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Tettis heading to Olympic Trials |
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Monday, 30 July 2007 |
 Anthony Tettis trains in preparation for the U.S. Olympic Boxing Trials. Tettis will leave next Sunday in his pursuit of making the team. By Greg Reedy The intensity has been stepped up a notch for Ridgway boxer Anthony Tettis.
And with a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team on the line, why wouldn’t it?
Tettis will be departing for the U.S. Olympic Trials in Houston Sunday, Aug. 5. Tettis will be heading off to Colorado Springs, Colo. first for training and work before the trip to Houston for the trials which will take place from August 20-26.
Tettis said after coming back as the Eastern U.S. Champion, he’s seen the intensity of his training go up.
“It picked up a lot since I came back from the nationals,” Tettis said. “It’s real intense now. My trainer’s gotten hard on me.”
Tettis is no stranger to going to big events. Tettis said he has been to four or five similar national championships and knows what to expect.
“I’ve been to four or five national events and they’re all related,” Tettis said. “There are people everywhere. It’s like a rat race. I think I know what I’m going to be expecting of myself. This is going to be more intense with more organization.”
Tettis’ first fight in this double-elimination tournament will be against Joe Guzman of Fort Carson, Colo. He noted that he has fought one fighter of the eight in the class.
“I fought one kid and I have films on other competitors,” Tettis said. “I’ve watched film and they have film on me.”
Tettis said he will be nervous before his first fight in Houston, but that will be a feeling he has gotten used to in his career.
“There’s going to be nervousness,” Tettis said. “Every fight I’m just as nervous. It’s good to be nervous.”
Anthony’s trainer, Ralph Tettis, said Anthony will have confidence heading down there.
“He has confidence in himself, but he’s not overconfident,” Tettis said. “He knows what he has to do.”
Tettis is competing in the heavyweight class, a class with a maximum weight of 201 pounds. Anthony will be weighing in at 187 pounds, lighter than the other competitors. Ralph Tettis said because of the lighter weight, Anthony will be viewed as an underdog every time he steps into the ring in Houston.
“Every fight he’ll be an underdog,” Tettis said.
Having the perception of an underdog is something Anthony said he’s used to.
“I kind of like it,” Tettis said. “I’m used to it. It makes me more motivated.”
Anthony said he’ll counteract his lighter weight with what he considers his greatest assets, speed and agility.
“I use my speed, I can get in and out quick,” Tettis said.
Ralph said Anthony has tremendous speed and ring savvy while Anthony notes he will have to throw as many punches as he can in a four-round fight.
“It’ll be straightforward boxing,” Tettis said. “I just need to keep throwing punches, I’ve got to stay busy all four rounds.”
Anthony Tettis said the magnitude of being at the U.S. Olympic Trials is something that he is not letting get to his head right now.
“I’m not letting it sink in too much right now - I’m not getting a big head,” Tettis said.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 31 July 2007 )
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