Golden Gloves nationals Vegas bound

Las Vegas has landed amateur boxing’s showcase event, with the Golden Gloves national championships to be contested here next year.

The bid to host the tournament was won by Dawn Barry of Barry’s Boxing Gym. Now the hard part begins.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Barry said. “We’ve got to line up a date. We’ve got to find a place. We’ve got to raise some money because it’s not cheap to host.”

The 2013 tournament concluded Saturday in Salt Lake City.

The tentative dates for 2014 are May 3 to 8. But May 3 is Saturday on Cinco de Mayo weekend, and Barry doesn’t want to go head-to-head with a major boxing card. The MGM Grand traditionally hosts a card that weekend.

A more likely scenario would have the Golden Gloves event from May 5 to 10.

“We’ve got some flexibility built in,” Barry said. “There’s no way I’m going head-to-head with Floyd (Mayweather Jr.).”

Don’t be surprised if Mayweather helps to underwrite the tournament. He made a six-figure donation when the Golden Gloves nationals were in his hometown of Grand Rapids, Mich., in 2008, and a five-figure donation when it was in Mesquite in 2012.

Las Vegas last hosted the Golden Gloves in 2003 at The Orleans. Barry said she hopes to find a host site in the next couple of months.

“We want to do it up big,” she said. “We want to find a nice hotel with nice accommodations and make it affordable so everyone can have a good time.”

Barry also has an option to host the event in 2015 — the year before the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

“You’ll see some really great fighters and future Olympians, so these next two years are going to be important for the Golden Gloves,” she said.

■ STEELE GYM UPDATE — After receiving grants totaling almost $65,000, it’s business as usual at Richard Steele’s North Las Vegas gym and youth center.

Steele was on the verge of having to close the doors after the state cut off annual funding for the gym, which helps 160 children with educational and counseling services, along with providing a place to box and engage in other combat sports.

Last week, the Clark County Health District signed off on a $34,800 grant, and the Police Athletic League came through with $30,000.

“We can pay our bills,” Steele said. “It gives us time to plan some fundraisers so we don’t have to worry about closing up.”

Steele said dinners, amateur boxing shows and car washes are among proposed fundraising events. But Steele won’t be washing cars anytime soon as he’s still recovering from left knee replacement surgery last month.

“It’s been a slow recovery,” the 69-year-old former referee said. “But I’m just glad we can be there for the kids, and I’m very grateful for the support.”

■ SANCHEZ-SOSA OFFICIALS — Vic Drakulich will be the referee for the June 8 IBF super flyweight title fight between champion Juan Carlos Sanchez and Roberto Sosa at the Hard Rock Hotel. The judges will be Burt Clements, Patricia Morse-Jarman and C.J. Ross.

■ DE LA ROSA SUSPENDED — The Nevada Athletic Commission suspended middleweight James De La Rosa for seven months and fined him $1,200 after a hearing Friday. He tested positive for the banned diuretic Furosemide after losing by majority decision to Marcus Willis on April 12 at Treasure Island.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.