As Lancaster County residents huddled at home the first weekend of February, loathe to go out into frigid temperatures, boxers from central Pennsylvania and their coaches braved the 14-degree weather, made their way over and through snow piled on curbs, and climbed up three flights of stairs to a gym. The goal? Register for the 2026 Central Pennsylvania Golden Gloves tournament.

In total, 140 boxers, including at least 37 from Lancaster County, registered for the tournament that Sunday.

Jaren Colon, 17, was one of those boxers. It was far from his first weigh-in. With a record of 28-15, the Conestoga Valley senior, who fights at 132 pounds, knows the drill.

But this one was different for Colon. He’s never lost a Pennsylvania Golden Gloves fight and has collected four Pennsylvania Golden Gloves championships.

That record will stand this year, because Colon is unopposed and won’t be fighting in the tournament.

“It’s frustrating,” said coach David Rivera of Ground Zero Boxing Club, where Colon trains.

“The fact that he doesn’t get an opportunity to continue his streak and take care of business — the way he’s been training — it’s not the best situation,” Rivera continued, disappointment clear in his tone.

The first event of this year’s Central Pennsylvania Golden Gloves tournament will be Saturday at West Art, 816 Buchanan Ave., Lancaster. Doors open at 5 p.m.; fights start at 6.

Tickets range in price from $250 for a VIP table for four to $30 general admission.

The tournament continues with events on March 14 and March 28 at Unite Central PA Boxing Club, 1670 S. Cameron St., Harrisburg.

The Golden Gloves is a USA Boxing advancing tournament that matches boxers on multiple criteria (there are more than 20 classes), including age, gender and weight.

Experience also counts, and that’s what will keep Colon out of the ring this time.

It’s happened to Lancaster boxers before.

Jerimiah Munoz, 19, is an experienced amateur boxer with a record of 32-12 and a 2021 National Silver Gloves championship, but hasn’t been matched in the Golden Gloves since he was a kid. He did win a Golden Gloves championship then, said coach Will Torres of Lancaster City Boxing Academy, where Munoz trains.

Finally, this year, the 132-pound open class boxer will get another shot at a Golden win.

So will his teammate, 17-year-old Jasiah Ortiz (16-4), who is also open class but boxes at 154 pounds. He is also a national Silver Gloves champion, but he has never been matched in the Golden Gloves.

On Saturday, he will face Julian Lopez in his first Golden Gloves fight.

Organizer Buddy Mellott of Mellott Boxing Club explained that for boxers under the age of 18, who do not advance to the state and national events, the goal is to make sure “the matches are not one-sided, and nobody’s getting hurt.”

The only opponents at Colon’s weight and age had fewer than five fights.

There is the possibility of Colon fighting a match bout (non-tournament) at some point during the competition, possibly against a boxer out of a Philadelphia gym, Mellott said.

In fact, Colon’s first fight, at age 8 in 2017, was a non-tournament match at a Central Pennsylvania Golden Gloves show in Scranton.

He won.

Mellott, along with Claudie Kenion III, coach and founder of Unite Central PA, is responsible for bringing the Golden Gloves back to the area. The last Central Pennsylvania Golden Gloves was in 2023. For the past two years, central has been grouped with eastern.

Pennsylvania Golden Gloves franchise holder and president Dan Mullarkey gave the two a contract for the franchise after several years of conversations.

Included in Mellott and Kenion’s contract is hosting the state championships. This year, those will be at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Harrisburg. All events in the advancing tournament are sanctioned by USA Boxing.

There is a bright spot for the team at Ground Zero. The clang of the opening bell will bring one of their own to center ring Saturday.

Omarion Hogue (2-0) will square off against Jensen James, 9, of East Reading Boxing club in a 65-pound pee-wee matchup. It’s Hogue’s first Golden Gloves.

“The first of many,” Rivera said.

The 8-year-old, who attends Bucher Elementary, is quiet, and serious about his training. He said he was excited about fighting in the Gloves and, when asked to expand, simply said, “everything.”

Meanwhile, Colon had some advice for boxers new to the Golden Gloves.

“Listen to your coaches, stay disciplined, and think big picture,” he said.

In the Golden Gloves tournament, and all amateur boxing, “everything you do is to get your hands ready (to) win the fight,” he said.

Central Pennsylvania Golden Gloves

Lancaster County boxers who registered for the 2026 Central Pennsylvania Golden Gloves tournament, listed by boxer, age, record, weight class (in pounds) and school, if known/applicable:

Bench Mark Program, Boxing Division

• Coaches: Wilfredo Rosario Jr., Luke McFerren

• Julian Melendez, 14, 5-2, 132, Reynolds Middle School

• Josiah DeJesus, 15, 1-1, 125

• Angel Ortiz, 17, 3-4, 139

• Anaken Ferrer-Riccardi, 17, 1-0, 147

• Alfred Ferrer-Riccardi, 17, 0-0, 156

• Yaniel Salome, 17, 5-8, 156 pounds, McCaskey

• Jahzire Lopez, 17, 0-0, 176

• Jayden Hudson, 19, 2-1, 143

• Jason Lehman, 24, 5-7, 165

Finefrock & Stumpf Golden Gloves Center

• Coaches: Barry Stumpf, Juan Vasquez, Mike Power, Shannon Anderson

• Luis Molina-Hadau, 21, 2-0, 143

Jinji Boxing Club

• Coaches: Jinji Martinez, Jessica Martinez, Anthony Galarza, Hector Rivera, Tommy Peiffer, Zach Pannell, Nicholas Burgos

• Jaysonet Martinez, 18, 35-12, 143

• Jonas Aruanno, 18, debut, 156

• Abdullah Ali Nassif, 19, 7 fights, 132

• Roniel Del Rosario, 20, 20-7, 121

• Malik Bergman, 28, 4 fights, 203

Lancaster City
Boxing Academy

• Coaches: Will Torres, Will “Puba” Torres Jr., Ray Simpson, Dante Heard, C.J. Potter, Jeremy Enaire, Ivan Huertas

• Jacob Rodriguez, 8, 0-0, 50, Wickersham Elementary

• Amir Everett, 9, 7-4, 65, Thomas Wharton Elementary

• Alianelys Ramos-Rivera, 9, 4-5, 70, Park Elementary

• London Enaire, 10, 6-3, 60, Linglestown Elementary

• Amir Bernadin, 12, 11-5, 101, Landisville Middle School

• Carlos Ramos-Rivera, 13, 17-6, 75, Columbia

• Jerimiah Munoz, 19, 32-12, 132

• Jasiah Ortiz, 19, 16-4, 154

Lugoats Boxing Gym

• Coach: Christopher Lugo

• Ayvion Lugo, 8, 1-3, 55, Park Elementary

• Nasir Rogers Jr., 8, debut, 70, Holy Trinity Catholic

• Jazelle Taylor, 12, 0-2, 75 pounds, Taylor Middle School

• Christopher Lugo Jr., 13, 49-16, 101, Columbia

• Naithen Pineda, 15, debut, 132, home schooled

• Ny’ile Ford, 15, 9-3, 138, McCaskey East

Mellott Boxing Club

• Coaches: Buddy Mellott, Doel Carrasquillo, Mike Murray

• Carlos Zaragoza, 13, 0-1, 114

• Thomas Rodriguez, 15, 10-6, 143, home schooled

• Roel Carrasquillo, 17, 13-12, 165, McCaskey

Ground Zero
Boxing Club

• Coaches: David Rivera, Angel Colon, Michael Hog, Cito Ramos, Michael Hogue

• Omarion Hogue, 8, 2-0, 60, Bucher Elementary

• Isaiah Rodriguez, 14, 9-8, 132, McCaskey

• Zaryah Hogue, 15, 4-4, 106, Manheim Township

• Zaniya Delmoral, 16, 2-1, 95, Manheim Township

• Jaren Colon, 17, 29-15, 132, Conestoga Valley

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