FALL RIVER — This one had the ol’ PAL Hall shaking to its foundation.
With a near capacity crowd of about 400 eating up every second of the action, Josh Parker of Love’s Boxing in the city’s south end, combined with tough-tough Jake Hannify, from South Shore Boxing, to create the unofficial fight of the tournament at the 2024 Southern New England Golden Gloves finals this past Saturday.
In a slugfest that also included some skill, Parker, 19, of Fairhaven, won via split decision to capture the 203-pound novice championship and land a berth in the New England Tournament of Champions starting this Thursday in Lowell.
Parker was one of three Fall River-based boxers to emerge victorious during the fourth and final SNEGG show of the season.
Lefty Andrew Richards, of Bernardo’s Gym in the Fall River CYO, captured the 125 sub-novice crown.
And in a bout that immediately preceded Parker-Hannify and also had the fans more than a little fired up, David Marshall, from Stay Ready Boxing on the waterfront, was a machine in earning a unanimous decision over Shane Wellman of Bishop’s Gym in a 203 novice special bout.