Winthrop House senior Paul "Red" Casey pounded out a unanimous decision over Hector Lopez last night to win the Greater Lowell novice welterweight Golden Gloves championship.

Fighting before a standing room only crowd, Casey knocked Lopez down neat the end of the second round with a right cross. "I just tried to keep my left up, throw lots of jabs and follow with the right. It was the right that did it," Casey said.

Slow Start

The first round was about even, with Casey looking a bit cold and missing with his jabs Lopez, the shorter of the two fighters, tried to bull his way inside but landed only a few punches. "He hit me a few times, but he never really hurt me," Casey said after the fight.

The second round was all Casey, as he jabbed and moved effectively before the sudden knockdown. It was the first time the 147-lb. Casey had knocked an opponent down in his five-bout amateur career.

Go Big Red

"In between the second and third rounds my manager told me I was winning the fight--to stay cool, move, jab and throw the right," Casey explained. He did much more, landing solid combinations throughout the round and winning the bout going away.

Long Time

Casey's victory in the novice division, which matches fighters with a maximum of five previous bouts, marked the first time a Harvard boxer won the Golden Gloves in any division since Peter Fuller '46 won the open division heavyweight championship in 1949. The open division pairs fighters with unlimited amateur experience.

The tournament began in 1947, and past winners include former heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano and current middleweight king Marvelous Marvin Hagler.