Silver Gloves Update: Central Cal Wins Three National Titles

Stockton's Gabriel Flores has a lot to smile about after winning
the National Silver Gloves on Saturday. (Gabriel Flores Sr.)

Region 8 was well-represented Saturday, as three Central California fighters were victorious in their respective finals at the Ringside National Silver Gloves, which took place at the Hilton Garden Inn in Independence, Mo.

Stockton's Gabriel Flores Jr. (10-11, 75 lbs.), Fresno's Efren Lopez (14-15, 119 lbs.), and Visalia's Mark Lujan (10-11, 60 lbs.) all emerged with championship belts via decision.

Three more Region 8 fighters made the finals. San Francisco's Suray Mahmutovic (12-13, 147 lbs.), Salinas' Ruben Villa (14-15, 112 lbs.), and Madera's Elian Lua (10-11, 65 lbs.) fought well in competitive decisions, but fell short.

"It was Gabriel's first time here (at Silver Gloves), and we're excited about it," said Gabriel Flores Sr. of Los Gallos Boxing Club, the new champ's father and trainer.

Flores Jr. defeated Region 3's Kavon Robertson of Staunton, Va., in his first trip to the nationals, which will undoubtedly be a memorable one now.

"If we weren't here the other guy would have definitely won," Flores Sr. added. "The guy was shorter than us and his punch was the big right hand, so our plan was to step to the right and avoid it. When he would come in, we would throw the hook and turn him."

"Gabe fought a smart fight," said Rob Fernandez, Mahmutovic's trainer. "He was just counter-punching and catching the Robertson coming in and reaching because he was strong. Really good fight."

While Lujan outhustled Region 2's DeShon Banks of Columbus, Ohio, Lopez won a splendid little war with Region 7's Bryant Ayala of Hillsboro, Ore.

"Efren and his opponent were loading up, going toe-to-toe," Fernandez said. "They were letting their hands go. Efren gave the kid a standing-eight at one point, but he was rocked a couple times, too. I'll say Efren deserved the decision, though."

Lua's title run was put an end by Region 2's Rayray Robinson of Cincinnati, while Mahmutovic ran into four-time national champ Jose Burgos of Johnson City, Tenn., in Region 6.

"It was close. Burgos was very experienced. I thought Suray was down a point heading into the last round, which I thought he took," Fernandez said. "Suray caught with him flush right hands a couple times. The fight could have gone either way, and I think he earned a lot of respect on a national level now, which is not bad for kid with only 13 fights under his belt."

Villa, a seven-time national titlist who has earned the nickname "Dracula," found Region 3's Antonio Vargas of Kissimmee, Fla., a worthy opponent in the final.

"[Vargas] was a little cautious in the way he fought Dracula, trying to walk him down more and more as the fight wore down," Fernandez said. "He was a little wiry, taller than Dracula. You have to be aggressive to fight him, but not to the point where you get picked apart because Dracula can do that. He just kept him off-balance, counter-punching at time. It was close, but [Vargas] deserved the decision."

In other news at the tournament, Region 5's Nico Hernandez of Wichita, Kan. (14-15, 95 lbs.), tied three-time Olympian Rau'shee Warren's record of winning six consecutive National Silver Gloves, as he took a decision over Region 3's Keeshawn Williams of Lanham, Md., to accomplish the historic feat.

Ryan Maquiñana writes a weekly column for Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (CSNBayArea.com). He’s also a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and Ring Magazine’s Ratings Advisory Panel. E-mail him at rmaquinana@gmail.com, check out his blog at www.maqdown.com, or follow him on Twitter: @RMaq28.