By James Gibowski
Contributing Writer
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, Australian Super Middleweight champion Jake Carr, who was puzzled as Gavronski, a 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 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 fans, a boxer must first spend hours alone in training. “Boxing is a lonely adventure,” he said.
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 lives in Tacoma.
“I’m fortunate I have so much support,” he said. 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 former Mount Si teachers and counselors, and about a dozen of his Wildcat classmates.
