Story and photos by Tim Hipps
MWR Sports Correspondent

FORT HUACHUCA, Ariz. - Sgt. DeAndrey Abron realizes that staying atop America's amateur light-heavyweight rankings will be even harder than it was to scale the mountain.

After boxing for 2 1/2 years in the shadow of U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program teammate Staff Sgt. Olanda Anderson, Abron won the 178-pound spot on the 2001 All-Army Boxing Team here Jan. 19 when the referee stopped his bout against Pfc. Lawrence Blackwell of Fort Campbell, Ken., at 1 minute, 26 seconds of the first round.

Abron, 28, of Youngstown, Ohio, was the sharpest boxer of the All-Army Championships at Barnes Field House. He came out throwing a flurry of punches and ended his championship bout quickly.

"I wanted to get it over with," Abron said of decking Blackwell in a hurry. "When a guy is afraid, that's when he's most dangerous. He had nothing to lose, so I didn't want to give him any type of confidence to make it a long night. I didn't want it to last any longer than it needed to."

"He came out like a madman," All-Army Coach Basheer Abdullah said of Abron. "No surprises there. He threw a few wild shots, but you could see what his intent was. He didn't want Blackwell hanging around."

Abron's short-range goals, like most members of the All-Army Boxing squad, are to fare well at the 2001 Armed Forces Championships here his week and the U.S. National Championships, scheduled for March 8 through 18 at Colorado Springs. The long-range plan is to represent the Army and Team USA in the World Championships and possibly earn a trip to Athens, Greece, for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games.

"And this is where it all starts," Abron said. "Right here at the All-Army Championships. Now I just want to ride it on out."

"Now that I have the top spot, it's kind of a letdown," Abron said. "Instead of having a war with Olanda, I'm going to have a whole bunch of individual wars now. When you're No. 1, a lot of guys shoot for you just because you are No. 1. Even guys who shouldn't even be in the ring with you will give everything they've got because they have nothing to lose. It's going to be tough, but I'm looking forward to the challenge. But I know I can't sneak up on anyone any more.

"As long as I stay focused and train properly, I think I'll be all right. I want to remain No. 1 until I decide to give it up, and that most definitely will be at least four years."

Abron, who served as Anderson's alternate on the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team that competed in the 2000 Sydney Games, is focused on Athens and 2004.

"It all began the night last spring when I lost to Olanda at the Olympic Trials in Tampa," Abron said of the long and winding road. "I really can't describe this unbearable pain I had in my stomach after he beat me. I knew it was a moral victory to make it that far and to gain that experience. But I also knew that I still had a long way to go. I'm not happy yet. I have the No. 1 ranking, but I want to keep it. I want to get to the U.S. Championships, earn it, and go to the World Games.

"There's so much more I can learn about boxing, and that's the scary part. I'm becoming very good right now, but I haven't put it all together yet. I still have a ways to go."

Abdullah wishes he could've kept Abron and Anderson in camp together for one more year.

"DeAndrey was just so determined to catch Olanda," Abdullah explained. "That was his drive. Olanda was a natural when it came to technique. He was the most fundamentally sound boxer on the U.S. Olympic Team. So I think DeAndrey is excited but disappointed that Olanda is gone."

Having spent the past 3 1/2 years at Fort Carson, including 2 1/2 years in WCAP, Abron says the Army boxers have been rejuvenated by moving camp to Fort Huachuca.

"We feel a lot more appreciated here," Abron said. "The excitement is back now, and that makes you want to go out there and fight harder - makes it more fun."

Abron excited a packed Barnes Field House during the All-Army Trials. He plans on turning it up another notch for the Feb. 9 finals of the Armed Forces Championships.

"I'm really looking forward to that," Abron said. "Armed Forces is like a miniature United States Championships. It brings out the best boxers from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines."

Marine Cpl. Christopher Tillman of Camp Lejeune, N.C., whom Abron defeated at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials, may be his toughest opponent at Armed Forces. Air Force Capt. Joseph Pastorello will be there from Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., as will Navy YN2 Godfrey Cunningham Jr., of Allied Forces North Europe.

"It's going to be a tough battle," Abron said. "But I think we'll come out on top."

[Hipps is a staff writer for the Fort Belvoir Eagle]