Boxing card to be held in Schurz

Vinnie Austin prides himself on putting on a good fight card.

Austin and his boxing club are presenting the sixth annual Walker River Boxing Tournament at the Schurz gym today.

Doors open at 4 p.m., with the first match beginning at 5. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under.

Austin said the tournament will feature at least 14 bouts, some having boxers as young as 8 years old.

"People like a good mix of matches," said Austin, who tries to promote at least one to two tournaments a year.

For each tournament, Austin looks for what would be the best matchup for the main event. He said this year's main event has Tipton Hinkey of Wadsworth tangling against Bernard Hamilton of Rite of Passage. Austin is still working on the semi-main event.

Two of Austin's children, Ashley and Kenneth, will also have matches.

Austin said Ashley, 14, will have one of her toughest matches since she began boxing.

"She will be fighting a girl (Alexandria Valdez) from the Utah Boxing Club," Austin said. "Her parents are both professional trainers. But Ashley has been working hard, both in the gym and on her high school cross country team."

To prepare for this year's bout, Ashley has been training for at least two hours a day and sparring with her older brother. The high school freshman said she has had tough fights, but this one could be her most challenging.

"This girl has always been in the ring," Ashley said.

During the past six months, Ashley has won her bouts at tournaments in Ft. Hall, Idaho, and Sacramento, to improve her record to 9-4.

Austin said Kenneth's opponent will either be a boxer from Reno or Las Vegas.

"It depends on how things run," Austin said, referring to last-minute scheduling of the fight card.

Austin said Kenneth has been working out with several boxers from Carson City.

Kenneth said he has been concentrating on his hand placement and foot distance. Ashley said she has been working more on technique and resistance training.

Austin said it's been more difficult for Ashley to train in Schurz.

"There are really no other girls to spar," Austin said. "There aren't too many girls boxing in Nevada."

In addition to the Walker River Boxing Club, other clubs coming to the tournament include those from Spring Creek, Las Vegas, Utah, Lovelock, Reno, Rite of Passage and Carson City.