Bell’s Antillon Wins Golden Gloves Title

Urbano Antillon, a senior at Bell High, took a big step toward his goal of becoming a professional boxer by winning the 132-pound division at the national Golden Gloves tournament in Detroit.

Antillon, 17, won five bouts during the tournament and defeated Anthony Mora, representing Colorado/New Mexico, to win the title last Saturday. He won four bouts, including the championship, by unanimous decision. His second-round victory was awarded after his opponent was disqualified for holding.

“After I won the state championship, I just thought I’d go in there [to nationals] and be proud, win or lose,” Antillon said. “But after I won my third fight, against a guy from New York, I thought, ‘I can take this all the way.’ ”

Antillon, a Maywood resident, began boxing when he was 10 in a program sponsored by the Huntington Park Police Activity League.

“We were playing baseball, football, karate, and my brother had the idea to try boxing,” he said. “We just stayed with it.”

With the victory, Antillon qualified for invitations to travel with other national Golden Gloves winners to exhibitions and tournaments around the world.

“Winning the Golden Gloves gave me a lot of confidence,” Antillon said. “It could help me if I want to try for the [2004] Olympics, but I don’t think I want to wait that long. When I turn 18, I’ll probably turn pro.”

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The boys’ volleyball team at Venice High is in position to win its first major division City championship Friday when the Gondoliers play defending champion Woodland Hills Taft at Cal State Northridge in the championship division final.

Third-seeded Venice (16-0) advanced to the final with a 15-6, 15-5, 15-10 victory over Palisades.

Senior opposite hitter Kyle Morrison had a match-high 14 kills and four blocks. Middle blocker Brandon Bogajewicz had six kills and 10 digs, and Reshad Noorzay added six kills and three aces for Venice.

Taft (16-0) defeated Van Nuys Grant, 15-9, 10-15, 15-6, 15-6, to reach the final.