MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Service members are known to fight together on the battlefield, but that all changed when athletes from each service went toe-to-toe during the championship night of the 2012 All Armed Forces Boxing Championship at Camp Pendleton, Feb. 3.
The All Armed Forces Boxing Tournament consisted of fighters from the Marine Corps, Navy, Army and Air Force and lasted three days at the Camp Pendleton Paige Fieldhouse. The goal of the Armed Forces Sports Program is to provide an opportunity for military service members to participate in national and international competitions, and also serves as a shot for competitors to join the All Armed Force Boxing team, which will compete in tournaments around the country.
Those competing in this year’s championship were: Marines Sgt. Dejesus Gardner, Lance Cpl. James Morrow, Lance Cpl. Felix Magallanez, Lance Cpl. Janathan Steele, Sgt. Jamel Herring, Cpl. Tommy Roque, Airman First Class Kenneth DeJesus-Cruz, Senior Airman Adan Hassan, Senior Airman Kent Brinson, Army Sgt. Charles Willams, Sgt. Toribio Ramirez, Pfc. Marquis Morre, Spc. Steven Nelson, Sgt. Charles Blackwell, Sgt. Marvin Carey, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Carlos Moore and Nicole Saunders.
For 20 years straight the U.S. Army has taken home to most gold medals but Marines, fighting on their home turf, weren’t about to let another year slip through their gloves.
“We have a lot to prove tonight,” said Marine Lance Cpl. Johnathan Steele. “Every fighter here is extremely talented. This championship isn’t going to be easy to win.”
The night began with the Marines and Army coming into the tournament tied but it wasn’t long until the Marines took home the first gold medal of the night.
The Marine Corps secured their first victory with a win captured by Cpl. Tommy Roque, who dominantly out matched the Army’s Sgt. Toribio Ramirez by a unanimous decision in a three round bout.
“Me and my team have been training hard all year long to get to this point,” said Roque. “I’d like to thank God, my parents and my Marines who help get to the championship. I owe them everything.”
The Marines showed dominance throughout the night by winning all but two of nine gold medals, one in the women’s division and the other in the men’s 178-pound and under division.
“We came, we saw, we conquered,” said heavyweight champion Marine Sgt. Dejesus Gardner. “A lot of hard work and dedication went into our victories tonight. There were no easy wins and I couldn’t be more proud of my team, my coaches and all those who came out in support of us.”
For more information about participating in the Armed Forces Sport tournaments, visit http://armedforcessports.defense.gov/ for more information.