Summer 2010 wasn't a time for CROM Martial Training to slow down and take a vacation (although we did a bit of that)...It was a time for us to help our school make a name for itself. Sarah Romulo and David Vega stepped up to the plate and swung for the fences competing in 2 Friday Night Fight promotions this summer, in turn leaving behind 2 great performances in amateur boxing and muay thai.David Vega stepped up on July 22nd for the Friday Night Fights promotion at the Broad Street Ballroom in Lower Manhattan. His opponent Ragello Castillo of Anderson's Martial Arts of NYC was a game competitor with already a couple of fights under his belt. David, with only less than a year of training was ready for the challenge. The fight started out aggressively on both sides with each of the fighters wanting to establish the pace. Vega came out first gaining respect with strong punch combinations followed with the lowkick. Castillo readily returned fire. As Vega set up great lowkicks, Castillo was forced to counter by catching and sweeping David Vega off of his feet, making it a hard round to judge. The second round Vega was able to counter Castillo's counter attacks with again, strong punch combinations and dominating in the clinch with powerful knees. With the 3rd round, each fighter knew this would be the deciding round for the victor. Vega turned up the attack, pushing Castillo back with heavy punches and a powerful push kick that sent Castillo in to the corner. A final dump in the clinch from Vega left him standing at the end of the bout with Castillo climbing to his feet.
With it being a very close bout, we were sure rounds 2 & 3 belonged to David Vega.
Unfortunately the judges saw it another way and C
astillo walked away with the controversial split decision. Vega proved himself to be a very worthy newcomer with a set of skills that can only get better. We are proud of his effort and display of heart. We look forward to building his amateur career.
Next up to bat, Sarah Romulo made her amat
eur boxing debut in the master's division with the Friday Night Fights, Rumble on The River boxing show located next to the world famous Intrepid aircaft carrier museum. The Rumble on The River boxing show attracts 2-3,000 people during their free summer events and Sarah Romulo was eager to make her presence known at this awesome venue. Sarah began her boxing training 2 1/2 years ago as a way to stay in shape and learn something she was always interested in. With Sarah being a natural competitor, her curiosity for the sport gradually became a desire to test herself. When she made the decision to jump in the ring and make her mark, she called on a great team of fighters out of Church Street boxing gym and Team Strout to help her prepare. She dialed up the notch on her training, making boxing not just a hobby, but now a lifestyle. With Sarah being part owner of CROM MT, this upgrade was challenging yet simple. Sarah incorporated not only boxing, but muay thai, strength and conditioning, and postcard perfect workouts in Rockaway Beach.Sarah's opponent would be a recently turned masters boxer with golden gloves experience as her first test. Kaori Oiwa of Arden's Sweet Science in Brooklyn, NY was more than happy to make Sarah's introduction to boxing a challenging endeavor.
In the first round, Sarah and Kaori spent very little time feeling each other out. The pace picked up quickly as each fighter vied to establish the all important jab. Sarah's jabs were followed crisply with right hands to the head and body, and with Kaori being an experienced boxer she began to turn it up also, sensing she had her hand's full. Though the round was only 2 minutes long, the pace became furious, forcing the crowd to the edge of their seats. In the second round, with Sarah's first round jitters out of the way, the fight went in to overdrive. Sarah displayed a meaningful jab and decided to use her countering and effective combinations to keep Kaori on the defensive. In the 3rd round with the crowd now in a frenzy, both fighters felt the urge to not leave it in the hands of the judges. Sarah already countering Kaori's right uppercut, found more of a home in the 3rd round as her left hook was the icing on the cake for this battle. With both fighters landin
g heavy shots and feeling fatigued, Sarah was able to keep Kaori on the ropes and back peddling most of the 3rd round. The round ended with both fighters still throwing punches in the middle of the ring. With the crowd in a roar, Sarah Romulo was awarded a unanimous decision with a huge smile on 
her face and an even bigger smile in her husband's heart.
