UNR fighter claims fourth consecutive college title

When David Schacter decided to attend UNR, it wasn't with the intention of being a boxer.

Truth be told, the Green Valley High School senior wanted to go snowboarding in the mountains near Reno.

But he found his way into the ring and last week finished a stellar amateur boxing career by winning a fourth consecutive title at 132 pounds at the National Collegiate Boxing Championships.

Schacter defeated Lock Haven's Addy Pizarro in the final, avenging a loss in November in New York.

"I never thought I'd get this far. But I had amazing coaches along the way, and I kept getting better," Schacter said from Reno, where he is preparing to graduate next month with a degree in international business studies and a minor in Spanish.

Schacter was one of three Wolf Pack boxers to win an individual title this year. Joining him were Thomas Gennaro (147) and Ryan Koley (156). UNR finished third with 32 points behind Army (50) and Navy (38).

UNLV did not have an individual champion. Charles Blackwell III, the only Rebels boxer to reach the championship round, lost to Army's Steve Solajo in the 185-pound final.

Schacter, 29-2 at UNR, said he has no plans to continue boxing.

He is spending this fall in China, doing postgraduate work in the University Studies Abroad Consortium program. He already has spent time as an undergraduate studying in Costa Rica and Thailand.

Schacter hopes to parlay his China experience, which will last into 2009, into a casino internship in Macau.

"Ultimately, I'd like to get into boxing from the casino's side of things in Las Vegas," Schacter said. "I've come to really love boxing."

Schacter's win over Pizarro will be televised May 26 on the CBS College Sports Network (Cox Digital 333).

• COTTO-MARGARITO GLOVE ISSUE -- The decision on whether the July 26 welterweight title fight between Miguel Cotto and Antonio Margarito comes to Las Vegas might be determined by a couple of ounces.

The Nevada Athletic Commission requires all fighters above 140 pounds to use 10-ounce gloves, but Cotto insists on using 8-ounce gloves.

The commission will meet Thursday to discuss rescinding the rule. If it does, Top Rank president Bob Arum said, Cotto-Margarito will be in Las Vegas. Otherwise, it will go to Madison Square Garden in New York or Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Both fighters scored convincing victories April 12 in Atlantic City. Margarito stopped Kermit Cintron in the sixth round, and Cotto scored a fifth-round technical knockout over Alfonso Gomez to retain his WBA title.

• BYRD WITH BANNER -- Chris Byrd has signed a deal with Banner Promotions and will fight Shaun George in headlining a May 16 card at Cox Pavilion.

Byrd (40-4-1, 21 knockouts), a former IBF and WBO world heavyweight champion, will be competing as a light heavyweight.

"I had a great run as a heavyweight champion," the 37-year-old Las Vegan said. "But now it's time for new challenges. All along, I thought it would be at cruiserweight. But the pounds just kept coming off, and here I am (at light heavyweight). I'm going back toward my more original weight. I was a middleweight in the Olympics."

Tickets are on sale at the Thomas & Mack Center box office. The card will be televised by ESPN.

• UPCOMING CARDS -- Carlos Barnett will defend his IBA continental heavyweight belt against Franklin Lawrence on May 9 at The Orleans.

A May 17 card at Terrible's Primm Valley Casino Resorts will feature junior middleweights James Kirkland and Alfredo Angulo and super featherweight Yuriokis Gamboa. The trio have a combined record of 42-0 and will be shown on HBO's "Boxing After Dark" series.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.