Related To Story
|
Boxer Fights Way Toward Beijing
Dallas II Has Entered Final Stages Of U.S, Olympic Boxing Trials
POSTED: 1:10 pm PDT August 7, 2007
UPDATED: 4:28 pm PDT August 8, 2007
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Local amateur boxer Mike Dallas is in the final U.S. Olympic boxing team qualifying tournament.With a 109-10 record, 20-year-old Dallas is ready not just for the trials and the chance to win Olympic gold.“My dream is to become a world champion,” Dallas said.
Dallas father is an ex-professional boxer with 26 bouts to his name. He once lost in the finals for a California state championship. The elder Dallas is also well known in the freestyle wresting community having both competed and coached.He indicated that his son never wrestled because he let his kids choose sports for themselves. He also indicated that his son is an outstanding student.“I’m very proud,” the elder Dallas said. “He’s been on the honor roll every year.”Dallas II has been boxing since he was 8 years old.The younger Dallas said he wasn’t worried about the upcoming Olympic trials competition, though a boxer in his 141-pound welterweight weight class at the upcoming tournament has beaten him once.“I’ve beat him before,” Dallas said confidently. “I’m not worried about him.”Dallas qualified for the tournament by winning the 2006 national Police Activities League tournament.ABC23 interviewed Dallas while fundraising at KRAB Radio studios Tuesday morning for his trip to the Olympic trials.Jarad "Meathead" Mann of KRAB said about Dallas, "Now we have a chance to actually have the city of Bakersfield represented in the Beijing Olympics. It doesn’t get much better than that." (Watch interview with Meathead)There will be a live boxing exhibition, live music and a fundraising La Mina Mexican dinner Tuesday, Aug. 14, at the Bakersfield PAL Center at 301 E. 4th Street, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Ticket prices are $15 for adults and $10 for children.Contact www.bakersfieldpal.org for details about sponsoring Mike Dallas II.More: Blog Commentary on the ABC23 Files
Copyright 2007 by TurnTo23.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.













