PHILLY BOXING HISTORY - January 26, 2022  
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RIVERA NAMED "AMATEUR OF THE YEAR" BY BRISCOE AWARDS

Story by John DiSanto
Photos by Darryl Cobb Jr. / Instagram: darrylcobbjr
 

 
   

Juan Rivera, aka "Little Johnny", has been named the "2021 Amateur of the Year" and will receive this award at the upcoming Briscoe Awards. Rivera, a product of the Rock Ministries Gym in Kensington had an incredible year in 2021. First, Rivera won a Silver Medal at the US Nationals in Shreveport, LA in March. This 2020 tournament had been postponed in December due to Covid, and took place in 2021. He followed this with a Gold Medal at the Junior Olympics in Crosby, TX in July. One month later, Rivera won the Junior Division National Silver Gloves tournament in Independence, MO. Finally, he finished his year with an amazing run at the US Nationals. Rivera returned to Shreveport for the 2021 competition and ran through the 138-pound field, winning one bout by stoppage and the rest by unanimous decision. His dominant performance earned the honor of being named the "Outstanding Boxer of the Tournament" in a field of more than 1,500 amateur boxers.

Rivera is currently ranked #1 in the country among all the junior division 138-pound boxers, and is a member of Team USA. He is looking forward to the upcoming Silver Gloves Tournament at the beginning of February and competing for Team USA in Romania at the end of February. In May, Rivera, 16, will add a Briscoe Medal to his trophy case. Let's hope there's still room. Congratulations "Little Johnny"! 

The runner-up for this award was Doda Phillips who also had an excellent year in 2021. He won a National title and was also named the Outstanding Boxer at a National tournament.   

There is one more Briscoe Award still to be determined - "Photo of the Year". Submissions are still being received by photographers who either snapped a shot in Philadelphia or photographed a Philadelphia fighter, event, or subject elsewhere. The winner of this award will be announced soon. The Briscoe Awards event will be held in the Spring, location and date to be announced in the near future. 

   
 

 

 
 


John DiSanto - Philadelphia - January 26, 2022
 

 
     
 

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