By John Erardi
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Ron Siler Jr., who fights Saturday night at Thomas More College, is the No. 1-ranked amateur boxer in the 112-pound weight class. (Gary Landers photo)

COVINGTON - Ron Siler, the No. 1-ranked amateur boxer in the 112-pound weight class and thereby the favorite to make the U.S. Boxing team that will compete at the Olympics in Athens next year, isn't taking any chances this time.

He has moved into an apartment above Shamrock Boxing Gym, at 811 Madison St. - and his trainer-father, Ron Sr., has moved in with him.

"I don't go outside now; I don't hang around in the streets any more," said Siler Jr., 23. " I have no excuse not to be training. All I have to do is walk downstairs and I'm in the gym."

Four years ago, Siler Jr. was upset by Glenn Donaire in the semifinals of the 106-pound class of the U.S. Olympic Boxing Trials in his bid to make the Olympic team.

"I should have entered more tournaments after I qualified for the Trials instead of just sitting on the bid I already had," Siler Jr. said. "If I had gone to the other tournaments, I would've competed against (Donaire) and I would've known his style. It wouldn't have surprised me."

His new strategy already has paid dividends. Even though Siler qualified for February's Olympic Trials in Tupelo, Miss., by winning the national Golden Gloves title earlier this year, he also entered and won a second qualifier (the national Police Athletic League tournament), where he defeated Mark Davis of Cleveland, who figures to be a factor in Tupelo at 112.

Saturday, Siler headlines a 12-bout boxing card at Thomas More College.

He will fight in the U.S. Championships in Colorado Springs in January, then stay there and train.

Siler and his sometimes sparring partner, 17-year-old Rau'shee Warren, a 106-pounder who trains at the Mount Auburn Gym, are attempting to reprise the one-two punch of Ricardo Williams Jr. (139 pounds) and Dante Craig (147), who made the U.S. Olympic boxing team in 2000 and competed at the Summer Games in Australia. Cincinnati was the only locale with two boxers on the 12-man team.

"This time, our mission is 'Bring home the golds,' " said Siler Sr. "Cincinnati fighters have won their share of silvers and bronzes. It's time to win some golds."

Williams Jr. won the silver in Australia. Craig did not medal.

Siler Sr. said USA Boxing wanted Siler Jr. to drop down to the 106-pound weight class to make room for Raul Martinez of Texas, another experienced boxer at 112 pounds (Siler Jr. is 3-2 against him), but the Silers wouldn't do it.

For two reasons: 112 is Siler Jr.'s best weight, and Siler Jr. wants Warren to make the Olympic team with him. If Siler Jr. were in the same weight class as Warren, only one of them could make the team.

Warren is young - he turned 17 earlier this year, just in time to make the qualifying age to compete for a spot on the Olympic team - but extremely talented.

Siler Jr.'s opponent will be either a Mexican fighter who trains in Lexington or a fighter from Indiana. The reason for the uncertainty is because fighters aren't exactly lining up to fight Siler Jr., who packs a right-handed wallop, and because the promoter wants to make sure that if one guy backs out, the other guy is available.

Besides getting his personal life in order and maintaining a stricter focus on his road and gym work, Siler Jr. has learned to box to maximize his points via the computerized scoring that rules amateur boxing.

This includes scoring a lot of right-hand shots that snap back the opponent's head, and also positioning himself in the ring so the judges can see those rights land.

"That way, all three judges push the button and that registers with the computer," Siler Jr. said. "Also, on defense, keep your hands up. If a punch grazes your glove before it hits you, there's no points for that. It has to be flush. But you still want to throw body punches, because that brings your opponent's hands down and then, wham."

"We trained at the gym of Emmanuel Stewart and he said, 'Your kid's the best computer scorer I've ever seen,' " Siler Sr. said. "Ron has a fast right hand. I taught him to use his right hand like a jab. Normally, a right-handed boxer's jab is his left hand. Three jabs (with the left hand) get you a point. With one right hand, you get three to four points."

Saturday's card

What: Green Gloves Boxing, 12-bout card.

Where: Thomas More College.

When: First bout, 7:30 p.m. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.)

Tickets: $50 (ringside), $15 (general admission), $10 (standing room), available at door or by calling Terry O'Brien at Shamrock Gym (859-291-3223).

The boxers: From Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, upstate Ohio, Indiana and West Virginia.

Headliner: Ron Siler Jr., out of Shamrock Gym, nationally top-ranked amateur at 112 pounds.

E-mail jerardi@enquirer.com