Devoid of most of the riff-raff attached to what’s left of today’s pro boxing game, the amateur version of the sport remains vibrant and accessible to fans of the sweet science in New York City.

I went down to beautiful Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Tuesday night for a card of nine Golden Gloves bouts at the gymnasium of Xaverian High School. All but a couple of the bouts were evenly-contested matches between well-conditioned young men equipped with great boxing skill.

In its 86th year, New York’s Golden Gloves tournament is considered the finest amateur boxing competition in the country.

A Daily News sports editor (Paul Gallico) is credited with creating the Golden Gloves in New York in 1927. In addition to its continuing affiliation with the event, the News has also been the primary publicity arm of the Gloves in New York over its long run. They do a good job informing sports fans about the when and where. A News boxing writer files a recap after each card and results are published in the next morning’s newspaper. Unfortunately, the other papers in this town all but ignore the Gloves because of its association with the Daily News. If I was the sports editor at one of the other papers, I’d dedicate consistent coverage to the event and simply refrain from referring to the News.

I first became interested in the Golden Gloves back in the late 1970’s thanks to my Dad. He took me to Chicago’s version of the tournament which held its finals at the International Amphitheatre on a Friday night each spring. Most memories of my early childhood are hazy snippets of family trips and sporting events with my Dad. But the Golden Gloves experience has remained lodged in my brain in part because of the raucous atmosphere in the stands. Boxing fans are a passionate bunch and I’ve long been drawn to the sport in large part because of the unique audience at these events. At the time my Dad turned me on to boxing, most big professional fights were held primarily in Vegas, New York or Atlantic City and so the Golden Gloves was our chance to see the sport up close.

I’ve been to many of these Golden Gloves competitions at sites around New York City in the last fifteen years. I especially liked the setup at Xaverian. The prestigious all-boys Catholic high school overlooking The Narrows (where the Hudson flows into the mighty Atlantic) was well prepared for the event. Bleachers on both sides of the ring offered a good view. The folding chairs set up on the main floor were accessible to all. Admission at the door was $25. School boosters manned a large concession stand selling food and soda near the entrance. Two card tables on the opposite end sold what the DJ spinning popular music between fights referred to as “happy juice.” In this case, happy juice was three-dollar cans of Bud and Bud Light poured into red plastic cups.

I’d estimate attendance was about 300. The crowd got loud during rapid-fire exchanges of punches and the occasional haymaker that connected. A few noses and lips were bloodied but nobody got dropped. The fighters wear headgear and gloves that weigh between ten and twelve ounces each. Fresh referees rotate in and out for each bout. Any time blood appears on a fighter’s face, the bout is paused so one of two ringside doctors can perform an evaluation. The refs place a big emphasis on ring safety.

There were a couple scorecard decisions that seemed to go the wrong way but in both of those instances, the losing fighter was gracious in defeat.

Cognizant of the Gloves’ rich history, the old man wearing a blue suit serving as the ring announcer introduced former champs in the crowd during intermission. Among those seated ringside was Angelo “The Bomber” DeFendis who won the 160 lb. open championship in 1953. Now in his 80’s, DeFendis sprung up from his seat with cane in hand and climbed between the ropes to enter the ring to a loud ovation. DeFendis appears as if he could still throw a mean one-two. He wore a blue jacket commemorating his title and smiled when fans asked to take a photo with him. Also introduced were former Gloves champs Sadam Ali and Danny Boy Judah. Ali (pictured above) represented the US in the 2008 Olympics and is currently an undefeated pro welterweight.

Before the fights, I had dinner at Polonica in the heart of Bay Ridge. The boiled kielbasa dinner was excellent. The long savory link was served with mustard, mashed potatoes and a salad plate filled with cabbage, beets, cole slaw and sauerkraut. The kitchen seemed a bit pre-occupied with a large delivery order while I was there but I’d go back.

After exiting Xaverian a little before 10 PM, I walked through the quiet neighborhood near the water and could hear ships in the distance blowing horns. I stopped by the Three Jolly Pigeons pub on Third Ave. for a couple cold ones before making the hour and twenty minute train ride back to Queens.