Previous Story
Tenorio secures third boxing championship
|
Posted on Mar 05 2012
By Walter J. Sutherland
Reporter
Reporter
United States Naval Academy senior midshipman Jonathan Jake C. Tenorio won his third 165-lb boxing title in the 71st Annual USNA Boxing Brigade Championships held in front of about 3,500 spectators at the Alumni Hall in Annapolis, Maryland late last month.
The crafty veteran from Mangilao, Guam earned a split-decision win over junior serviceman Mike Birnbaum of Midlothian, Virginia.
The 24-year-old Tenorio was the favored bet coming into the bout and Brinbaum’s swollen face and bloody nose by the start of the third round bell were a testament to the assumption. Tenorio started strong and soundly took the first round, but admittedly felt he lost the second round before coming back with a vengeance in the third to get the nod.
He won the fight with his superior technical boxing fundamentals, despite the relentless attacks by the feisty up-and-coming contender. After the fight, Tenorio tipped his cap to Birnbaum for having a true fighter’s spirit. The judges acknowledged Birnbaum’s heart and toughness as well by giving him a split-decision falter.
All in all, it was a nice comeback back win for Tenorio, who came off a recent loss to Army’s Zoar Morales in their bout held at West Point early December 2011.
After last month’s bout, Tenorio and company will be gearing up for the Mid-West Regional competition scheduled from March 16 to 18 in Morgantown, West Virginia. The anticipated Nationals are slated for April 6 and 7 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Boxing is a required physical education course for all USNA midshipmen and those who want to take their skills to the next level join the Navy boxing team, which has been coached by Jim McNally for over 25 years. The team also competes in the National Collegiate Boxing Association.
McNally is a former boxing official who had judged 29 international boxing events, 10 world amateur championships, the 2007 Pan-American Games, and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.
