Connor Butt established the jab and then some, Thursday night.
The UMass-Lowell student earned a hard-fought split decision over Lowell native Nathaniel Seng, in the 139-pound novice male division at the Lowell Central New England Golden Gloves, Jan. 27 at the Lowell Auditorium.
Presented by Lowell Sun Charities, Week 3 featured 11 bouts in the Novice quarterfinals.
“It means everything,” said Butt, who won his first bout in a second round TKO two weeks ago. “All the hard work paid off. It was definitely tougher than the first (fight), but it was good.”
A slow starter in his split decision a week ago, Seng opened much stronger the second time around, unloading a serious flurry of body shots that put Butt on the ropes, prompting a standing eight count. The Union Street Boxer continued to score heavy points closing the round with a strong flourish.
“That was my plan, to try to control it,” said Seng.
A Swampscott native, Butt battled back in the second round, establishing a stinging left jab. The punch packed quite the wallop, sending Seng back peddling, and forcing his own standing eight.
Both boxers continued to battle in the third with Butt adding a powerful roundhouse to his repertoire, outscoring his opponent, and taking the round and match.
According to Butt, the standing eight in the second round was the turning point.
“My coach kept tell me keep stick the jab and it was landing,” said Butt. “That jab is the first thing we learn. We try to polish it as much as we can and it ended up working out.”
A forklift driver by day, Seng was disappointed with the result, but not the effort.
“I felt like I was holding it down, but it went the other way,” said Seng. “That’s boxing, but it was great, I can’t wait to do it again.”
In earlier action, Waltham’s Marco Aquino (150) beat Revere southpaw Anthony Cecca in a unanimous decision. Aquino managed to drop Cecca to a knee late in the third.
In the novice female bracket Salisbury’s Alicia Pike (125) peppered Boston’s Alyssa Kinahan-Dundas in a unanimous decision. The pair went toe-to-toe all three rounds, with Pike prevailing.
Meanwhile, Chelsea’s Sara Bego (139) earned a hard-fought split decision over Haverhill’s Tess Walter, in the novice female semifinal.
Another Lowell product, Jayson Colon (176) earned the unanimous decision beating Lynnfield’s Rob DeBonis, while Lowell heavyweight Gabriel Nieto-Osorio (203+) lost to John Richard in a third round TKO.
