Boxing: Wappingers' Miguel Matias to fight Madonna's beau in New York Metro Championships
Miguel Matias is a young amateur boxer seeking to gain exposure and further establish himself, and this upcoming match for him could be a ray of light.
The Wappingers Falls resident is competing Saturday in the New York Metro Championship and his opponent in the superheavyweight bout is Josh Popper, another ascending standout who most notably is dating pop music legend Madonna.
"I think her presence is great for boxing at this level," said Anthony Bongiorni, owner of Floyd Patterson Boxing Club in Highland, where Matias trains. "She draws attention wherever she goes, and maybe her involvement with him draws some more eyes to this fight."
The match will be among several cards beginning at 5 p.m. at Sweatbox Brooklyn.
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Popper has been photographed with Madonna, as she has attended his training sessions and matches, and the two have been written about for months in the tabloids and newspapers. The glow of that spotlight could benefit Matias, a 25-year-old who wants to continue building his resume and raise his profile.
Matias is a former college baseball player who fell in love with boxing and wants to make it a profession. He has trained for four years at the Patterson gym, working with coach Derrick Ohlhoff, who successfully converted him into a southpaw. That change propelled him as he has compiled a 10-1 record and won a New York Metro tournament earlier this year.
"He's a tough kid with a great work ethic," Bongiorni said of Matias, who is fighting at 230 pounds. "He's got a lot of heart and he's consistently improving his technical skills."
He's getting into the groove.
The Metro Championships is for experienced adult boxers, hopeful of qualifying for national Golden Gloves tournaments and beyond. Popper, 29, trains and coaches at Manhattan-based Bredwinners Boxing. He won a Ring Masters championship earlier this year and he, too, hopes to advance his career.
"He's gonna have to bring his A-game because Miguel is coming," Bongiorni said. "Having Madonna in the crowd will be great, but it won't matter in the ring."
Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Boxing: Wappingers' Matias to fight Josh Popper in Metro Championships
