Tulsa To Host National Golden Gloves In August
Tulsa hosts the Golden Gloves of America National Tournament of Champions Aug. 9-14, 2021, Aaron Sloan, vice-president of the Kansas-Oklahoma Golden Gloves Franchise and owner of Tulsa’s Engine Room Boxing Gym, announced today. The prestigious national amateur boxing championship, which was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19, takes place at the recently remodeled Cox Business Convention Center. The Engine Room Boxing Gym, in collaboration with the Tulsa Sports Commission and the Kansas-Oklahoma Golden Gloves Franchise, will coordinate this national event. Sprinkler Fitters Local Union 669, UA is the title sponsor of this tournament.
Male and female amateur boxers ages 18-40 from across the United States, representing 30 Golden Gloves franchises, compete in ten weight classes in this USA Boxing-sanctioned championship. The tournament is expected to draw over 500 athletes and coaches, a large percentage of which will come from outside the state of Oklahoma, with an estimated economic impact approaching one and a half million dollars.
“We are thrilled to host this year’s highly anticipated Golden Gloves of America National Tournament of Champions,” says Tulsa Regional Tourism President Ray Hoyt. “This event is expected to generate $1.3 million in economic impact for Tulsa and will further bolster Tulsa’s national recognition as a sports city.”
Previous host cities include Chattanooga, Omaha, Las Vegas, and Kansas City. Former National Golden Gloves champions include outstanding boxers like Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Oscar De La Hoya, and Oklahoma’s own Alan Green (2002), Eric Fields (2005 & 2006) and Aaron Morales (2017).
Legendary professional boxer, “Irish” Micky Ward, will be the VIP guest on the final night of the championship. Ward will participate in a private sponsor reception prior to the championship fights Sat. Aug. 14 and welcome the audience from the ring before the fights begin.
“We are very pleased to have Micky Ward as our guest for finals night of the National Golden Gloves Tournament,” says Coach Aaron Sloan. “We’re excited to bring this boxing legend to Tulsa. It’s a great way to thank our sponsors for their support and a fun opportunity for our fighters, boxing fans and the city. Not only will those attending the tournament have a chance to meet Ward in person, they’ll also experience live amateur boxing at its highest level.”
Golden Gloves of America National Tournament of Champions
Aug. 9-14, 2021
Cox Business Convention Center, Tulsa OK
Tickets available at TicketStorm.com or at the door
For sponsorship opportunities & reserved ringside tables, contact Aaron Sloan at 918.289.0090 or [email protected].
2021 Kansas Oklahoma Golden Gloves Team
MALE OPEN
Eric Moses Puente/Rival Boxing OKC 108 lbs.
Edgar Trejo/Rival Boxing OKC114 lbs
Pedro Lopez/Engine Room Tulsa 125 lbs
Angel Mora/Engine Room Tulsa 138 lbs
Carlos Hernandez/Azteca OKC 152 lbs
Karlos Lizarraga/Engine Room Tulsa 165 lbs
Bryce Edwards/Diamond Fitness & Training Center Sallisaw 178 lbs
Ron Gamble/Engine Room Tulsa 201 lbs
Pablo Porras/Rival Boxing OKC 201+ lbs
FEMALE OPEN
Eliana Nichols/Alley Boxing Wichita 119 lbs
Neida Ibarra/Engine Room Tulsa 132 lbs
Shelby Mulcaire/WCF Tulsa 152 lbs
Kaelyn Bender/Spartan Boxing Emporia Kansas 178+
Coaches
Nikki Burleson/Rival Boxing Gym OKC
Danny Skipper/Engine Room Boxing Gym Tulsa
National Golden Gloves began in 1923 when Chicago Tribune Sports Editor Arch Ward conceived the idea of a newspaper sponsored citywide amateur boxing tournament. Champions were awarded a miniature golden glove. Many great professional boxers have launched their early athletic careers participating as amateurs in Golden Gloves tournaments. Golden Gloves continues to play a major role in the selection of representatives for the U.S. team in the Olympic Games.
“Irish” Micky Ward competed professionally from 1985-2003. He’s widely known for his series of three fights with Arturo Gatti, two of which received “Fight of the Year” awards from Ring magazine.
About the Tulsa Sports Commission In 1993, the Tulsa Sports Commission (TSC) was created to attract and develop sporting events and conventions for economic impact on the Tulsa community. Since its inception, the TSC has accounted for more than $500 million in economic impact to the Tulsa region by helping attract, market and host championships and sports-related events and conventions to the region. The TSC is a founding member of the National Association of Sports Commissions and lives within the Tulsa Regional Tourism umbrella organization.
About Tulsa Regional Tourism Tulsa Regional Tourism is northeast Oklahoma’s premier accredited destination marketing organization. Housed at the Tulsa Regional Chamber, it includes the Tulsa Convention and Visitors Bureau; the Tulsa Sports Commission, a sports sales and marketing organization; and the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture, an accredited film commission.
The Engine Room Boxing Gym www.engineroomboxing.com at 316 E. 11th Street is owned and operated by Aaron Sloan, a registered cardiac nurse, Vice-President of the Kansas-Oklahoma Golden Gloves franchise, and a USA Boxing-certified coach, judge and referee. The Engine Room offers competition and fitness training, as well as the Ready to Fight Parkinson’s Specific program. Developed by Coach Sloan in 2016, RTF is now the official therapy-boxing program of USA Boxing.
Marquis Johns is a unknown humorist and avid boxing fan. His love for the sweet science goes back to when matches were 15 rounds and has been covering fights since closed-circuit pay-per-views. Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth is not only a quote by Mike Tyson, it's also a pretty good reminder to keep your guard up.
