Friday, February 8th 2008
He started off slowly, just like his father used to, but his work rate increased as the rounds went on, and Pasquale Antuofermo, son of former middleweight champion Vito Antuofermo, proved to be a chip off the old block when it was over.
Pasquale, 25, tried to box the cagey Jason Morales (Heavyhitters BC) in the first round of the Daily News Golden Gloves Thursday night at the Freeport Recreation Center. When that didn't work, he resorted to throwing his jab behind a stiff right hand, and his punch output, along with his resolve that surely made his dad proud, earned him a hard-fought victory in a 141-pound novice bout. His ability to change his style after the first round also earned him the P.C. Richard & Son Boxer of the Night award.
"I was trying to feel him out," said Pasquale, who trains at the Universal Boxing Club. "My father kept telling me to use my jab in the corner and when I began throwing it, I could get my distance and I began coming back with right hands. I felt good."
His father, meanwhile, ran into an old foe of his own. Before his son's fight, Vito Antuofermo clowned around with Emile Griffith, his opponent in a middleweight bout 34 years ago at Madison Square Garden.
Antuofermo, now 55, went into that 1974 fight idolizing Griffith, now 70, but said of his strategy going in: "I was trying to kill him. I looked up to him, but I was still trying to beat him. What do you expect?"
Griffith, for his part, was asked his opinion on the decision all these years later.
"I didn't lose the fight," he said.
| In other bouts: Valon Shoshi's fans arrived in style, riding in a limo from East Hampton, and Shoshi (Veteran's Memorial) fought his heart out for them. His ubiquitous cheerleaders wore shirts with the slogan, "Team Shoshi," and they chanted his name throughout the fight. Shoshi won a decision against tough Adam Abdelaziz (B.C.B.A.) in a 165-pound novice bout. |
Robert Gooden (Glen Cove BA) knocked out Douglas Milano so fast last night, he wasn't even sure what punch caused the damage. The knockout came 11 seconds into 165-pound novice bout.
In a dichotomy of boxing styles, Paul Alsbrooks (Hempstead BC), who fought with his hands down, beat Chris McDaniels (Veteran's Memorial), who fought with his hands up in a 165-pound novice bout.
Russell Taveras (Veteran's Memorial), a doctor of physical therapy who played baseball at Manhattan College, won a decision against Tony Pedone (Glen Cove) in a 165-pound novice bout.
With his mother, girlfriend, and grandfather in the audience, Joseph Consiglio (Westbury BC) said he was fighting as much for them as for himself. That may explain why he threw enough punches for both himself and his opponent. He struck Romero Williams (Suffolk PAL) with a right hook that caused a standing-eight count in the first round and went on to a decision win in a 141-pound novice bout.
BCBA FOOT NOTE: At only 16 Abdelaziz has been boxing for less than 3 months! His first bout, (a Golden Glove match) was against a 22 year old boxer (Shoshi) who's been boxing for over 5 years. Though Shoshi's experience was evident, Abdelaziz's tenacity and heart kept him in the fight through 3 rounds.