The final day of competition in Oxnard at the 2014 PAL championships featured an Olympic medallist and several current or former national champions as well as newcomers to the elite national scene.
The U.S. Army claimed their first national championship of the night in the womenโs light flyweight division on October 4. Giovanni Camacho (Lakewood, Wash.) defeated Lisa Ha (Pearl City, Hawaii) in the nightโs opening bout to take the gold medal.
In menโs light flyweight competition, Melik Elliston (Denver, Colo.) put on a show in his bout with Paul LeBlanc (Pahoa, Hawaii). Elliston gave LeBlanc three eight counts over the three rounds before LeBlancโs corner threw in the towel to give Elliston the victory.
The womenโs flyweight contest featured a rematch from the 2014 USA Boxing National Championships finals as 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas) took on Virginia Fuchs (Houston, Texas). Once again, Esparza took the win over her fellow Houston native to win the 2014 National PAL Championship.
The menโs flyweight bout went to U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program membe Charles Williams (Colorado Springs, Colo.) in the fourth bout of the evening. Williams defeated Angel Gonzalez (Hartford, Conn.) in the final round contest to win the 2014 National PAL title.
Former featherweight national champion and lightweight competitor Melissa Parker (Colorado Springs, Colo.) made the move down to the bantamweight division for the 2014 National PAL Championships. She made her debut at the 119 pound weight class a successful one, taking the gold medal with a victory over Amanda Pavone (Burlington, Mass.) in the championship bout.
Jose Balderas (Santa Maria, Calif.) won the first championship of the night for the host state in the menโs bantamweight division. Balderas defeated Sandy Rivas (Fayetteville, N.C.) in their final round contest to claim the National PAL Championships title.
In womenโs featherweight action, Rianna Rios (Fort Carson, Colo.) won an entertaining bout with Latonya Wingate (Centerline, Mich.) to claim another gold medal for the U.S. Army World Class Athlete program.
The womenโs lightweight championship belt will travel home to Ohio following Alycia Baumgardnerโs (Fremont, Ohio) win over Felisha Estrada-Gonzalez (Fort Carson, Colo.) in their final round match-up.
Charles Vasquez (New Port Richey, Fla.) claimed victory in the menโs lightweight division, defeating Rajiv Hernandez (Cleveland, Ohio) to earn the 2014 National PAL Championship.
Defending champion Mikaela Mayer (Los Angeles, Calif.) enjoyed a large cheering section of family and friends for her light welterweight division bout with Meghan Karchor (Tavers, Fla.). She sent everyone home happy with a win over Karchor in their championship bout.
In the menโs light welterweight finale, David Mijares (Pasadena, Texas) defeated Anthony Nunez (Niskayuna, N.Y.) to claim the gold medal.
Brian Ceballo (Brooklyn, N.Y.) took the victory in the battle of the northeast, winning his welterweight championship bout with James Perellla (Mansfield, Mass.).
Multi-time national champion Franchon Crews (Baltimore, Md.) had a busy night on Saturday at the Oxnard PAL Gym. She opened the evening with a beautiful rendition of the national anthem before her championship bout with Danielle Mitchell (N. Hollywood, Calif.). Crews won a second round TKO over Mitchell in the middleweight final round contest to earn the 2014 National PAL Championship.
Another boxing veteran claimed victory in the menโs middleweight division bout between Marquis Moore (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Randy Foster (Covington, Tenn.). Moore took the win over Foster for the middleweight championship.
Mooreโs teammate Steven Nelson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) enjoyed success in the light heavyweight division finale as well. Nelson defeated Miguel Trejo (Anaheim, Calif.) in their contest to win light heavyweight gold.
The super heavyweight division closed the night and the event in a battle between Cassius Cheney (Charlestown, R.I.) and Raymond Walker (Arlington, Texas). ย Cheney took the final 2014 National PAL Championship with a win over Walker.
Saturdayโs Championship Round Results:
106 lbs/female: Giovanni Camacho, Lakewood, Wash., dec. Lisa Ha, Pearl City, Hawaii
108 lbs/male: Melik Elliston, Houston, Texas dec. Paul LeBlanc, Pahoa, Hawaii
112 lbs/female: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas, dec. Virginia Fuchs, Houston, Texas
114 lbs/male: Charles Williams, Colorado Springs, Colo., dec. Angel Gonzalez, Hartford, Conn.
119 lbs/female: Melissa Parker, Colorado Springs, Colo., dec. Amanda Pavone, Burlington, Mass.
123 lbs/male: Jose Balderas, Santa Maria, Calif., dec. Sandy Rivas, Fayetteville, N.C.
125 lbs/female: Rianna Rios, Fort Carson, Colo., dec. LaTonya Wingate, Centerline, Mich.
132 lbs/female: Alycia Baumgardner, Fremont, Ohio dec. Felisha Estrada-Gonzalez, Fort Carson, Colo.
132 lbs/male: Charles Vasquez, New Port Richey, Fla., dec. Rajiv Hernandez, Cleveland, Ohio
141 lbs/female: Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif., dec. Meghan Karchor, Tavers, Fla.
141 lbs/male: David Mijares, Pasadena, Calif., dec. Anthony Nunez, Niskayuna, N.Y.
152 lbs/male: Brian Ceballo, Brooklyn, N.Y., dec. James Perella, Mansfield, Mass.
165 lbs/female: Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md., won on TKO over Danielle Mitchell, N. Hollywood, Calif.
165 lbs/male: Marquis Moore, Colorado Springs, Colo., dec. Randy Foster, Covington, Tenn.
178 lbs/male: Steven Nelson, Colorado Springs, Colo., dec. Miguel Trejo, Anaheim, Calif.
201 lbs/male: Sardius Simmons, Flint, Mich., won on walkover over Derae Crane, Colorado Springs, Colo.
201+ lbs/male: Cassius Chaney, Charlestown, R.I., dec. Raymond Walker, Arlington, Texas
For more amateur boxing news, including the Asian Games donโt miss this weekโs issue of Boxing News