Tinker boxers win 3 of 7 bouts in Tulsa

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- When you're fighting against the Tinker All Services Boxing Team, one good punch is about all you'll manage to dish out. Then, as the Tinker fighters showed Saturday night, they make sure you pay for that hit the rest of the bout.

"He hit me one good time and I felt my legs weaken up a bit but I had to keep on pushing through," said Tinker fighter Daniel Logan (165 pounds) following his fight Saturday night. A teammate echoed his sentiments.

"He hit me with one good punch but other than that he's a good little boxer. He did what he can do and that's all I can say about that," said fighter Michael Baker (201 pounds). It's one hit. Then the thunder falls.

Simply put, the match was closer than the score suggests. The Tinker fighters went in swinging with a heart and soul weeks in the making and went three of seven in the individual bouts at the Nov. 7 USA Boxing league fight in Tulsa.

Tinker fighters Logan, Baker and Charlie Floyd (165 pounds) came away with individual wins with impressive fortitude.

Two other Tinker boxers -- James Barber (132 pounds) and Jose Robles (141 pounds) -- fought close matches and narrowly fell to their competitors. The tally could've been five of seven individual wins, paving the way for Tinker to capture the best team trophy.

But that's not the way the gloves fell, and the Tinker fighters will have all the more reason to lay it all on the line when the team hosts its own match Nov. 20 on base.

"Overall I felt good," Tinker boxing coach Lavell Sims said. "These guys really showed me that they had a lot of heart. Charlie (Floyd) has really shown up. These guys are going to put on a heck of a show next Friday."

Sims paid respects to his boxers who came away with wins on Saturday.

"(Charlie Floyd) really impressed us, he went to the body a lot," Sims said "I was very impressed with him. The Charlie I wanted to come showed up. I'm not going to change anything with him. "(Daniel Logan) was very composed, he was very subtle and relaxed. I love that about this kid," Sims said. "Logan is very quick but what we want to get him to do now is sticking is moving. He's got one of the best foot movements and he has an excellent jab."

Baker and fellow Fort Sill, Okla., Army soldier Louie Gibbs joined the Tinker team in competition for the first time ever on Saturday and were glad to be under Sims' supervision. Sims lauded Baker's efforts in earning a win with minimal coaching and hopes to improve on this success.

But Sims recognizes his boxers' weaknesses, as evidenced by the individual losses of Barber and Robles, along with Luke Nelson (152 pounds) and Louie Gibbs (heavyweight).

Barber muttered the famous boxing phrase "Hands up, sit down, chin down, knock down" before his fight, but even the pre-bout mantra alone won't be enough to ensure future success.

"It's time to step up. We can't leave it in the judges' hands. Beat (your opponent) convincingly so you don't have to depend on that," Sims said following Saturday's match.

Sims will be pushing his boxers to the limit these next few weeks in preparation for their home fight, he said.

There aren't any excuses when you fight on the home ring.

Take your one hit and pay it back. It's all or nothing.