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Local entrants 16-and-under fighters Manuel Ibarra, 112 pounds, Cougar Boxing Club. Ricky Gallegos, 132 pounds, Bulldog Boxing Club. James Wilson, Super Heavyweight, Bulldog Boxing Club. Wilson seeks to improve on second place Local boxers preparing for Jr. Olympics nationals By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN Two members of the Bulldog Boxing Club of Medford and one from the Cougar Boxing Club of White City will compete next week in the 1999 USA Boxing Junior Olympic Championships at Marquette, Mich. James Wilson of the Bulldogs will fight in the age 16-and-under Super Heavyweight Division and Ricky Gallegos at 132 in the 16-and-under division. Both boxers will open with matches in the tournament on Tuesday at Northern Michigan University. Manuel Ibarra will represent the Cougars in the 112-pound division for ages 16-and-under. Gallegos, Wilson and Ibarra are the only Oregon boxers to advance to the national stage of the Junior Olympics. Wilson, the national runner-up in the Super Heavyweight division in the age 16-and-under class, says he's going after his first major gold medal. "I'm tired of silver medals," says Wilson, who finished as a national Silver Gloves bronze medalist in the 1998 Silver Gloves finals and a silver medalist in last year's Junior Olympics tournament. Wilson also finished second in the 1999 Silver Gloves finals at Super Heavyweight. "I hate silver at this point," says Wilson, who will be a junior at Crater High in the fall. "I only want gold (medals). I'm going there to win, and I expect to win." Joe Pedrojetti, coach of the Bulldogs Boxing Club and one of the Northwest team's coaches heading into the Junior Olympics meet, says he thinks both of his fighters have good opportunities to win titles. "It will probably come down to the variables of getting decisions at the right times and any kind of style problems the judges see," says Pedrojetti. "But both of them have worked hard to get to this point, and they both have the talent and experience to win their divisions." Gallegos, 16, who will be a junior at South Medford High, lost in the finals of the Junior Olympics Western Regional at 132 pounds last year. He finished second in the Silver Gloves Western Regional in 1998. "It's not going to be easy, but I think I can win," says Gallegos. "I'll do my best and see what happens." "Ricky has been in the weight room a lot, and I think his added strength will help him," says Pedrojetti. "He's kind of been our hard-luck guy. He's had a few bouts where we thought he was winning and he ended up losing decisions. "I think his extra strength and power might make his decisions a little more decisive, which is what he needs." Ibarra, 15, who will be a sophomore at Eagle Point High, will take a 12-2 career record into the national tournament. He won state and regional titles to advance to his first Junior Olympic tournament finals. "Manuel is capable of winning his division," says Cougar Boxing Club coach Wes Wambold. "He's a devastating body puncher. "He throws the liver shot as good as anybody I've seen. "This kid (Ibarra) has a tremendous amount of ability and talent. And he's always in good shape." Ibarra says his mental attitude going into the tournament will be the key to his success. "Your mind is the one that judges whether you think you can win," says Ibarra. "It will give me the good judgment I need to be confident. "If I am confident, I can win. I've been practicing pretty hard." Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, OR U.S.A.