Worth the wait Final bout best at the Gloves
Toolbox
By Chuck Clarino Herald Staff - Published: February 2, 2009
BURLINGTON — So you never leave the game until the final out, you always stick around for the last dance and you're one of those at the concert holding the lighter aloft and hollering for just one more encore.
If you can relate with any of these scenarios, Saturday's Vermont Golden Gloves Tournament semifinals at Memorial were where you should have been.
Those who stayed for the 14th and final bout of the night — a super heavyweight battle between Winsdor's Matt Cardente and Portland's (Maine) Zachary Cutler — were treated to a dandy of a fight.
This pair of behemoths went at it for three rounds, swapping punches and going toe-to-toe. The shorter and (just a tad) lighter Cardente needed to fight inside to take away Cutler's obvious height and reach advantage and he did so by landing bombs to the body and peppering Cutler with punches.
Meanwhile, Cutler tried to work his advantage and stay out of the clenches so he could work his jab and set up a big right hand. But Cardente was relentless, staying on top of his foe and pursuing him around the ring. Clearly Cardente was not intimidated by his foe's size or impressed by the fact that the entire complement of the Portland Boxing Club that traveled here was ringside exhorting for Cutler.
"Last year I lost, but this year I came here to win," said Cardente, who fell in the finals last February. "He's the best fighter I ever fought but I knew that I had the mental edge. I kept telling myself that and I knew after the first round that I could win, but I had to cut him down by staying close."
Cardente, a full head smaller than Cutler, is a fireplug of a boxer. Only 19, he began boxing to lose weight and he credited dedication to his conditioning as a big key to his success in the ring. Cardente is still a burly fellow but he has shed considerable weight from a high of 350 down to his present weight of 280.
"I started boxing to lose weight but now it's my passion," he said.
Despite that weight loss, he had plenty of endurance and that was clear as the fight progressed. Both boxers would not give in and each put it all out there on the canvas. Cardente rocked his big foe in the second and third rounds and that seemed to give him the impetus to finish the job.
"Boxing is 90 percent mental when you're in the ring," said John George, Windsor Boxing's coach/trainer. "He just keeps on going and he doesn't give up. He trains very hard — he's training all the time. Punches don't slow him down; he simply stays on top no matter how big the guy is he's fighting."
The intensity in the ring had the crowd electric and cheered mightily. When the final bell sounded and Cardente raised his arms in the symbol of victory, the crowd gave it up for him. When the decision of the judges was announced by ring announcer Mike Cameron in his favor, a roar shook the rafters of this old building on the corner of Maine and Union streets.
"That was the best fight of the night," gushed chief referee Victor Gammell.
"Wasn't that some kind of a fight?" asked Tournament Director Ernie Farrar.
Meanwhile, 25-year-old John Hollister of Poultney found the confidence to dig deep and win the third round in a 178-pound war with Corey Matthews of West Burke Boxing. Hollister used a little trick taught to him by coach/trainer Tim Bickford of Mount Holly. He used a six-count combination to get off a flurry of punches that slowed down Matthews and wrapped up the win via decision.
"Every fight I'm doing a little better," Hollister said. "He was a big, strong guy who hit hard with good hooks and tight combinations."
Springfield Boxing Club coach Bob Obdrzalek had a pair of fighters with semifinal bouts and settled for a split. Roger Cawvey opened the 14-fight card with an impressive win over Claremont's Ryan Farnsworth in a novice division bout, while John Janiszyn lost a decision to a tough Portland (Maine) boxer Keith Derrig in a 178-pound open division bout.
But Springfield will also send two more boxers to the novice division finals in 141-pounder Todd Jackson and 138-pound Brittany Daniels, each advancing with a bye.
Cawvey was especially sharp, working his combinations and getting his punches off first. The 26-year-old fiber optics cable systems engineer from Springfield was in control all the way and improved to 5-1.
"As soon as that first round was over, I knew the fight was mine," Cawvey said.
It wasn't quite as good a night for coach Brian Gill and his Cornwall Boxing Club. The team that trains in a dairy supply warehouse in Addison County sent two fighters into the semifinals and both lost by decision.
At 141 pounds, 23-year-old Travis Wilson lost to Ricky Ford of Claremont in a fight that could have gone either way. At 165 pounds, Brayton Gillett, a 27-year-old who works for Pratico's Landscaping in the summer, suffered his first defeat in six bouts. Gillett lost by decision to Tony Markusic of Jass Boxing of Berwick, Maine.
In other bouts, Lucien Benway of Precision won by decision over Jeff Provost of Gamache Boxing at 132 pounds. Bobby Lee Leclair of Berlin Boxing defeated Brandon Berry of Skowhegan Boxing by second round TKO at 152 pounds. David Carrier of Claremont defeated Chad Limoge of Precision at 152 pounds by decision. Hardwick's Ben Morley won by decision over Tri-Town's Richard Wallace at 165 pounds. In a 165-pound open division match, Russell Lamour of Portland Boxing won by second-round TKO over Kenton Farr of Precision. Jeff Massidda of Jass Boxing earned a decision in a 178-pound bout with Dan Magistralie of Precision. Heavyweight Kevin Cobb of Precision earned a decision over Doug Aubin of Berlin Boxing. Super heavyweight Justin Temke of Berline won a decision over Ben Rosner of Bantam Boxing.
The Vermont Golden Gloves Tournament continues Saturday with championship round bouts, opening bell 7:30 p.m.
Contact Chuck Clarino at chuck.clarino@rutlandherald.com
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