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.<\/p>\n
In total, 140 boxers, including at least 37 from Lancaster County, registered for the tournament that Sunday.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
But this one was different for Colon. He\u2019s never lost a Pennsylvania Golden Gloves fight and has collected four Pennsylvania Golden Gloves championships.<\/p>\n
That record will stand this year, because Colon is unopposed and won\u2019t be fighting in the tournament.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s frustrating,\u201d said coach David Rivera of Ground Zero Boxing Club, where Colon trains.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that he doesn\u2019t get an opportunity to continue his streak and take care of business \u2014 the way he\u2019s been training \u2014 it\u2019s not the best situation,\u201d Rivera continued, disappointment clear in his tone.<\/p>\n
The first event of this year\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
Tickets range in price from $250 for a VIP table for four to $30 general admission.<\/p>\n
The tournament continues with events on March 14 and March 28 at Unite Central PA Boxing Club, 1670 S. Cameron St., Harrisburg.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Experience also counts, and that\u2019s what will keep Colon out of the ring this time.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s happened to Lancaster boxers before.<\/p>\n
Jerimiah Munoz, 19, is an experienced amateur boxer with a record of 32-12 and a 2021 National Silver Gloves championship, but hasn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n
Finally, this year, the 132-pound open class boxer will get another shot at a Golden win.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, he will face Julian Lopez in his first Golden Gloves fight.<\/p>\n
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 \u201cthe matches are not one-sided, and nobody\u2019s getting hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n
The only opponents at Colon\u2019s weight and age had fewer than five fights.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
In fact, Colon\u2019s first fight, at age 8 in 2017, was a non-tournament match at a Central Pennsylvania Golden Gloves show in Scranton.<\/p>\n
He won.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Pennsylvania Golden Gloves franchise holder and president Dan Mullarkey gave the two a contract for the franchise after several years of conversations.<\/p>\n
Included in Mellott and Kenion\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Omarion Hogue (2-0) will square off against Jensen James, 9, of East Reading Boxing club in a 65-pound pee-wee matchup. It\u2019s Hogue\u2019s first Golden Gloves.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first of many,\u201d Rivera said.<\/p>\n
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, \u201ceverything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Colon had some advice for boxers new to the Golden Gloves.<\/p>\n
\u201cListen to your coaches, stay disciplined, and think big picture,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In the Golden Gloves tournament, and all amateur boxing, \u201ceverything you do is to get your hands ready (to) win the fight,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Central Pennsylvania Golden Gloves<\/p>\n
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:<\/p>\n
Bench Mark Program, Boxing Division<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Coaches: Wilfredo Rosario Jr., Luke McFerren<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Julian Melendez, 14, 5-2, 132, Reynolds Middle School<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Josiah DeJesus, 15, 1-1, 125<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Angel Ortiz, 17, 3-4, 139<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Anaken Ferrer-Riccardi, 17, 1-0, 147<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Alfred Ferrer-Riccardi, 17, 0-0, 156<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Yaniel Salome, 17, 5-8, 156 pounds, McCaskey<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Jahzire Lopez, 17, 0-0, 176<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Jayden Hudson, 19, 2-1, 143<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Jason Lehman, 24, 5-7, 165<\/p>\n
Finefrock & Stumpf Golden Gloves Center<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Coaches: Barry Stumpf, Juan Vasquez, Mike Power, Shannon Anderson<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Luis Molina-Hadau, 21, 2-0, 143<\/p>\n
Jinji Boxing Club<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Coaches: Jinji Martinez, Jessica Martinez, Anthony Galarza, Hector Rivera, Tommy Peiffer, Zach Pannell, Nicholas Burgos<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Jaysonet Martinez, 18, 35-12, 143<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Jonas Aruanno, 18, debut, 156<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Abdullah Ali Nassif, 19, 7 fights, 132<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Roniel Del Rosario, 20, 20-7, 121<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Malik Bergman, 28, 4 fights, 203<\/p>\n
Lancaster City\u2028Boxing Academy<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Coaches: Will Torres, Will \u201cPuba\u201d Torres Jr., Ray Simpson, Dante Heard, C.J. Potter, Jeremy Enaire, Ivan Huertas<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Jacob Rodriguez, 8, 0-0, 50, Wickersham Elementary<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Amir Everett, 9, 7-4, 65, Thomas Wharton Elementary<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Alianelys Ramos-Rivera, 9, 4-5, 70, Park Elementary<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0London Enaire, 10, 6-3, 60, Linglestown Elementary<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Amir Bernadin, 12, 11-5, 101, Landisville Middle School<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Carlos Ramos-Rivera, 13, 17-6, 75, Columbia<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Jerimiah Munoz, 19, 32-12, 132<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Jasiah Ortiz, 19, 16-4, 154<\/p>\n
Lugoats Boxing Gym<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Coach: Christopher Lugo<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Ayvion Lugo, 8, 1-3, 55, Park Elementary<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Nasir Rogers Jr., 8, debut, 70, Holy Trinity Catholic<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Jazelle Taylor, 12, 0-2, 75 pounds, Taylor Middle School<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Christopher Lugo Jr., 13, 49-16, 101, Columbia<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Naithen Pineda, 15, debut, 132, home schooled<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Ny\u2019ile Ford, 15, 9-3, 138, McCaskey East<\/p>\n
Mellott Boxing Club<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Coaches: Buddy Mellott, Doel Carrasquillo, Mike Murray<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Carlos Zaragoza, 13, 0-1, 114<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Thomas Rodriguez, 15, 10-6, 143, home schooled<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Roel Carrasquillo, 17, 13-12, 165, McCaskey<\/p>\n
Ground Zero\u2028Boxing Club<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Coaches: David Rivera, Angel Colon, Michael Hog, Cito Ramos, Michael Hogue<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Omarion Hogue, 8, 2-0, 60, Bucher Elementary<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Isaiah Rodriguez, 14, 9-8, 132, McCaskey<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Zaryah Hogue, 15, 4-4, 106, Manheim Township<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Zaniya Delmoral, 16, 2-1, 95, Manheim Township<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0Jaren Colon, 17, 29-15, 132, Conestoga Valley<\/p>\n
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