Yonkers, NY, March 31–Six championship bouts – featuring both male and female amateurs, and a pair of Westchester fighters – will highlight the ?New York Daily News Golden Gloves at Empire City Casino on Wednesday night, April 2. It will be the fourth consecutive year that Empire City hosts the fabled amateur tournament on the casino’s fourth floor.
In the 108-lb. male novice division, Amauri Berrero of Mt. Vernon, NY, will be fighting on his home turf when he squares off against New York City’s Giovanni Figueroa. New Rochelle’s Krystal Dixon headlines the ?176-lb.+ female division, taking on Danielle Perkins of Brooklyn.
A pair of Bronx natives collide in the 108-lb. male open ranks when Ivan Lopez battles ?Chayanne Rivera.
In the 119-lb. female division, Joann Acevedo of the Bronx will be pitted against New York City’s Misato Kamegawa.
Another pair of championship contests have yet to be announced.
General Admission tickets are $25; Policemen, Firemen, senior citizens, students and children under 14 are $15 (with proper ID). For more information log onto www.nydailynews.com/GoldenGloves; or call Brian Adams at the Daily News at 212-210-1908 (badams@nydailynews.com) or Empire City at 914-968-4200. Doors open at 6:15 PM and first bell is at 7:30 PM sharp. These in-demand tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis only at the door on fight night. Tickets and seating are limited.
In 2011, for the first time in the storied history of Yonkers Raceway, hundreds of fans flocked to the raceway to attend the Golden Gloves. The oldest and most esteemed amateur event in the U.S., celebrating its 87th anniversary this season, has produced generations of legendary boxers including Sugar Ray Robinson, Emile Griffith, Floyd Patterson, Riddick Bowe, Gerry Cooney, Mark Breland, Jose Torres, and Zab Judah.
Yonkers Raceway first opened its doors in 1899, and in over 100 years of its history has been the home to harness racing’s Triple Crown events such as the Yonkers Trot, Cane Pace and Messenger Stakes, as well as such premier stakes races as the Art Rooney Pace. Professional boxing had been held in the Old Glory Horse Pavilion, and many major fights shown on closed circuit television. But the Daily News Golden Gloves, the most elite Golden Gloves tournament in the country for 87 years, became a “first-time starter” in 2011.
“We are delighted that the Daily News Golden Gloves has fast become a tradition at Yonkers Raceway, and is now in its fourth year,” said President & CEO, Timothy J. Rooney. “Two New York institutions are once again teaming for what we know will be an exciting evening of boxing for fight fans.”
About Empire City Casino at Yonkers Raceway: Empire City Casino, one of the largest entertainment and gaming destinations in the country, features 5,300 of the hottest slots, electronic craps, roulette, baccarat and sic bo; year-round harness racing & International simulcasting from North America’s leading harness and thoroughbred venues; nightly live entertainment; a plethora of dining options including Nonno’s Trattoria, Empire Terrace Restaurant, the Big Kitchen International Food Court, Dan Rooney’s Sports Pub, Pinch American Grill, and Alley 810, a craft cocktail lounge with retro bowling lanes. Empire City Casino is located at 810 Yonkers Avenue in Yonkers, Westchester County (I-87 to Exit 2), open seven days a week from 9:00am to 4:00am. Visit www.empirecitycasino.com or call 914.968.4200 for more information.
