Vassiliy Zherebnenko (Brighton BC) was so quick in a 132-pound open bout Tuesday night at Hostos Community College that he didn’t even have to throw punches to be effective. At one point in the third round, he feinted his opponent. And Angel Garcia, thinking he was about to get smacked, almost grazed the canvas with his glove.
Zherebnenko won the tough Daily News Golden Gloves quarterfinal bout by decision and took home the P.C. Richard & Son Boxer of the Night award.
“This sport is all about strategy,” said Zherebnenko, who is 19 and was the outstanding novice champ last year. “I wasn’t especially happy with the way I fought, but I want to eventually go pro and this is the first step I have to take to get there.”
Nobody ringside could recall a Japanese fighter ever making the finals of the Golden Gloves in the men’s division. Yukito Heishi (Gleason’s Gym) wants to be the first. Born in Japan and a veteran of six Golden Gloves, Heishi took one step closer to realizing his dream by winning a decision against Subryan Ramayya (Kingsway) in a 119-pound open bout.
“Japanese people are sushi chefs and baseball players, but they are not known for boxing,” said the 34-year-old who made the semifinals in 2003. “I want to make history. I want to show everyone that Japanese people can fight.”
The Golden Gloves continues Thursday at the Joe Louis PAL in Harlem. First bout, 7:30 p.m.
