Ken Goldfield for New York Daily News
Heather Hardy (l.) takes home the win over Robin Percyz at Xaverian High School Wednesday night.
Daniel Grskovic (NY-MMA) and Jonathan Neves (Willis Ave BC) might have arrived in Brooklyn
with a full tank, but by the third round of their 132-pound novice bout, they
were both running on fumes.
Wednesday
night, the Daily News Golden Gloves came to Brooklyn's Xaverian High School,
where the 132-pounders and 125-pound ladies went to work.
Neves
seemed to control the bout with Grskovic early, keeping the challenger off
balance with frequent jabs. Each boxer landed his share of clean shots during
the fight, but a holding penalty on Neves and a late rally by Grskovic in the
third were pivotal. Grskovic emerged as the winner with a 4-1 decision and took
home the P.C. Richard and Son Boxer
of the Night award.
"In
the first two rounds I felt great," he said. "But my trainer told me
there were 45 seconds left (in the third) and that took an eternity. I tried to
maintain my breathing and keep my hands up. I was trying to just finish the
round strong and I went to the end."
Heather
Hardy (Gleason's Gym) entered the ring from the gold corner and exited one step
closer to the golden goal that eluded her a year ago. The action from 125-pound
women's division was the tournament's first female bouts since opening night at
B.B. King's Blues Club on Jan 19. Hardy, a 2011 runner-up, began her fight with
Robin Percyz (Hevyhitters BC) with a defensive focus, but came out firing in
the third showing the determination she'll need to get back to the Garden.
"It
took me a round or two to shake the nerves," Hardy said. "In the
third round I came around and I started punching with intent."
Hardy
owned the third, pummeling Percyz and dishing out two standing-eight counts.
Just 20 seconds into the fourth and final round, another right hand would give
Hardy a stoppage and the Empire City Casino Punch of the Night.
"That
was not a typical Heather Hardy fight,"
she said. "I don't get nervous. (But) I don't want to lose anymore, so the
pressure to win is very, very high."
Hardy
will fly to Colorado next week to defend her 125-pound national title.
The
Gloves bounce back Thursday with heavyweight action from the novice and open
classes at the New York Athletic Club at Central Park South. Bouts begin at
7:30.
