Eighth At Eckhart Park

Thomas and the boxing coaches make the matches for the Eckhart Park show in the photo above.  I had already made a match for Donovan with one of Eddie's (the coach at Davis Square Park) fighters.

Alan tried to get matches for John and Rojan, but there had been some confusion as to whether the boxing show was going to take place or not.  It had been raining earlier, and it appeared that another shower might happen.  They all drove in later, with Alan coming in from the furthest distance.  By the time they got there, all ten bouts had been set.  It was too bad, because there were a few guys there that both John and Rojan could have fought.

I pointed out Donovan to John and Rojan.  "Wow, he's eleven years old?" John said.  "There are some big eleven years olds around!" Rojan said.

Ariel and James from my gym could have had fights, too.  I spotted several prospects for them, but alas, they didn't go to the boxing show.

Donovan's fight was the eighth of the night.  Before the bell rang for the first round, I advised him not to leap as he threw punches.  However, he did, and the other kid caught him as he landed back on his feet.  The punch knocked Donovan down and underneath the ropes.  For a second, I was worried he was going to roll off onto the judges' table.  In the second round, Donovan had a determined look on his face.  One of his punches knocked Eddie's fighter down.  When the third and final round ended, Eddie's fighter came over to shake my hand.  It was then I noticed the boy's nose was bleeding. "Donovan got one in," I told his parents later.

Donovan's parents and I believed it was a close fight, but Donovan lost.  A few coaches came up again to compliment Donovan on having heart during the fight.  "Gentleman" Gerald told me, "Your kid is good, but he's got to stop leaping into punches."  I agreed.  That's something else we have to work on back at the gym.

Portage Park's show is next week, but I'm not sure I'll be able to get Donovan a fight there.  I'm going to try and convince nine-year-old James to go, even though I know that James has a lot to work on as well.