Two Main St Gym fighters climbed out of the ring Saturday night with the Washington D.C Golden Glove Championship in hand.. Both battled formidable opponents to victories and secured a trip the regional championship.
James “Matt” McMurdo stepped into the ring in front of a packed house at the Rosecroft Raceway with cheers from a contingent of his gym mates, friends and his students as well as the local crowd that has enjoyed watching Mcmurdo’s in his climb to Saturdays nights Championship bout in the superheavyweight novice division.
In the opposite corner was Justin Maggi, fighting out of Simon Brown Gym in Frederick MD. Coach Brown, a past world champions boxer that held the Welterweight & light middle weight crowns with the WBC and the IBF could not help protect his boxer from the constant pressure and power of McMurdo’s punches. McMurdo will now move on the Regional Golden Gloves Championships to be held on April 22nd. McMurdo is a teacher at the Prince St. Elementary School in Salisbury.
In the open class heavyweight division Main St’s Thomas Mottinger battled to his second Golden Glove Championship in as many years. In 2016 Mottinger won the heavyweight novice division and now he has won the 2017 open class heavyweight division, earning him a trip to the Golden Glove Regional Championship on April 22nd. One more win will send Mottinger to the National Championships in Louisiana.
Mottinger was facing a very game and tough Shaka Williams of Nomis Boxing in D.C.. He got off to a slow start in round one and pushed to catch up in the second round. Going into the third round Mottinger pulled out all the stops to step up the pace and dominate the round decidedly, securing his victory . Mottinger is a Realtor with Maggio Real Estate in Rehoboth Beach Delaware.
Coach Hal Chernoff along with assistant coaches Tyrone Hargrove and Ryan Watson worked both fighters corners. “The guys were both a little tight tonight with this being the championship night. They both worked very hard to get here and the pressure of being in the Golden Gloves can create an added stress that can take you out of your game a little,” said Chernoff. “Both these young men gave all they had to get this win and move to the next level. They beat the best fighters in DC, Baltimore and the entire state. This area has some of the best gyms and trainers that have produced some of the best fighters in the country. At the tournament is a big banner with all the fighters that have won the DC Golden Gloves and it looks like the who’s who of boxing champions. Past world champions like Mark “Too Sharp Johnson who was on hand watching Saturday night and Sugar Ray Leonard, Chop Chop Corley as well as current world Champions like Gary Russell, Geovante “Tank” Davis and Lamont Peterson who was also on hand to support his team mates. So this is a big wing for these two guys as well as our young champions, Gavin Brown, Russell Griffith and Brendan Narrango that won their championships earlier in the tournament..
Someday when they get older all our kids will have their opportunity to move on to the regionals and the nationals. But right now all I can say is our coaching staff is very very proud of all our boxer, they are all are working very hard and continue to step up to the next level,”
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You guys are AWESOME!!
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