Two Albany fighters win division at Chief’s Cup

ATLANTA — When professional boxer and Atlanta hero Vernon Forrest was slain earlier this year in a failed robbery attempt, the local Police Athletic League organizers in the city decided to do something to honor him.

And two local Albany amateur boxers were on hand for the historic event recently with both winning individual medals at the recent “Chief’s Cup,” held in the memory of Forrest.

Fighting in the 142-pound weight class, Albany’s Michael Robinson, who goes by the nicknames “Memphis” and “Speedy Ray,” walked away with the title in his division with a majority decision win against Alexander Johnson, a native of Atlanta.

Not to be out done was Albany Boxing Club teammate, Eldrick Coleman, who also won his weight division in the tournament at 165 pounds, beating Steven Andrade of Cartersville by decision.

“We did great, man,” Robinson said. “Me and Eldrick both won and we got a chance to honor Vernon. It was a great night.”

With the win, Robinson improved to 4-1 overall in amateur bouts, while Coleman is now 19-6.

The duo’s next bouts will come in another Atlanta tournament later this month called “Gloves, Not Guns,” a program started by the Atlanta PAL in an effort to get at-risk kids off the street and into the boxing gym.