By Gazette News Services
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Helena's Duran Jr. Caferro finished second at the National Golden Gloves boxing tournament here Saturday.

Fighting at 132 pounds, Caferro lost a 4-1 four-round decision to Michael Perez of New Jersey. It was the farthest a Montana boxer had advanced at the prestigious tournament since Great Falls' Todd Foster won the title in 1987.

Caferro said he believed the first three rounds were close, but that he had edged Perez. He also thought he dominated the final round.

"Just the fact that I made it to the finals, I thought I did enough to win, and I felt like I won the fight - that almost makes it more painful," Caferro told the Helena Independent Record. "If I lose the fight and the guy's a better fighter, then so be it.

"But the fact that it was such a close fight ... it really does hurt."

Overall, Caferro was 4-1 at the tourney. Caferro's run also marked the first time since 2000 that a Montana boxer had reached the semifinals of the tournament. Billings' Tory Pipino Ferguson was the last to do it.

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