The Golden Gloves event had the arena packed Friday as the fighters stepped into the ring. In the red gloves, Jason Strawthorn and Benjamin McClerkin in the blue. McClerkin came out of his corner with a hard left hand to his opponent’s chin and then a quick right and left to the body.
After the fighters unhooked, McClerkin landed another hit to the chin. After that, the fighter repeatedly hit his opponent until the two hooked up again. Once the two fighters broke apart, McClerkin pummeled Strawthorn’s head and body.
Strawthorn was able to land a few hits, but he mostly maintained a defensive stance. He was able to dodge a few blows from McClerkin, however, he continued to take hard rights and lefts from his opponent. Then, he was able to land a hard right to the head of McClerkin, which did not seem to slow down his repeated right and left hands.
The two fighters hooked up again, and the referee broke them up. McClerkin came back with a fury, but Strawthorn was able to block a hit to the head successfully. Then he continued to take punches from the other fighter. After another lockup, he was able to land a hard jab to McClerkin’s face.
After the two danced around, McClerkin threw a left hook. After a few more punches, the fighters locked up and again were separated by the referee. McClerkin swung left, then right, and left again to the head of his opponent As the hits continued, Strawthorn ducked and backed into the ropes. After the referee separated the fighters, McClerkin was able to land a few more punches before the bell rang, ending the round.
The bell rang to start round two and Strawthorn came out of his corner swinging. He was able to block McClerkins hits; however, neither fighter landed a punch until McClerkin threw a left and then a right to the body of Strawthorn and then a left hand to the face.
Strawthorn was able to land a few punches to McClerkin’s body. McClerkin fought back, but his opponent continued to land hits until the referee broke them up and told Strawthorn no hits to the back of the head. McClerkin came back, landing two punches to the face of his opponent. The fighters continued to throw hands at each other until they were hooked up again. During this lockup, both fighters were able to land hard hits to their opponent’s body until McClerkin was backed into the ropes.
The referee broke the fighters up and warned Strawthorn no hits to the top of the head. McClerkin came at his opponent with more punches to the body and head. Strawthorn fought back and then dodged two hits. The two continued to fight until Strawthorn was against the ropes. He fought his way off the ropes and continued to take hits from his opponent to the head and body until he was against the ropes again.
As Strawthorn continued to be pummeled, he pushed his way off the ropes. Strawthorn was able to land a few lefts to McClerkin’s body and then three more. The fighters boxed it out in the corner of the ring throwing punches with furry and determination. McClerkin pelted his opponent with repeated punches to the face in the corner of the ring.
McClerkin seemed tired but was able to dodge hits from his opponent before landing two punches to his head and face. Then the fighter threw continued to hit his opponent until the bell rang ending the second round and the fighters took to their corners.
The third round began, and both fighters fought with a vengeance across the ring until McClerkin backed his opponent into the ropes. They
came off the ropes, and McClerkin threw two punches to the head and then pushed his opponent away. Strawthorn came back with hits to the body. Both fighters threw fists of furry until McClerkin threw a right cross to the face. Strawthorn backed up and was able to throw a left cross to McClerkin’s face. At this point, he was able to attack his opponent’s body.
Both fighters locked up and leaned on each other to block and push in with endurance. McClerkin’s punches were slowed but hard as he pushed Strawthorn back into the ropes. Strawthorn pushed back, and McClerkin was in the ropes. They both separated and moved to the center of the ring. Strawthorn was able to land several punches to the face and body.
McClerkin fought back with tiring hits to the body and then three hits to the face as he took a kidney punch. The fighters leaned on each other. They seemed to be slowing down. The referee broke them up and McClerkin landed a hard right to the face. He tried another right hook, but Strawthorn was able to dodge the attack. He tried a left jab but it was blocked. Both fighters landed body blows into the ropes.
The fighters pulled out of the corner, and McClerkin swung a hard left to his opponent’s face. Then he landed a right kidney punch followed by a right hook to the head. The bell ended round three. The winner by split decision was Benjamin McClerkin. A well-earned victory.
Written by Jeanette Vietti
Images Courtesy of Omari Jahi – Used With Permission
