Since 1994 the annual Fallon Night of Fights has hosted 22 years of boxing, but with only so many nights as electric as Saturday.
The Venturacci Park Gym hosted packed stands for 15 bouts of student athlete boxing including senior True “Haymaker” Hanley defending his title and senior Brianne “Fists of Fury” Richard’s last chance to take it from senior Katelynn “Good Night” White.
Hanley met his match in senior Marcel “Thottie Boy” Taylor who beat Hanley by split decision. Richard, returning for her third Night of Fights, suffered her second and final loss in the long awaited rematch with White by unanimous decision.
Hanley and Taylor began their fight tying each other up in the middle of the ring and swinging only for the face. Despite Hanley hitting more to the body in round two, by round three Taylor slowed Hanley down with just enough dizzying punches to win the bout.
Hanley, fighting since his sophomore year at Churchill County High School, said it was disappointing to lose in his senior year when he felt he should be the winner, yet he is still proud.
“Well first congratulations to him,” Hanley said of opponent Taylor, “but honestly I feel as if I should have won the fight. Not by any extreme amount, but I also feel as if it wasn’t just my own personal observation. I think the crowd saw it too. Still, It was a good fight and overall.”
Richard, on her loss to White, said she felt this was the best Night of Fights in her three years before joining the Air Force upon graduation and she felt like she left it all out in the ring.
“She didn’t hold back,” Richard said of White. “She went all out and I like that because I like to fight someone who is even with me.”
White, celebrating her fourth year with the event, described winning as a huge rush since she said Richard had been confident in telling others she would be the victor.
“I went in thinking “whatever happens, happens” and to come out with a win just felt great,” White said. “I defintiely felt like this was the best fight in my time there since I had more experience, and I’d like to thank Trevor de Braga for that.”
Tyler “Aint your Mama’s Boy” Sullivan won the first match out of the red corner against 2016 state placer Terry “The Little Great” White with a series of hard rights to White’s head which sent the contender ducking into his arms toward the end of the fight.
White, however, came out swinging and appeared at first to many as the more ferocious opponent, defying Sullivan’s advantageous reach and landing several hard blows to the chin.
Steven “The Animal” Beaver won the bout with Randy “Hispanic Causing Panic” Jurado through scattered, hard body shots while Jurado prevented any major face punches with his head between a tough guard.
In the girls first fight of the night, Chloe “Psycho” Overlie defeated Angelina “A-Money” Irby, backing Irby into three corners in a swift match.
The first win out of the blue corner of the night belonged to Kaden “Hands Of” Stone who picked Anthony “Gatman” Gatica apart, close to achieving a technical knockout after two hard falls by Gatica.
Dylan “Sacafee McAfee had a tough time against Mason “The Dank” Smith who kept tying up McAfee to avoid head shots, but ultimately McAfee prevailed to the roar of the crowd.
The night took a momentary turn when Jack “El Chapo” Swisher went all out against Dalton “Milkman” Kaady and sent Kaady hard to the canvas with a bloody nose. Swisher won the bout and, fortunately, Kaady walked out of the ring without the need for a stretcher after a nervous moment.
Mike “Night Night” Owens won by split decision against Bryson “Hurrican” Abe and soon after, Juan “The Beast from the East” Ledezma brought the pain to Lee “The Face Breaker” Jay in a unanimous victory.
Wave varsity football champion Kaleel “Fresh Prince” Rickerson lost in a surprising split decision match to varsity state wrestling champ Kobe “Beef” Abe despite landing several hard right crosses to Abe’s nose and jaw.
Three time state wrestling champion Sam “The Sandman” Goings prevailed over Nick “The King of Sting” Smith in the fastest and arguable most ferocious match of the night before the boys main event. Going and Kaady pushed each other into each corner of the canvas, tying one another up in locked arms without wasting time to breathe landing key body shots which left both fights hunched over themselves before the end. Senior Trae “Melon Picker” Workman lost his bout with Adrian “Ace” Chambers by split decision.
In the girls main event Richard stayed in White’s face as to not give her time to recover from any hard blows. This, however, worked more to White’s advantage in round two as she backed Richard into the ropes and slipped jab after jab through her guard.