Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011

Boxer's debut will aid charity

Tom Kunath will march into an Atlanta boxing ring Nov. 3 to the heavy metal sounds of "Walk" by Pantera.

Kunath, 46, will make his debut as an amateur boxer at Atlanta Corporate Fight Night, where he hopes the scrapes and bruises he endured during training will pay off.

He envisions the end of his bout against Bert Chandler, a 54-year-old spinal surgeon from Gainesville, Ga. "I hope to finish with my arm in the air in victory," Kunath said, laughing. "I want to win."

Events such as Atlanta Corporate Fight Night are fundraisers often called "white-collar boxing." They give professionals the chance to be fighters for a night and raise money for a good cause.

Doctors, engineers and lawyers are among the featured fighters in the Atlanta event. Kunath, a Raleigh resident, is a solutions architect at Cisco Systems.

Cary insurance broker Eric Platz is also boxing Nov. 3 in Atlanta. He'll face off against a financial analyst from Chicago.

Kunath has raised $4,500 so far for StandUp for Kids, an Atlanta organization that helps homeless and at-risk kids. The event will feature a reunion of the 1984 Olympic boxing team, including Evander Holyfield and Tyrell Biggs.

Kunath grew up in Syracuse, N.Y., where he was a wrestler in high school. He stayed active as a runner and triathlete, and two years ago won a North American Grappling Association state championship in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Now he is trying to gain weight. At 5-foot-6 and 165 pounds, he needs to gain 5 pounds to be more evenly matched with his 6-foot-3-inch, 195-pound opponent.

"I am trying to get up to 170 pounds, and my opponent is trying to get down to 180," Kunath said.

Kunath will depend on speed and strategy against his taller foe. He has been trying to emulate Mike Tyson's style.

"I like the 'peek-a-boo' move he made famous," Kunath said. "It incorporates a lot of head movement while holding the gloves close to the face for protection."

Kunath already was a member of the L.A. Boxing gym in Cary when the staff and other members talked him into trying boxing. "I had done workouts for fitness and to practice Jiu Jitsu, but (then) trainer Bonnie Mann invited me to spar," he said. "It was such a great workout, I was hooked from day one."

Kunath's bout in Atlanta will last three rounds of two minutes each. It's six minutes Kunath can't wait for.

"I am nervous, though," he said. "I have people traveling all the way from Raleigh to watch me."

Notebook

Ravenscroft girls win firstTISAC golf championship: The Ravenscroft varsity girls golf team won the inauguralTISAC Conference championship Oct. 18 at Hasentree Golf Course in Wake Forest.

The Ravens played some of their best golf of the season, shooting a 243 to top St. Mary's (264), Durham Academy (297) and North Raleigh Christian Academy (311).

Co-captains Evie Dole and Jessica Kittelberger were co-medalists, shooting 75. Caroline Hansen and Mariel Ziperski both shot 93. The top three scores are used to determine the team score. All four players were named all-conference, and Dole was named conference player of the year.

Local swimmers are Scholastic All-Americans 3 years running: Two local swimmers have been named to the National Scholastic All-America swim team for 2011-2012, their third year in a row.

Theresa Myer, who swims for the YMCA of the Triangle, and Katelyn Linker, who swims for the Marlins of Raleigh, made the roster all three years they were eligible.

The All-America team is composed of high school swimmers with a 3.5-or-higher GPA and who have met required times by event.

Students are eligible in their sophomore, junior and senior years.

Locals to join National Select Swim Camp: Paul Silver, coach of the Marlins of Raleigh swim team, has been named to the 2011 USA Swimming National Select Camp staff. This is his fourth appointment.

Hannah Moore, who swims for the Raleigh Swimming Association, has been chosen to participate in the Girls Select Camp, and John Payne, who swims with the New Wave Swim Team, was chosen as a manager for the Boys Select Camp.