KING CITY — King City boxer Andre Mosqueda won the 95-pound championship last Saturday at the 2024 National Silver Gloves Boxing Championships that took place at the Stoney Creek Hotel in Independence, Mo.
Mosqueda beat Hasan Ibn-Myers in the finals to claim the championship belt. Mosqueda received a bye in the first round, then began the tournament with a victory over Kule Vasquez. The win over Vasquez earned him the showdown with Ibn-Myers for the championship.
San Ardo boxer Bryan Cruz defeated Edrick Hilliard in his first match of the tournament to advance to the finals, where he lost to Benicio Garza to earn a silver medal.
Rodolfo Tapia and his son Alexis Tapia coach both Mosqueda and Cruz in the King City and San Ardo Boxing Clubs. The senior Tapia was pleased with the hard work and efforts by his young boxers.
“I feel pretty good as I had expected the boys to do well in the tournament,” said Rodolfo Tapia. “Andre Mosqueda fought well in his two matches and finished well to win the championship. Bryan Cruz fought a fighter in the finals with just a little more experience but surprised everyone as the fight could have gone either way.”
The Tapias also helped Grettel Cruz, the sister of Bryan Cruz, earn a title in the 95-pound weight class with a win over Elaine Cicero in the championship for 15-to-16-year-old girls.
Also competing in Independence was Dominique Montiel of Greenfield, who placed second in the division.
Montiel beat Ricardo Perez in his first bout, followed by a victory against Jernee Padilla in his second bout. In the finals, he lost to Nnajai Wright.
Montiel fought in the heavyweight division and fights for Avila Victory Boxing of Greenfield.
