Jon Bryant, the 24-year-old Davis County boxer who escaped a rough, often homeless, life in Washington and found success in Utah pursuing the sweet science is two wins away from claiming a national Golden Gloves championship.
Bryant will meet Kelvin Davis II of Washington, D.C., in a semifinal bout Friday night in Chattanooga, Tenn. Bryant came up short in his two previous trips to nationals.
“This time, I am very confident,” he said last week after winning his third region championship. “I am going to win it this time, for sure.”
Bryant fights out of the Lights Out Boxing Club in Clearfield and is coached by Julian Stevens, a former gang member who has also turned his life around.
Bryant downed Jaydon Vigil of the Colorado/New Mexico franchise 4-1 late Thursday night.
Salt Lake City’s Juan Higuera joined Clearfield’s Bryant in advancing to the semifinals. Higuera escaped a close bout with Cleveland’s Charles Smith, winning a 3-2 decision.
Higuera meets Den Tati-Mackaya of Texas on Friday night at 201 pounds.
Park City’s Maryguenn Vellinga, a mother of two, routed Madelyn Bollin of Kansas City 5-0 in her first bout of the competition, at 112 pounds.
Salt Lake City’s Jackie Barco fell 5-0 in a 132-pound division fight to Rebecca Maine of Pennsylvania.
Kendra Reeves, the Twin Falls, Idaho woman who took up boxing to lose weight two years ago and won the national title at 152 pounds last year, rolled past Leah Cooper of New York City 5-0 in her first bout of the tournament.
Salt Lake City’s Madeline Waltman makes her tournament debut Friday night at 178 pounds against Felicia Thomas of Texas.
Vellinga takes on Jazzelle Bobadilla of Hawaii and Reeves will face Candice Wells of the Mid-South franchise.
Follow @drewjay