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Moving the Rocky Mountain Region Golden Gloves boxing tournament from Sandy to Salt Lake City this year did wonders for the Utah contingent, which went 4-0 on Saturday at the Salt Palace Convention Center and will send eight boxers to the National Tournament of Champions next month in Lafayette, La.
Last year, Utahns went 1-6 the final day of regionals at South Towne Exposition Center and lost the team trophy to Idaho.
"It feels amazing. It is the greatest feeling ever," said 22-year-old Jon Bryant of Syracuse after winning by decision over Idaho's Austyn Broncho at 152 pounds. "It was a great day for a lot of the Utah guys."
Utah's Gabriel Chairez (132 pounds), Milo Gutierrez (141) and Halatoa Piutau (178) also won on Saturday as Team Utah reclaimed the team trophy from Idaho, which had won it two of the past three years.
Utah will send eight boxers (out of 10 weight divisions) to Louisiana; Four Utahns went unopposed in the regionals Friday and Saturday, including defending national Golden Gloves champion Diego Alvarez at 114 pounds.
South Jordan's Matt Searle (123), Ogden's Skyler Torres (201) and Siala Siliga (201+) of Salt Lake City are also headed to nationals, along with Idaho's Bryant Kimbrough, who slugged his way past Montana's Billy Wagner in the 165-pound final.
The Rocky Mountain franchise won't have a representative at 108 lbs. at nationals.
Bryant, who fights out of Clearfield's Lights Out Boxing Club, stands 6-foot-3 and used his height advantage to hold off Broncho. He dedicated the win to his great grandmother, Harriett Wilkin, who died the day before his 13th birthday.
"I just used my jab effectively the whole bout," he said. "He was a tough fighter, but that's all it took."
Chairez, 20, got the show going for the Utahns with a win over Wyoming's Jalen Gibson. The Highland High graduate is coached by Matt Pena and trains with his brother, professional boxer Ignacio Chairez, in the family's garage.
"It feels great," said Gabriel Chairez. "I made it my mission to get to nationals this year. This was my last [amateur] fight locally. I will be going pro after nationals."
Gutierriez, from Herriman, turned to boxing just two years ago to turn his life around, and qualified for nationals for the first time. The personal trainer at VASA Fitness edged Wyoming's Wrylee Padilla in the 141-pound final a year after losing to an Idaho boxer in the regional final.
"First of all, I just want to thank God, and all my coaches for believing in me," said Gutierrez, who is coached at Fullmer Brothers Boxing Club in South Jordan by Nick Butterfield and Ted Gurule. "And my dad, Rene, has always been there for me."
Gutierrez, 23, said his goal in Louisiana will be to "go out there and just fight my heart out, give it all I've got."
Herriman's Piutau made it a perfect day for the Utah boxers with a win over Idaho's Frankie Gould. He will be making his first trip to nationals.
Twitter: @drewjay
Region champions
108 lbs. • Not filled
114 • Diego Alvarez, South Ogden
123 • Matt Searle, South Jordan
132 • Gabriel Chairez, Salt Lake City
141 • Milo Gutierrez, Herriman
152 • Jon Bryant, Syracuse
165 • Bryant Kimbrough, Idaho
178 • Halatoa Piutau, Herriman
201 • Skyler Torres, Ogden
201+ • Siala Siliga, Salt Lake City
2017 Rocky Mountain Golden Gloves Regional Championships
Saturday's Championship Results
132 lbs. • Gabriel Chairez, Utah, dec. Jalen Gibson, Wyoming
141 • Milo Gutierrez, Utah, dec. Wrylee Padilla, Wyoming
152 • Jon Bryant, Utah, dec. Austyn Broncho, Idaho
165 • Bryant Kimbrough, Idaho, dec. Billy Wagner, Montana
178 • Halatoa Piutau, Utah, dec. Frankie Gould, Idaho
Champions who were unopposed Saturday
114 • Diego Alvarez, Gallitos, Ogden
123 • Matt Searle, Fullmer's, South Jordan
201 • Skyler Torres, Ogden
201+ • Siala Siliga, Salt Lake City
Saturday's Show Bout Results
60 lbs. • Jordan Gardipee, Utah, dec. Dylan Bahema, Lights Out
65 • Giovani Gonzalez, Lights Out, dec. Dante Velarde, Montana
65 • James Cox, Lights Out, dec. Elzar Rosalez, Idaho
80 • Jonathan Cochran, Montana, dec. Eric Casteneda, Fullmer's
95 • Tanner Gurule, Fullmer's, dec. Kaden Robinette, Fractured
115 • Dominic Reyes, Montana, dec. Mitch Motzkus, Fullmer's
135 • Edgar Zamora, Fullmer's, dec. Anthony Rivero, Lights Out
135 • Zaquan White, Fullmer's, dec. Jesse Brown, All Heart
150 • Luis Lara, Salt Lake City, dec. Deontey Nish, Utah