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Do-everything Denise Gillentine tries her hand at boxing By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN Denise Gillentine, a 33-year-old Medford resident, will be in a Bulldog Boxing Club uniform Saturday night in the Northwest Classic boxing show at Seven Feathers Casino in Canyonville. Gillentine, who is known as "The Cutter," teaches kick boxing, kick boxing aerobics and karate at Superior Athletic Club of Medford. She turned to boxing about a year ago. She will take a 1-0 amateur boxing record into her bout against Tara Iasics of Portland. Gillentine won a decision over Iasics last spring in a tournament in Portland. "She (Iasics) will be looking for me this time," said Gillentine, the oldest of 14 Bulldog Boxing Club members scheduled to fight in Saturday night's card. "I'll have to be ready for her. She'll come out with a lot of energy." But Gillentine says she will fight fire with fire. "I want to win," she says. "She's a really good fighter, and I see myself as more of a thinker. I'll have to see what she tries to do and respond." Other Bulldog Boxing Club members scheduled to fight one bout apiece on Saturday are Troy Wohosky (age 13, 95 pounds); Luis Regalado (age 8, 45 pounds; Luis Pena (senior division, 139 pounds); Rooster Jackson (age 16, 175 pounds); Boone Wyatt (age 13-14, 100 pounds); Ricky Gallegos (180); Lionel Leon, senior division, 16 and over), 119 pounds); Mike Wilson (age 16, 201 pounds); Sam Sleezer (senior division, 201 pounds); Ben Perez (age 9, 70 pounds); Mike Rodriguez (age 9, 70 pounds); Sal Regalado (age 16, 125 pounds); and Rico Gutierrez (senior, 175). "It's a good chance for our kids to get some good experience in one of the top tournaments on the West Coast," says Bulldog Boxing Club head coach and owner Joe Pedrojetti. "We have some kids trying to get ready to try to win regional and national championships next year. This is the kind of competitive experience they need." Gillentine is not one of those kids. She's a 33-year-old mother of a 4-year-old son, who is already pursuing an orange belt in karate and learning to box. "I think boxing's a great sport," says Gillentine. "It's a chance for me to finish my self-defense training, and fully learn how to protect myself. And I enjoy the sport." Pedrojetti says Gillentine is ready to move up in competition in the women's division. "Denise lives in gyms," says Pedrojetti. "She was a kick boxer and into karate. Now, she wants to try boxing. "She's pretty quick on her feet, and she is real aggressive," says Pedrojetti. Pedrojetti says Gallegos will be looking to avenge a loss to Cordell Barbour of Tacoma, Wash. last year. "Ricky has the skills and the moves of a good boxer," says Pedrojetti. "What he lacked in the past was the strength. "He's been working hard on a weight program we have him on, and now he's going back and fighting guys he's lost to in the past." That list included Barbour. "He lost a real close decision to Barbour, but I told him at the time I thought he won the fight," says Pedrojetti. "He gets a chance Saturday to make up for that loss. He's excited to do it." "He (Barbour) was real cocky last time," says Gallegos. "I didn't like that. I want to take the cockiness out of him." Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford,