WIESBADEN, Germany - Wiesbaden's Unit-level Boxing Championship opened with a bang Aug. 29.
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Baumholder's Michael Halman and Wiesbaden's Nathaniel Leusch came out of their corners swinging, bouncing off the ropes and even managing a wrestling throw to the canvas during the first round.
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But by the second round Halman had run out of steam and Leusch took control before Ed Hickman stopped the contest awarding the gold to the Wiesbaden puncher.
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Bout 2 was a marked contrast to the opening fight with Wiesbaden boxers Portukalian Josiah and Roy Hammonds cautiously working the ring, throwing jabs and looking for holes in their opponent's defense. After Hammonds rocked Josiah with a couple of solid shots to the noggin in Round 2, the referee once again stepped in in Round 3 to stop the contest and award Leusch the victory.
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Hosted by the 102nd Signal Battalion, Wiesbaden's Boxing Championship featured nine bouts.
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One of the unit's own, Deangelo Whitfield, looked strong in the first round against the 501st Military Police Company's Kerry Harris, driving the MP around the ring and into the ropes several times.
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But with the bell still ringing to start Round 2 Harris took over, and the referee eventually called a stop to the pounding giving Harris the win.
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Bouts four and five went down to the wire with Darmstadt's Kelly Cowan winning a three-round decision against Wiesbaden's John VonBehren and the 255th Signal Detachment's (102nd Signal Battalion) Tighe Barlen winning on points against 24th Military Intelligence Battalion's Matthew Stephens.
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"It was exhausting - only six minutes," said Barlen after claiming the gold.
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Explaining that as his first time in the ring, with very little training, he knew he had the fight by the second round - "when I backed him up a couple of times and got in a couple of good shots."
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Two semi knockdowns in Bout 6 by 1st Military Intelligence Battalion's Brittnee Howerton left no doubt that the fighter in the red corner was going home with the gold against Company B, Special Troops Battalion's Maili Fuller.
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"I loved it," said Howerton about the experience. "I'm doing it again - it was amazing. I went out there with my best intentions."
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Howerton said she plans to box again Oct. 3 during Wiesbaden's Hispanic Heritage Month Boxing Smoker.
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Wiesbaden's Jonathan Cortez dominated the scoring against the 1st Armored Division Special Troops Battalion's Daine Watson in Bout 7, and Vilseck's William Baker won a decision over 102nd Signal Battalion's Rigoberto Gutierrez-Garcia II in Bout 8.
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The final fight of the night saw heavyweights Lance Wahl of Company A, Special Troops Battalion, facing off against 2nd Military Intelligence Battalion's Jarmil Taylor. With both fighters throwing hard, pounding body blows, it was Wahl who came out on top after the referee stopped the contest in the third round.
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"I've taken harder," said Wahl after the fight when asked about the hit factor, giving credit to his coach for six weeks of outstanding training. "We've got a really good coach who teaches us to weather the storm."
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Team trophies were handed out to close out the night - 501st MP Company taking the gold and 1st Armored Division's Company B, Special Troops Battalion, claiming the silver.
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Boxers and fight fans will get another helping of ring action Oct. 3 at the Wiesbaden Fitness Center during the Hispanic Heritage Month Boxing Smoker.
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Call civ (0611) 705-5541 for details.
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