154 was stacked at Silver Gloves so should be stacked again. I forget the name of the kid who won at Silvers but he and Gibbs are the best iv seen so far
OK............ I KNOW ITS ON AT 154 & CALLOWAY IS BRINGING IT !!! CHASE KNOWS HOW STACKED 154 IS BUT HE ASK TO REMAIN AT 154 & LOOKED GOOD AT STATE & REGIONALS & WANTS THE NATIONAL JUNIOR OLYMPIC CHAMPIONSHIP.... OH ITS GOING TO BE EXCITING THIS YEAR..........LOOK OUT...... FIREWORKS............KID DYNAMITE.....82 AMATEUR BOUTS....
First off it should be pointed out that this championship is open to boys born in the latter half of 1995 and these boxers are not eligible for Junior tournaments outside the US as internationally they are classified as Youth boxers.
At 90LBS there are only three entrants although they are all useful.Damian Charles reached the 2011 semis and looks the likeliest winner.However William Dierkshide and Cory Conner could go close PICK CHARLES JR
95 looks very competitive and I give a narrow vote to SG Champion Andrew Strode.Chris Colbert is also a SG champion where he defeated Slade Colvin and has a real chance as does Keshawn Williams.Any of the four could win PICK STRODE
101 It will be a brave man who opposes defending champion Nico Hernandez albeit at a new weight.The multi title winner is the one to beat.Bruce Carrington the RS champion and Elijah Shabazz may get the minor medals.Moises Orozco can be dangerous.PICK HERNANDEZ
106 Aarkeyse Higdon was runner up to Jesus Luna last year and can go one better here
Jose Borges a 2011 semi-finalist,Carlos Balderas and Hector Tajanara will make it competitive.PICK HIGDON
110 This really is wide open anyone can win but without any confidence I go for Walter Smith
but Shakur Stevenson,Rudy Garcia and Jose Solorio are all very good PICK SMITH
114 Dareece Crawford was a runner up to Malik Jackson twelve months ago,whilst Lawrence Newton also competed and Ruben Villa is talented PICK CRAWFORD
119 Gary Russell and Efren Lopez are my two fancies but I will go with Russell.
Gonzalo Rodriguez will be dangerous PICK RUSSELL
125 Matthew Guerrero gets my vote but I am wary of Jalonte Cole,Ethan Clark and Geno Jones
Guerrero did well last year against Gary Salazar and there is no tougher test PICK GUERRERO
More to follow
Meliek Montgomery was a semi-finallist last year and is my pick at 132.George Acosta and Edgar Berlanga are good boxers PICK MONTGOMERY
At 138 the two 2011 finalists at 132 are back and Erickson Lubin can repeat his victory over Austin Dulay.Anthony Rodriguez and Zakery Rollins are boxers to watch PICK LUBIN
145 sees the return of another defending champion Kareem Martin and logically he should win again.Kevin Salgado also returns and NP 2011 champion Nate Burkhalter is talented PICK MARTIN
154 A very strong weight with a lot of good competitors and it is not easy to see a winner.
I go for Fabian Alvarado narrowly but any of Javier Martinez,Chase Calloway and Derrell Gibbs could become champion PICK ALVARADO
165 I am a fan of Jazavian Palmer and I dont think he is far short of world class so he is my pick.Kenneth Ursey is the danger PICK PALMER
176 Daquan Johnson and Luciano Stoica are my two to follow and I think Johnson could win.Elvis Figueroa is one to watch PICK JOHNSON
189 Junior Younan was the champion in 2011 and looks set to repeat although John Luna and Teofilo Bueno will think differently PICK YOUNAN
201 Albert Fundura is the defending champion.Demarkus Minter moves up in weight to challenge but I will go for Fundura PICK FUNDURA
At superheavy Issa Awad was a 2011 semi-finallist but I will go with Elijah Grady whilst Darmani Rock is useful PICK GRADY
I am surprised that Lou Grant and Neslan Machado arent competing as they are two of my favourites.
I wish the best of luck to all competitors and if you lose this is still the start of your career not the end-every boxer loses at some stage even Ray Leonard and Floyd Mayweather
As usual someone unheralded will appear and win and favourites do lose.
I have to admit I do not follow the girls so closely but here are my observations.
Monica VanPelt (101) Marisol Lopez (106) Jasmine Hampton (114) and Taylor Carroll (165) are returning champions and I would expect them to win,whilst Lorraine Villalobos (95) and Quianna Nesmith (+176) will be uncontested champions.
Of the remaining weights more in speculation than anything else I will go for
110 Kristen Leija 119 Dacia Jacquez 125 Evelyn Borja 138 Jackie Gomez 145 Jayden Gilden and 154 DaShia Whitehead
Interesting to note a little known teenager Claressa Shields won the JO in 2011
90 - Only 3 boxers: DAMON CHARLES
95 - KEESHAWN WILLIAMS
101 - Never pick against this kid: NICO HERNANDEZ
106 - JOSE BORGES
110 - Wide open weight class: SHAKUR STEVENSON
114 - Toss up. Not impressed with Crawford: RUBEN VILLA (DA'REECE CRAWFORD)
119 - Very talented kid: GARY ANTUANNE RUSSELL
125 - Competitve weight class: MATTHEW GUERRERO (JALONTE COLE) (GENO JONES)
132 - MALIEK MONTGOMERY
138 - This kid might be the best boxer out of everyone: ERICKSON LUBIN
145 - Competitve weight class with tons of talent: KAREEM MARTIN (MARCO MAGDALENO) (MARK REYES)
154 - Most competitive weight class by far, I could pick 5 boxers to win this division: FABIAN ALVARADO (CHASE CALLOWAY) (JAVIER MARTINEZ)
165 - Palmer has been impressive, watch out for Ursery: JAZAVIAN PALMER (KENNETH URSERY)
176 - DAQUAN JOHNSON
189 - JUNIOR YOUNAN
201 - ALBERTO FUNDORA
201+ DARMANI ROCK (ELIJAH GRADY)
I have to say Brandon Kapner is definately One of My Favorite Amateur Boxers & I should pick him as well at 106 because he has the Heart to Beat Anyone.....
I have had experience coaching against Austin Dulay, and he has a way of figuring out how to beat the guys that beat him.... so although i haven't seen Lubin fight and from what i've heard about him he is a great young boxer. Austin Dulay has a ton of heart and ambition it would not surprise me a bit to see Dulay win at 138