How two brothers from Ceres went to Missouri and came home with boxing titles
Two brothers from Ceres brought home national titles to the Salvation Army/Red Shield Boxing Club.
Andre and Damon Flores won crowns at the National Silver Gloves championships earlier this month in Independence, Missouri.
Andre Flores, a sixth-grader at La Rosa Elementary School, won a split decision over Dasea Garcia, of Grand Prairie, Texas, in the championship match of the ages 11/12, 85-pound weight class on Saturday. He won his first two matches by unanimous decision over Timothy Greer, of Minneapolis, and Abdin Lopez, of Kissimmee, Fla., to box for the crown.
Each match consists of three, one-minute rounds. To qualify for the nationals — contested at Stoney Creek Hotel — Andre Flores had to win at District, State and Regional levels.
Two years ago, he won a National Silver Gloves title.
Not to be outdone by his older brother, Damon, an 8-year-old second-grader at La Rosa Elementary, also took home a title in the age 8, 65-pound class.
He first defeated Leonardo Orocio, of Longview, Texas, by unanimous decision, and did the same against Tyrese Anthony, of St. Louis, in the final. In the second round, Damon Flores knocked down Anthony, who was able to get back on his feet and finish the fight.
Damon Flores also had to post victories throughout District, State and Regional matches.
Other area boxers to win titles: Merced’s Joseph Martinez in the 9-10, 55-pound division; Merced’s Refugio Veloz in the 9-10, 60-pound division; Merced’s Daniel Haro in the 13-14, 119-pound division; and Manteca’s Moises Villalobos in the 13-14, 114-pound division.
