Navy Wins in Armed Forces Boxing Preliminaries

By Teri Reid, Naval Base Ventura County Public Affairs

April 22, 2010 - PORT HUENEME, Calif. (NNS) -- Two Navy boxers won their bouts fighting on the first night of the Armed Forces Boxing Championships at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) in Port Hueneme, Calif., April 20.

Boatswain's Mate Seaman Justin Diaz defeated Air Force Senior Airman Matthew McCoy in the 141-pound weight class.

Aviation Machinist's Mate Airman Tyron Hunter defeated Air Force Staff Sgt. Richard Smith in the 201-pound weight class.

Nearly 250 people attended the fights, which were preceded by opening ceremonies in which Capt. Antonio Edmonds, chief staff officer of NBVC, welcomed the other military branches to the Navy base.

Eight Navy boxers are competing in the championships. The winners of these championships will comprise the U.S. Boxing Team and will compete in the World Military Boxing championships Oct. 8-17 at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

In the night's other three fights:

- Army Sgt. Alexis Ramos defeated Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Timothy Nelams in the 123-pound weight class. - Marine Corps Cpl. Jamel Herring defeated Army Spc. Dustin Lara in the 141-pound weight class.

- Marine Corps Cpl. Damarias Russell defeated Army Sgt. Matthew Fischer in the 165-pound weight class.

Diaz, of Miami, is stationed aboard USS Pinckney (DDG-91). As the Navy team captain this year, he brought home a gold medal from the 2009 Armed Forces Boxing Championships in Fort Huachuca, Ariz.

Hunter, of Houston, is stationed with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22 at Naval Air Station Lemoore.

The championships continued April 20 with the second round of preliminary bouts. Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Anthony Padilla of Naval Hospital Oak Park competed against Air Force Senior Airman Jose Gonzales of Elmendorf Air Force Base in the 152-pound welterweight class. Hospitalman Brandon Wicker of Camp Lejeune fought against Army Spc. Jeffrey Spencer, from Fort Carson, Colo., in the 178-pound light/heavyweight class.

The finals will be held April 23 at the NBVC Port Hueneme Warfield Gym.

The Armed Forces Championships are conducted under the auspices of the Armed Forces Sports Council, which is responsible to the senior military advisor for all matters pertaining to the organization and administration of armed forces participation in national and international sports competitions. The purpose of this program is to promote understanding, goodwill and competition among the armed services through inter-service sports competition and to provide the means of selecting teams and individuals to represent the armed services in national and international competition.