Mike Gavronski loves boxing because he thinks of it as “a big, physical puzzle, with plenty of pieces.”
But on Saturday night it was Gavronski’s opponent, Austrialian Super Middleweight champion Jake Carr, who was puzzled as the 2004 Mount Si graduate ended the Aussie’s unbeaten string in the sixth round of the main event at the “Battle of the Boat 107” at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma.
In the sixth, Gavronski improved his lopsided record to 21-2-1 with a straight jab followed by a right cross that sent Carr to the canvas. Carr, who Gavronski thought was aided by the referee going beyond a 10-count, slowly got back up but seconds later felt a few more Gavronski punches and staggered to the ropes where the referee ruled the fight was over for a technical knockout.
“I didn’t take him lightly,” said the 6-foot, 167-pound, Gavronski, who made Carr know what it feels like to lose for the first time and lower his record to 11-1. “I knew he was a game opponent and there was no room for error. He’s an up-and-comer.”
Both fighters continually went after each other, but the 30-year-old Gavronski thinks he managed to only get hit hard once. The 25-year-old Carr, on the other hand, had a bloodied cut below his left eye early in the match and it only got worse.
“He was always moving forward, but he was taking a beating well on his way to going to ‘sleep’,” said Gavronski on the ending of the fight.
Gavronski, in his seventh year fighting professionally, relishes every victory, every fight. “It’s like being a cop. One shot could be the end of your career.”
He plans on taking a few days off before thinking about his next possible match. But Gavronski, who also works at Vigor Shipyard in West Seattle, knows there won’t be many days off with the gloves.
Staying in constant great shape is essential for a boxer. “Boxing is a lifestyle,” said Gavronski, who says before getting the chance to be in front of noisy boxing fans a boxer must first spend most of his hours alone in training. “Boxing is a lonely adventure.”
The large EQC crowd was definitely cheering for their local boxer. Gavronski, whose alias in the ring is “Imagine Me,” grew up in Tacoma, moved to the Snoqualmie Valley during high school and now resides back in Tacoma.
“I’m fortunate I have so much support,” said the boxer. In addition to having his fight team in his corner (trainers Eddie Rivas, Sam Ditusa and Dave Krall), his grandparents (Donna and Elmer Sams) were in attendance, as well as four of his former Mount Si teachers and counselors, and about a dozen of his Wildcat classmates.
Gavronski’s Tacoma upbringing is important to him. He also knew he had some growing pains while making the move to Mount Si, but some people there helped by making a difference in his life.
“Mrs. (Karen) Rockow and Mr. (Wayne) Lewis always believed in me,” said Gavronski about his teacher (Rockow) and assistant varsity football coach (Lewis).
And if it weren’t for Valley residents Mark Brietfuss and Jan Marie Johnson, the Battle of the Boat would not have featured Gavronski. Brietfuss was Gavronski’s basketball coach in eighth grade and four years later introduced him to the sport of boxing.
And on Saturday, Gavronski introduced a tough, once undefeated Aussie to a drop on the canvas.
