Boxers showcase talents at annual smoker

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The fight of the night belonged to a rookie boxer, but all nine bouts in the Tinker Boxing Smoker Aug. 21 provided plenty of excitement for the fans at the Gerrity Fitness and Sports Center.

"The excitement this event draws each and every time is the most exciting and fan populated event we have at the Gerrity," said Steve Thomasson, director of operations at the center.

Boxers from Tinker, Fort Sill and the Army Reserve battled in three two-minute round matches in the smoker.

The evening was highlighted by the debut of Luke Nelson, making his first appearance in the ring. The rookie middleweight boxer defeated Alexander Hand in a bout that was stopped in the third round. Nelson's efforts in the ring gave him the title of "Best Fight of the Night."

"Luke fought a great tactical fight and I was glad for him to get his first victory," said Sims. The other stars for the Tinker team were James Barber, Jose Robles, Charlie Floyd, Lisandra D'Agostino, Cameron Johnson, Daniel Logan and Theo Morse.

Barber won his bout against Tim Berna by unanimous decision after the fight was stopped in the third round. Other Tinker boxers who won by decision were Robles, who fought Joey Granado; D'Agostino, who fought Jerica Noel; Logan, who defeated Chris Ledbetter; and Morse, who beat Louis Gibbs.

Floyd and Johnson lost their matches to Fort Sill boxers Michael Baker and Lonnie McDaniel, respectively. Sims made the decision to stop both bouts in the third round because he felt his boxers were taking too many hits.

The next event for the Tinker boxing contingent will be in Tulsa on Sept. 10-11.