Round 1: The crowd goes crazy for Jeffrey! He’s in the Army out of Ft. Carson.Nice work b nice jab by Rob… nice right by jeffrey… Rob comes back with some nice body shots… close round … 2-1 for Rob…

Round 2: Rob is keeping busy….he’s looking good… a lot of punches are being thrown..it’s tied now… 4-4… Jeff scores two shots…. Rob is feeling the heat.. Rob scores a shot to bring it close… lands a quick combo to tie it up at 6 a piece.

Round 3:  Nice jab by Robert… this is pretty close… Jeffrey land a punch after a 3 punch combo…. Jeff lands another shot… Jeff lands another quick shot… Jeff gets another point from out of the blue… no pun tended.. it’s over… a new champ… 10-9 for Jeff… Rob came back but still short.

NATIONAL TOURNAMENT UPDATES:

Finals: Tonight Robert Brants Final match in 2010 USA Boxing National Tournament will be against Jeffrey Spencer from Fountain, Colorado.

Day 5:

After a long week of boxing, Robert Brant will get one day off before boxing in the Finals Saturday night.

Day 4:

Semi-Finals

178lbs Robert Brant dec.  Marquice Weston, Tacoma, Wash. 12-10

Day 3:

178lbs Robert Brant dec. Da’Vaun Lee, Jamaica, NY 14-7

152lbs: Andrecia Wasson, Centerline, Mich. stopped Savannah Osborn RSCH-2

Day 2:

152 lbs. Bryant Perella, Lehigh Acres, FL dec. Oscar Soto, Burnsville, MN (22-10)

178 lbs. Robert Brant, Oakdale, MN dec. Brandon Wicker, Port Hueneme, CA (11-1)

178 lbs. Marquice Weston, Tacoma, WA dec. Manuel Contreras, St. Paul, MN (11-7)

152 lbs: Savannah Osb0rn, Bemidji, MN has a bye tonight.

Day 1:

152lbs  Oscar Soto Def. Jose Gonzalez, Anchorage, Alaska., 17-5

178lbs Manny Contreras had a bye today.

178lbs Rob Brant def. Bo Gibbs, Wetumka, Oklahoma 18-3

141lbs: Samantha Griffith, Pittsburgh, Pa., dec. Ann Griffen, Andover, Minn. 19-12

For the Daily Bout sheet click here

LFR: You looked good in Nebraska.  How did you feel about your match?

Contreras: I felt like I did alright not my best though.  The night (before) my first match I was running all night long because I was over weight.  I was supposed to box at 165, but after all that running I was still over weight.  I knew we didn’t have a 178lb boxer so I decided to box at 178lbs.  The second match was a little awkward because the guy was a southpaw.  I’ve been with different styles like, Michael Faulk, he’s a good southpaw so that helped out a lot.

LFR: I thought you listened to your corner (David Lusby and Adonis Frazier) well.

Contreras: I try to listen to my corner as much as I can because they are my second pair of eyes.  They see stuff that I can’t sometimes and it helps me out a lot listening to them.

LFR:What things are doing to prepare yourself for competition at a national level?

Contreras: I’m trying to do everything.  Work out harder, spar a lot more with different styles and add more workouts to my schedule.
my record now is 31 wins and 8 losses

-Ryan Hamilton

Manny Contreras in the Red Gloves

Age: 19

Gym: Rice Street Gym

Coach: Johnny Johnson

Weight: 165 lbs

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 26 wins & 7 losses

Favorite Boxer(s): Roy Jones Jr. and Miguel Cotto.

Tournaments & Titles:  2008 Under 19  Bronze Medal, 2009 USA State Champion, 2009 Golden Gloves Region 2 champion, 2008 Region 2 champion.

Training:  Runs 3 to 5 mile twice a week
shadow box 3 rounds with 2 pound weights
jump rope 3 rounds
heavy bag 4 rounds
double end bag 4 rounds
pads 4 to 6 rounds
“I work out two 3 min rounds with 30 sec breaks.”

Info: Manny started boxing when he was 16 years old.  ” I always wanted to box since I was a little kid, ” he remembers,  “and my mom said I could start boxing when I  got my braces off.  So the same week I  got my braces off, I went to the Rice Street Gym.  A couple weeks later, Johnny told me I had a lot of heart and I was going to be a champion.”

Contreras, now a 19 year old college student, attends St. Paul College.  He likes to play hockey, football and baseball.  He also likes to fish a lot.  Manny “thinks” he’s an outgoing person and likes “making people happy.

Being a role model to his family is important to him.  “I have five little sisters and two little brothers.  I’m the oldest out of all of them and I try to be a good role model for them ’cause they all look up to me.”

His plans for the tournaments this year are to make it to Golden Gloves & USA Nationals and win.  He also plans to turn pro after the 2012 Olympics.

-Ryan Hamilton

*Editors Note* After witnessing his impressive win (by retirement in the 4th) over hard hitting Robbie Loyde (Uppercut) in the St. Paul vs Minneapolis Tournament, I’m convinced that Contreras will be the man to beat at 165lbs.