
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, June 13, 1994                    TAG: 9406130197 
SECTION: SPORTS                     PAGE: C4    EDITION: FINAL  
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: 940613                                 LENGTH: VIRGINIA BEACH

BOXER KEEPS FAMILY PRIDE HIGH

{LEAD} Prior to Sunday, Norfolk's Johnnie Davis had never been in a boxing match. He'd also never won a gold medal.

He's now two-for-two.

{REST} Davis, 16, made a successful boxing debut by decisioning Josh Baker of the Virginia Beach Boxing Club in the lone 108-pound junior bout Sunday before a crowd of about 150 spectators at Little Creek Amphibious Base's Rockwell Hall.

The Davis-Baker bout was one of 16 fights Sunday featuring junior, novice and open boxers from throughout the state, the Navy and Marine Corps, and Philadelphia's Concrete Jungle Boxing Club.

Saturday's card featured a total of 22 bouts.

``We've had a strong turnout and everything's really turned out great,'' event organizer Dan Campbell said.

Campbell also runs the Norfolk Parks and Recreation boxing program that gave Davis his start in the sport.

Davis, a Lake Taylor High School student who's only been boxing for about a month, said he motivated by watching his brother, Timothy, 13, lose a three-round decision to Richmond's Corey Dickerson in the previous bout.

``I knew I had to do something,'' Johnnie Davis said. ``We couldn't have the whole family losing.''

Timothy Davis, also in his first fight, said he might have been able to overcome Dickerson but couldn't overcome his own nerves.

``It's tough out there with all these people around,'' he said.

Being nervous was hardly a problem for Orazio Robinson, a 10-year-old, 68-pound pistol from Manassas who whipped Williamsburg's Robert Hall in a three-round decision. It was Robinson's 20th fight.

``I want to be a professional one day,'' he said.

In the day's other bouts, eight-year-old Carl Dargan stopped Joey Sineon of the Virginia Beach Boxing Club in a battle of 61-pounders; Tiger Allen won by walkover over Raphael Gervacio (97 pound juniors); Juan Thompson decisioned Jeremy Brown (124-pound juniors); Ryan Adkins stopped Jeremy Hall (124-pound juniors); Steven Nicholson stopped Brian Epps (147-pound novices); ``Jazzy'' Kirklee stopped Charles Larochell (158-pound novices); Larry White decisioned Michael Breeden (heavyweight novices); Kenneth Horsley decisioned Clinton Wilcox (heavyweight novices); John Kelly decisioned Kimberly Evans (160-pound open division); and Jonathan Watkins decisioned Norfolk's Larry Adams (139-pound open).

by CNB