When it comes to boxers who made a name for themselves ‘sticking and moving’ like Muhammad Ali, most of the greats got their start in The Daily News Golden Gloves tournament. Queens is no different, with various warriors looking to achieve eventual greatness inside the confines of the ropes.
Electrician wants to light up competition
Darryl Richardson, a 19-year-old Far Rockaway native who pays the bills as an electrician’s apprentice when he is not working on busting domes in the ring, enjoys the technical side of boxing.
“I was always a street fighter and I took interest in boxing immediately after learning there was more of a science to fighting,” he said.
Even though Richardson, in the 152-pound novice class, is new to the Golden Gloves, he has high aspirations.
“As a fighter I’m looking forward to displaying the thickness and durability of my heart,” he said. “I’m looking to compete professionally; not just for the money but for the love of fighting and competition. I will be champion of the world in due time.”
He routinely listens to heavy metal while training to get his blood flowing to cause havoc in the ring. Richardson cites his favorite fighter as Marvelous Marvin Hagler for his relentless pressure on opponents, but wishes to carve his own niche in the boxing world.
“I’m focused on building my own style of fighting, and therefore will give the audience something they’ve never seen before,” he said.
St. Francis Prep senior follows father’s dream
Phil D’Agostino of Broad Channel represents another youthful newcomer to the Queens Golden Gloves scene. The 17-year old St. Francis Prep senior has been training for four years, looking to follow in his father’s interests.
“I got into the Golden Gloves because my dad always told me it was something that he wished he had done in his life,” D’Agostino said. “And it sounded like a fun experience.”
D’Agostino, fighting in the 165-pound weight division, has battled through injuries in the past, but maintains the mental and physical toughness to pursue his dreams as a fighter. He believes it is important to have somewhat of a Zen-like quality during fights, and remain focused on the task.
“[In the ring] I get excited but try to keep my cool because I don’t want to get sloppy,” he said. “I just think that now it’s time to finish the job and land a powerful combination.”
He eventually aspires to be in command of his own training center, with a nice championship trophy that bears his name.
“My ultimate boxing goal is to win the Golden Gloves and eventually own my own gym,” he said.
Golden Gloves veteran eyes crown
Dominican-born Jose De La Rosa, 24, has boxing experience under his belt and a few Golden Gloves semi-finals appearances, too. The Woodhaven native believes that fighting has given him some valuable attributes.
“As a boxer I will always show discipline,” De La Rosa said. “I can always maintain an athletic physique; I can protect myself in certain situations, and I can be a positive influence to some of those around me.”
De La Rosa has been boxing for about two years, and has always appreciated the value of human confrontation. “I was always into contact sports. In high school I always wanted to play football but my school never had a team,” he said.
He figured boxing was the next best activity, and seemed to develop a natural knack for jabs and hooks. In terms of the way he operates in the ring, De La Rosa, who is fighting in the 152-pound novice weight class, took after some of his boxing heroes.
“I really like Floyd Mayweather and his style, but Diego Corrales was the one that I could relate the most to,” he said. “He was an adrenaline junkie, threw fierce punches, and was really down to earth.”
Attempting to juggle boxing into a tight schedule, De La Rosa balances his job and education. In his remaining spare time, he represents his friend ‘Legit, an aspiring New York-based hip-hop artist.
Although De La Rosa wishes he could have started boxing a little bit earlier in his life, he still feels there is plenty of time left for some smooth boxing moves to be made.
“Hey, I’m only 24. Let us see what happens. I think if [I’m in shape], I could take the Golden Gloves this year,” he predicted.
