We're late on this, but since we wrote about our man Charles Hatley last week in this space, we thought an update was in order. In case you've forgotten, Hatley is the local boxer we've written about before who has a punch named after him.
On Saturday night, Hatley won the Texas State Golden Gloves championship over five-time state champ Jose Orozco, which brings Hatley one step closer to a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, it was a pretty exiciting bout. In the second round, Hatley floored Orozco. We'll let the Startlegram's Trae Thompson take it from there:
Fort Worth's Jose Orozco and Charles Hatley of Dallas had already fought three rounds, but after both were clinching late in the fourth, Orozco broke away, then landed a punch to give Hatley a standing 8 count. Every fan in the arena jumped up roaring, their fists pumping and waving until the final bell sounded.The standing 8 wasn't enough, though, as Hatley won a decision over Orozco in the 152-pound finals of the Texas State Golden Gloves on Saturday night. Orozco didn't get a state-record sixth title, and Fort Worth also has no state champ for the second time in three years. Miguel Buendia also lost a decision at 132 pounds.
"I did what I wanted to," Charles Hatley said. "I didn't want to be No. 2, I wanted to be No. 1."
It was the fourth time both fought each other in the past year. Orozco won a close decision in last year's state finals, but Hatley won at the P.A.L. Nationals last October and a USA boxoff in Irving in January.
Dallas' Only Daily also mentioned the bout, albeit briefly; seems it was "the card's most spirited fight." --Jesse Hyde
