The points flew freely throughout the 11 championship bouts beginning with the light flyweight final bout between 2004 Olympic runner-up Diego Hurtado (Reno, Nev.) and Francisco Ibarra (Brighton, Colo.). Ibarra enjoyed the early surge, taking a 9-2 lead after the first round of action, but the next three rounds belonged to Hurtado. He gained the lead in the second round and built it to 38-28 at the end of three. He continued to score in the final stanza, winning a 55-36 final decision to take the light flyweight championship.

Two Texans took the next two titles, starting with flyweight Jerry Guevara (Brownsville, Texas.). Guevara faced off with Daniel Roman (Inglewood, Calif.) in the flyweight title bout. After a close first round, Guevara took control in the second stanza, grabbing a 30-19 lead at the midway point of the bout. He continued to pour on the points in the third before winning a stoppage victory at the 1:28 mark to take the flyweight crown.

2004 Junior Olympic National Champion Sergio Perales (Los Fresnos, Texas) won a stoppage victory as well, defeating 2004 Western Trials champion Rick Lopez (Brighton, Colo.) in their bantamweight championship bout. Perales held Lopez scoreless in the first round en route to a 19-2 lead at the halfway mark of the bout. He moved out to a 20-point lead at the :32 mark of the third round to take the stoppage victory and the bantamweight title.

2007 Golden Gloves silver medallist Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio) moved up the medal podium at the Western Trials, taking the gold with a first round stoppage of Daniel Martinez (Covina, Calif.). Williams let his hands fly from the opening bell, unloading shots to the head and body. He moved out to a 20-0 lead at the 1:39 mark of the first round to win the third stoppage of the night and the featherweight championship.

The stoppage run continued into the lightweight division battle between Roberto Vargas (Santa Ana, Calif.) and Enrique Nieves (Phoenix, Ariz.). Vargas scored early and often in his bout with Nieves, and his output pushed him to a 37-21 lead after two rounds. He finished the job in the third, winning a stoppage victory at the :54 mark of the round. Vargas’ victory earns the Californian the lightweight title.

Mike Faragon (Schenectady, N.Y.) and Michael Concepcion (E. Orange, N.J.) ended the stoppage streak in the light welterweight division championship bout. The bout was razor-close through the first two rounds, with Faragon taking a 20-19 lead after four minutes of boxing. He extended his lead to five with one round remaining in the bout and Concepcion came on strong in the fourth. Yet his comeback fell short and Faragon won a 39-37 decision to win the light welterweight crown.

Rodrigo Garcia (Santa Ana, Calif.) enjoyed a quick night in the welterweight championship bout with Demetrio Soto (Los Angeles, Calif.). Garcia took a 12-5 lead after the first two minutes of action, but quickly pushed it to 20 in the second round for the stoppage win at the 1:01 mark. His victory earned Garcia the welterweight championship and a U.S. Championships berth.

Two-time Junior Olympic national champion Dominic Wade (Largo, Md.) won his first open division title with a third round stoppage of Kelly Max Buchanan (Teague, Texas). A strong second round pushed Wade to a 22-4 lead at the midway point, and he closed the bout and the tournament impressive fashion. A strong Wade hook gave Buchanan a standing eight count early in the third and seconds later he won the stoppage victory due to his 20-point advantage to win the middleweight championship.

The light heavyweight division battle between Lionell Thompson (Buffalo, N.Y.) and Dennis Hasson (Philadelphia, Pa.) was a much closer affair. Hasson grabbed the first lead, but Thompson stole the advantage in the second. He enjoyed a three-point edge after both the second and third rounds, taking a 17-14 lead into the fourth round. Hasson came on strong in the final stanza, giving Thompson a standing eight count, but couldn’t regain his lead and Thompson went on to win a 22-17 decision and the light heavyweight title.

Andres Taylor (Johnstown, Pa.) and Akeem Holland (San Mateo, Calif.) faced off in the heavyweight championship bout. The two opened the bout at a slow pace with Holland grabbing a 5-2 lead after two rounds. Yet a huge Taylor third round gave him a 17-6 edge as the fourth round began. He continued to build on his lead through the final two minutes en route to winning a 27-10 decision and the heavyweight crown.

The super heavyweight championship bout put an end to the 2007qualifying season with a match-up between Justin Jones (Houston, Texas) and Tim Washington (Toledo, Ohio). The two jumped out to a quick start in a competitive and action-packed contest. Washington grabbed the first lead and went into the third round with a 22-19 edge. Yet Jones stole the lead in the third, punching his way to a 31-28 advantage with one round remaining. He held on over the final two minutes to win a 42-37 decision and the super heavyweight title.

The boxers will all reconvene in Colorado Springs for the U.S. Championships with the top eight finishers moving on to the Olympic Team Trials – Boxing.

Saturday’s Championship Bout Results
May 26 - Championship Bouts
106 lbs/48 kg: Diego Hurtado, Reno, Nev., dec. Francisco Ibarra, Brighton, Colo., 55-36
112 lbs/51 kg: Jerry Guevara, Brownsville, Texas stopped Daniel Roman, Inglewood, Calif., RSCO-3 (1:28)
119 lbs/54 kg: Sergio Perales, Los Fresnos, Texas stopped Rick Lopez, Brighton, Colo., RSCO-3 (:32)
125 lbs/57 kg: Raynell Williams, Cleveland, Ohio stopped Daniel Martinez, Covina, Calif., RSCO-1 (:39)
132 lbs/60 kg: Roberto Vargas, Santa Ana, Calif., stopped Enrique Nieves, Phoenix, Ariz., RSCO-3 (:54)
141 lbs/64 kg: Mike Faragon, Schenectady, N.Y. dec. Michael Concepcion, E. Orange, N.J., 39-37
152 lbs/69 kg: Rodrigo Garcia, Santa Ana, Calif., stopped Demetrio Soto, Los Angeles, Calif., RSCO-2 (1:01)
165 lbs/75 kg: Dominic Wade, Largo, Md., stopped Kelly Max Buchanan, Teague, Texas, RSCO-3 (:28)
178 lbs/81 kg: Lionell Thompson, Buffalo, N.Y., dec. Dennis Hasson, Philadelphia, Pa., 22-17
201 lbs/91 kg: Andres Taylor, Johnstown, Pa., dec. Akeem Holland, San Mateo, Calif., 27-10
201+ lbs/91+ kg: Justin Jones, Houston, Texas dec. Tim Washington, Toledo, Ohio, 42-37