The award medals are piling-up for 17-year-old Tyrone Arzeno of the Allentown Boxing Gym.

The 108-pound sensation finished second in last month’s National Golden Glove Tournament of Champions in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Arzeno’s run to the finals included victories over Tamar Williams of Buffalo, Hamzah Alajahmi of Detroit and Damian Charles of Mid-South.

Arzeno is a three-time Pennsylvania Golden Gloves champion in the 108-pound class. His resume also includes Junior Olympic state and regional titles and a 2012 National Police Athletic League Tournament championship.

Arzeno is a student of the Roberto Clemente Charter School in Allentown.

The Allentown Boxing Gym was also represented at the 2013 National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions by 178-pound Akheim Nurse. He was upended in the first round of the competition by eventual champion Steve Nelson from the Colorado-New Mexico team.

In April, Nurse scored a three-round decision over Fast Lane's Maynard Turner and was named outstanding boxer at the Pennsylvania Golden Gloves Regional Tournament at Derby Ink Gardens.

The team is coached by Luis Melendez, a former lightweight boxer who runs the Allentown Boxing Gym at 402 Ridge Avenue in the city. Melendez also served as an assistant coach of the Pennsylvania team that competed in Salt Lake City. There are approximately 70 participants in the program from ages 8-to-17.

During the tenure of Weed and Seed the Allentown Boxing Gym was the recipient of several grants. Boxing students are now in part supported by SmileKrafters of Allentown.
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