ring for the final showdown of the evening.
Every thudding shot echoed throughout the room, followed by the electrifying howl from the crowd as Roy and Tomlin threw explosive hooks to the body and head. Throughout the bout, both fighters were stunned by devasting punches.
In the second round, Tomlin landed rib-shattering body shots, with Roy returning with a hard-hitting uppercut that buckled Tomlin. While Tomlin kept the fight competitive to the very end, Roy came away with a hard-fought victory bringing the exciting event to an end.
"It feels great to put on a strong show for the West Point community," Roy concluded. "It was an exciting performance, i and I am thankful for my teammates and coaches who got Tomlin and I as prepared as possible for an explosive fight."
The winners advanced to the National Collegiate Boxing Association - NCBA regionals scheduled for March 10-12 in Connecticut and then those who continue to the NCBA Nationals April 13-15 in Charlotte, North Carolina.