Boxing: Wappingers Falls resident Miguel Matias to compete for national Golden Gloves
When Miguel Matias began taking boxing classes with no more than an intent to lose weight, coach Derrick Ohlhoff soon realized the potential. In the Wappingers Falls resident, he saw natural power and athleticism along with a humility that made him "coachable."
"You get excited as a coach when you get someone who has the ability and the willingness to put the work in and learn," said Ohlhoff, who works at the Floyd Patterson Boxing Club in Highland. "He was like a moldable piece of clay."
His ambidextrous skills made him even more pliable.
The Cold Spring native was into sports growing up and he excelled at baseball, the natural right-hander eventually getting to college as a lefty-hitting first baseman. When Ohlhoff learned that, his eyebrows raised.
"I went, 'That changes everything!'" the coach said. "I thought if he was capable of boxing southpaw, he could have success. We changed his whole style."
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And the decision was, well, a home run. The 26-year-old now is on a run that includes four amateur titles and he will compete next week at the national level for the first time.
After winning New York Metro and regional Ring Masters championships over the last year, Matias advanced to the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, which will run May 13-18 at the Huntington Palace convention center in Detroit.
"I think he'll be confident and a little nervous," Ohlhoff said of his pupil, who'll travel to Michigan on Sunday. "He'll be going up against some of the top guys in the country. But, the guy he beat to qualify was competing at this level last year, so there is reason to have confidence."
Ohlhoff won two novice titles as a competitive boxer before becoming a coach in 2008. Being an instructor is even more fulfilling, he said, "when you're fortunate enough to mold someone and watch them develop into a champion." Matias, a 235-pound superheavyweight, is 15-1 thus far. His quickness and fluid movement complement impressive punching power.
That combination isn't often seen in big southpaws, Ohlhoff said, and the atypical style has helped Matias gain an advantage against most opponents. In preparation for this tournament, he has trained with Connecticut brothers Fernely Jr. and Ali Feliz, both of whom are accomplished boxers.
"When Miguel joined the gym, he was as green as The Hulk," joked Anthony Bongiorni, owner of the Patterson Club. "He's put in a lot of long hours alongside Derrick. To see how far he's come, and this fast, we're extremely proud of him."
Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Local boxers compete in Golden Gloves, Centennial Showdown tournament
