For those that don't know, the State Golden Gloves are dead serious about their announced start time.  They advertise 7pm and that's precisely when the event cranks up.  Simply put, they don't mess around.  So don't be like me, assuming this tournament will start late the way other tournaments and pro shows customarily do.  By 7:15pm, I was watching live action; unfortunately, it was the third bout of the evening.

By then, I had already missed Ray Ximenez's shocking loss to Corpus Christi's Oscar Cantu.  Ximenez, the number one rated 114 pound JO fighter in the country (number four internationally), was entering his second big boy Open division tournament ever.  "I think he should've been more aggressive, but I still thought he won the fight", father/trainer Ray Ximenez, Sr. said.  "It was a learning experience."  "He won the first round, but I definitely thought I won the last two", added Ximenez, Jr.  More than one ringside official revealed that they also thought Ray had won, but at only 17 years of age, he'll undoubtedly rebound.

"Big D's" second win came two fights later, after Errol Spence's breathtaking display against Martin Sollano (Lubbock).  Already ranked number one in the nation at 152 pounds, Spence fought as if he's aiming to be America's best fighter period, regardless of weight.  He came out boldly, with a right to the body and found range with single and double southpaw jabs. From there, Spence dismissed Sollano's jab by catching and swatting it away with his own right glove and before long, a straight left deposited Sollano on the canvas.  What followed was an all out assault, as Spence landed hard right hooks, big left crosses and sent his foe to the corner with a bloody nose.

The last Boy Scout for the Dallas team on this night was defending champion, Tony Mack.  Mack recently moved down to the 178 pound division, where he feels he's maintained his strength yet gotten faster.  This was evidenced by the speed and power of his stiff left jab, in Wednesday’s bout with Corpus Christi's Raul Garza.  Pretty soon, Mack was looking to unload right hands behind the jab and it became a 1-2 festival.  Garza matched Mack's jab at times and kept the action lively but was knocked off balance by the occasional left hook.  It appeared that Mack had eked out the win in a very close fight, but the verdict went to Garza.

On the Ft. Worth side of things, Charlie Uriostegui's 178 pound win was book ended by the losses of his teammates, Ray Garcia (114 pounds) and David Cordova (201+ pounds).