Kallas scores convincing victory in opener

It made sense that Andrea Kallas and Gabriella Barragan fought simultaneously.

Kallas, the hometown favorite, and Barragan, a one-time opponent and full-time friend, spent Tuesday together filling the hours between their early-morning run and their first-round bouts in the U.S. Women’s National Boxing Championships at the Spokane Fairgrounds.

The pair fought in side-by-side rings and each scored an opening night win.

Kallas earned her seventh victory in just eight bouts, earning a decisive win over Valerie Evans of San Jose, Calif., in the 119-pound division: 23-10. Barragan, who moved up in weight in her loss to Kallas, scored 13-11decision over Marisol Miranda, a mother of four from Royal Palm Beach, Fla., in a 114-pound bout.

Both fighters were adamant: it helped to while away the long, pre-fight hours with someone else in the same situation.

“Oh, man, it was such a long day,” Kallas, 24, said. “Every few minutes we’d look at each other and ask, ‘Is it time yet?’ “

“I think it was the longest day I’ve ever had to live through,” Barragan, 17, said.

For Kallas, who boxes for the Spokane Eagles Boxing Club, it was good to have a female training partner for the week.

“I spar with the guys all the time,” she said. “It’s good to be around another woman who’s going through the same thing.

“Besides, Gabriella reminds me of me when I was her age.”

Kallas earned her victory by using a solid jab and an aggressive attack.

“I really wanted to establish myself early,” she said. “This isn’t like the pros — they score you on points, so I wanted to get the lead early and work off of that.”

Evans looked more seasoned and polished as a boxer, but was unable to withstand the steady barrage of punches Kallas unleashed.

“She looked good,” Eagles coach Dan Vassar said. “We’ve worked really hard trying to put some pop into her jab.”

Kallas, with just eight amateur fights to her credit, underwent what she called a six-week boot camp since qualifying for the tournament by stopping reigning Miss Washington Allison Porter in a regional final in the Tri-Cities.

Tonight’s card will feature nine bouts in three weight classes: quarterfinal bouts at 119 and 132 pounds, and a first-round bout at 165.

Porter spent the night ringside, relaxing before her first bout of the tournament tonight against San Francisco’s Cynthia Talmadge.

“This was great,” she said. “I can just relax, watch the other fights and get ready for tomorrow.”

Kallas faces Leonie Hall, from Vista, Calif., who scored a convincing 29-8 victory over Gina Rosenberg from Camp LeJeune, N.C.

Barragan advances to face Vanessa Greco, from Brooklyn, N.Y., in a semifinal bout Thursday. Greco scored a 24-4 decision in an all-Big Apple opener, beating Joan Martinez, also of New York.

Sacred Downing, from Trenton, N.J., scored a 17-5 decision over Rosa Rubio, from Oaklawn, Ill., to advance to face Heather Donohoe, who earned a first-round bye.

The 125-pound division qualified four semifinalists Tuesday. Cleo Chan, from Oakland, Calif., stopped Seattle’s Aundi Howerton, 6-5, and advances into Thursday’s semifinal round against El Paso’s Jennifer Han, who beat Jennifer Barber, from North Hills, Calif., 16-6. Rebecca Rodriguez, also from El Paso, advanced to the other semifinal, where she will face Teresa O’Toole, from Huntington, N.Y.. Rodriguez scored a 16-12 decision over

Amorena Baca, from Denver; O’Toole blanked Kayla Coimbs, from Bloomfield, New Mexico, 12-0.

Caroline Barry, from Clement City, Mich., completed the quarterfinal lineup at 132 pounds by scoring a 21-3 victory over Priscilla Bonnell, of Colorado Springs.

Lena Taylor, from Orlando, Fla., moved into the semifinals at 138 when the referee stopped her bout with Morgan Martell, from Manitou Beach, Mich..

The 154-pound division saw four quarterfinal bouts. Triche Rassmussen, from Freemont, Calif., walked into the semis when her opponent did not show. She will face Lily Avetayan, from Pasadena, Calif., who scored a 17-3 victory over Azalea McCarthy, from Wilmington, N.C.

Air Force boxer Charmaine Carrington advanced to the semis when the referee stopped her fight with Amanda Myers, from Camp LeJeune. She will face Tiffany Junot, from New Orleans, who saw her bout with Amber Claussen, from Pierce, Neb., was stopped with 10 seconds left in the second of three rounds.