St. Louis Novice Golden Gloves Tournament Finals Are This Friday

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​There is a unique thrill that comes with watching inexperienced boxers. The fights seem raw, as if the competitors have to compensate for lack of technique with heightened will. Less sweet science, more Jackson Pollack.

Exactly that will be on display this Friday, when the top rookie amateur boxers in the region will fight in the finals of the St. Louis Novice Golden Gloves tournament. The novice division is for boxers with less than ten bouts on their resume. For most of them, this is the first crack at a tournament victory. The nineteen title matches span ten weight classes and multiple age brackets. Eighteen teams have at least one fighter remaining and there is much drama surrounding the battle for the team title.

The Hard Knocks gym, of south St. Louis, has racked up six total wins entering the finals, which is one more than the North County Athletic Association. However, NCAA will have six boxers competing on Friday, which is one more than Hard Knocks.

For individuals, the novice tourney can be an introductory showcase on the way to bigger and better things. Recent St. Louis Novice Golden Gloves champions include Stephon Young, who went on to place second in 2011 National Golden Gloves tournament before turning pro, and Joshua Temple, who went on to win the 2010 Under-19 National Championships and is widely considered the heavyweight prospect in the region.

Here are the details for the Fight Freaks out there:

The bouts start at 7:30 p.m. at The Heart of Saint Charles Banquet Center. Doors open an hour before that. Ticket prices range from $15-$25. They are available through St. Louis Amateur Boxing president Jim Howell, at 636-561-2380.

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