Briscoe on cusp of joining exclusive list of four-time brigade boxing champs
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Photo Gallery: Brigade Boxing Championship finalsThe 73rd annual Brigade Boxing Championship finals were held Friday night before a raucous crowd at Alumni Hall.
Posted: Saturday, March 1, 2014 12:45 am | Updated: 8:14 am, Sat Mar 1, 2014.
There are only 18 four-time champions in the history of Brigade of Midshipmen boxing at the Naval Academy. Keon Briscoe is on the cusp of joining that list after capturing his third straight title in convincing fashion.
Briscoe gave a clinic on ring generalship in earning a unanimous decision against senior Wayne Worthington. The Norfolk (Va.) native displayed superb hand speed and skill in keeping his opponent off-balance with a nice lead jab then punishing him with overhand shots and hooks.
Roy Golez was the first four-time Brigade champion in 1970 while Paul Hollwedel and Chris Bertucci were the last ones in 2011.
“A lot of people have helped me get to this point. There were some seniors who punished me when I was a plebe and sparring partners who have pushed me in the gym,” Briscoe said. “It’s an honor to become a brigade champion just once. To think I have a chance to do it four times is really hard to believe.”
Briscoe was one of five fighters to defend their crowns at the 73rd annual Brigade Boxing Championship finals, held Friday night before a raucous crowd at Alumni Hall.
A fun night of fisticuffs got started with an exciting women’s bout as sophomore Sam Glaeser and freshman Stephanie Simon went toe-to-toe for three rounds. Simon, a thrower with the varsity track and field team, showed some power in drawing a standing eight-count in the second round. However, Glaeser was more skilled and had better stamina in repeating as champ via split decision.
Glaeser took control toward the end of the third round as Simon tired. Glaeser landed so many consecutivepunches at one point that Simon was given a standing eight-count.
“It was a great fight. Stephanie has a lot of power and delivered some heavy blows, but Sam has more experience and that showed toward the end,” Navy boxing coach Jim McNally said. “Sam’s in the gym every day so she’s in better boxing shape.”
Simon came out of the corner with a fury to start the second round and hurt Glaeser, who regrouped and used a nice jab to keep the plebe from getting inside the rest of the way.
“She’s strong and really came out swinging in that second round. I just had to maintain my composure and rely on my boxing ability. I felt confident once we got into the third round because I knew I had better overall fitness,” said Glaeser, whose goal is to become the first female to join the elite list of four-time Brigade champions.
Junior Carlos Perez put forth an impressive performance in winning the 119-pound fight by technical knockout. Perez staggered classmate Hassan Zihan several times before the referee stopped the fight in the third round.
“My gameplan is to always be the aggressor, to really go at my opponent and make them uncomfortable,” Perez said. “I usually go more to the body, but I threw more punches to the head tonight because the openings were there.”
Sophomore Danny O’Neill had to work to repeat as 132-pound champion as classmate V.J. Sakbun proved tougher than expected. O’Neill was the more skilled boxer, but Sakbun was scrappy and kept charging ahead until the final bell. O’Neill’s ability to cut off the ring and land more punches produced a unanimous decision.
“I give (Sakbun) credit, he was a battler. I was kind of surprised by his level of endurance,” said O’Neill. “Fortunately, I trained hard and was in great shape. I thought I pretty much controlled the fight from start to finish.”
One of the best bouts came at 147 pounds where a pair of 2013 runners-up — seniors Kellen Lewis and Andre Moorehead — put on a good show. Moorehead seemed to the more active fighter, but the judges felt Lewis landed more effective blows and awarded the latter a unanimous decision.
“Third time’s the charm, I guess. It felt good to take that next step,” said Lewis, who lost in the semifinals as a sophomore then fell in the finals as a junior. “Honestly, this fight could have gone either way. Andre and I are really close in ability. Tonight was just my night.”
Moorehead, who will train to serve in the elite Sea, Air and Land (SEAL) special forces, seemed stunned by the result.
“I wanted to keep my form and show good fundamentals and felt I did that,” Moorehead said. “It didn’t go my way, but I have no regrets about the way I boxed. I’ll just have to get back in the gym and work harder.”
Senior Ben Matson, who won a split decision at 156 pounds, was presented the Chris Dobleman Award as Most Improved Boxer. R.J. Garcia, the hard-luck loser in that bout, received the Emerson Smith Sportsmanship Award.
Senior Sean Hunt had something to prove at 165 pounds after hearing some pre-finals chatter that he was the one defending champ in danger of getting upset. Sophomore Reuben Druckrey came in confident after winning his last six bouts, but Hunt dominated from beginning to end — registering three standing eight counts in earning a unanimous decision and receiving the prestigious Spike Webb Award as Most Outstanding Boxer.
“He was an excellent fighter and I’ll admit I was a little worried. Ultimately, it’s all about the mental aspect. I’ve been telling myself every day that I’m going to be a national champion and tonight was the first step in reaching that goal,” Hunt said.
Sophomore Jourdan Looney totally outclassed freshman Jordan Davis at 175 pounds, drawing three standing eight counts en route to a unanimous decision. Looney, out of North Point High in Waldorf, had lost in the finals a year ago.
“My experience last year taught me that every round counts and that it’s all about willpower. You have to leave it all in the ring,” Looney said.
Anthony Alexander put on a superb exhibition in winning easily at 185 pounds. After losing to Briscoe in the 195 final last year, sophomore Max Goldwasser moved up to heavyweight and scored an overpowering victory, battering and bloodying senior Nic Szczepaniak into submission.
For the second straight year, a group of prominent Annapolis businessmen held a “Black Tie Smoker” in support of the event McGarvey’s owner Mike Ashford was the honorary chairman as approximately 100 tuxedo-clad men paid big bucks to sit in floor seats with all proceeds benefitting Naval Academy boxing.
BRIGADE BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
Women’s Bout
156 Pounds — Sam Glaeser, Jr., Millstadt, IL, def. Stephanie Simon, Fr., Vancouver, WA, split decision
Men’s Bouts
112 Pounds — John Victoria, Fr., Alexandria, VA, def. Muhammad Kamran, Fr., Vehari, Pakistan, unanimous decision
119 — Carlos Perez, Jr., Hornlake, MS, vs. Hassan Zihan, Jr., Fuvahmulah, Maldives, technical knockout
125 — Jed Salonga, So., Oxnard, CA def. Daniel Smart, Fr., Miami, FL, technical knockout
132 — Danny O’Neill, So., Medford, NY, def. V.J. Sakbun, So., Terra Haute, IN, unanimous decision
139 — Jonathan Shepherd, Sr., Brooklyn, NY, def. Brian Holloway, Sr., West Windsor, VT, unanimous decision
147 — Kellen Lewis, Sr., Lansdale, PA, def. Andre Moorehead, Sr., Murphy, TX, unanimous decision
156 — Ben Matson, Sr., Muskego, WI, def. R.J. Garcia, Sr., Lawrence, MA, split decision
165 — Sean Hunt, Sr., Blackwood, NJ, def. Reuben Druckrey, So., New Orleans, LA, unanimous decision
175 — Jourdan Looney, So., Waldorf, MD, def. Jordan Davis, Fr., Pensacola, FL, unanimous decision
185 — Anthony Alexander, So., Detroit, MI, def. Luke Jackson, Jr., Seneca, IL, unanimous decision
195 — Keon Briscoe, Jr., Norfolk, VA, def. Wayne Worthington, Sr., Waterloo, IA, unanimous decision
Heavyweight — Max Goldwasser, So., Atlanta, GA, def. Nic Szczepaniak, Sr., Omaha, NE, unanimous decision
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