Jerimiah \u201cDrip\u201d Munoz, Jasiah \u201cMonster\u201d Ortiz and Jaysonet Caleb \u201cBoogie Man\u201d Martinez all started boxing when they were in elementary school.<\/p>\n
But they\u2019re not kids anymore.<\/p>\n
They are young men, veteran amateur boxers who know the sport in and out of the ring.<\/p>\n
On Saturday at the 2026 Pennsylvania Golden Gloves State Championships in Harrisburg, they\u2019ll have a chance to prove it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a different ballgame,\u201d Martinez said.<\/p>\n
Taking a break from his training Monday night, Martinez (36-12) pointed out that he\u2019d won the Golden Gloves state championship three years ago, but as a novice.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a grown man now so I\u2019m fighting other grown men,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Each of the aforementioned athletes \u2014 19 and in USA Boxing\u2019s elite open division \u2014 fought, and won, multiple times over the past few months in order to earn the chance at a state championship.<\/p>\n
The Golden Gloves is an advancing tournament sanctioned by USA Boxing.<\/p>\n
For the trio, the road began in March with the Central Pennsylvania events, where they won to qualify for regionals.<\/p>\n
Ortiz (39-17) won his regional championship match, while Munoz (48-20) and Martinez advance via walk over.<\/p>\n
The stakes at states are high and not just because of the level of competition and the chance at another championship.<\/p>\n
Elite open boxers who win Saturday move on to nationals.<\/p>\n
While all three have won at national tournaments, the Golden Gloves is different.<\/p>\n
\u201cOutside the boxing world, people know (about) the Golden Gloves,\u201d Martinez said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHaving a (national Golden Gloves win) on your resume helps,\u201d Ortiz said.<\/p>\n
Especially if a boxer\u2019s goal is to turn pro.<\/p>\n
The Golden Gloves was first held in Chicago in 1923, when Arch Ward, the sports editor of the Chicago Tribune, put together an amateur boxing tournament.<\/p>\n
Since then, it\u2019s grown into a country-wide event with 30 franchises putting on annual tournaments. The Pennsylvania Golden Gloves franchise holder and president is Dan Mullarkey of Must Fight Boxing Club in Upper Darby.<\/p>\n
Each franchise in good standing can send up to 10 male and 10 female boxers to nationals.<\/p>\n
To compete in one of the 20 weight classes, athletes must be open class and at least 18 years old on the first day of their local competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cDrip,\u201d \u201cBoogie Man\u201d and \u201cMonster\u201d all qualify \u2014 but only can step into the national ring if they get the W at states.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the state championship or bust,\u201d said coach Will Torres of Lancaster City Boxing Academy, where Munoz and Ortiz train.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a big deal,\u201d Munoz said. \u201cIf I don\u2019t win, I don\u2019t go to nationals. This is an opportunity to go to nationals and that\u2019s where I belong.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ortiz, who lost last year at the state championships, is confident this time around.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, I\u2019m gonna win,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel like I\u2019m supposed to be here. I\u2019m looking forward to the opportunity to be on the state team.\u201d<\/p>\n
A pack of frosted mini cupcakes sat on the edge of the ring at Jinji Boxing Club, where Martinez trains with his coach and dad, Jinji Martinez, and his mom, Jessica \u201cMrs. Coach\u201d Martinez.<\/p>\n
A shiny \u201cHappy Birthday\u201d balloon was tied to the ring rope.<\/p>\n
It was Martinez\u2019s 19th birthday, but since there\u2019s no weight allowance in the Golden Gloves, his celebration was low carb.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaintaining weight, it sucks,\u201d Martinez, who fights at 143 pounds, said bluntly.<\/p>\n
\u201cTraining camp, weight cut, there\u2019s nothing fun about that,\u201d Munoz said. \u201cBut the result \u2013 bringing home gold medals, getting ranked, that\u2019s fun.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ortiz agreed and said that his win at USA Boxing\u2019s 2022 National Junior Olympics, which put him at No. 1 in the 145-pound junior division, may be the most fun he\u2019s had as a boxer.<\/p>\n
He said he plans to have as much fun on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not nervous,\u201d Ortiz said.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s up against Shane Alawahami of Erie in the 154-pound championship bout.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot to underestimate (Alawahami) but I\u2019m gonna go out there and dominate,\u201d Ortiz said.<\/p>\n
Munoz said he\u2019s heard of his rival for the 132-pound championship, Javen Woods, 19, who has more than 25 fights and trains at Roxamore Sports Formula A1 Boxing Gym in Pittsburgh.<\/p>\n
But Munoz\u2019s said he has \u201cthe same goal as every fight \u2013 win.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been doing this too long to overlook or underestimate opponents,\u201d Torres said.<\/p>\n
Still, he emphasized that his boxers are national champs and have been nationally ranked multiple times.<\/p>\n
But this is the first time for all three boxers that the championship is elite open.<\/p>\n
Martinez will face Alan Williams, 20, of Royal Lion Boxing Gym in New Castle.<\/p>\n
Williams (16-8) has three Western Pennsylvania Golden Gloves titles, according the New Castle News.<\/p>\n
\u201cI train as hard as I can for anybody,\u201d Martinez said.<\/p>\n
The plan he shared is simple, \u201cwin state, then focus on nationals.\u201d<\/p>\n
Several other Lancaster boxers are on Saturday\u2019s card, notably Jinji Boxing\u2019s Malik Bergman.<\/p>\n
The 28-year-old Bergman entered the tournament with an 0-4 record. He earned three straight wins, including Central Pennsylvania and regional titles, and will compete for a 198+ novice championship.<\/p>\n
Match bouts (non-tournament\/advancing fights) are scheduled for at least four more Lancaster boxers.<\/p>\n
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