Skip to main content

Barthelemy takes IBF junior lightweight title

By WTOP Staff

SANTOS PEREZ
Associated Press

MIAMI (AP) — Rances Barthelemy won a unanimous decision over Argenis Mendez and captured the International Boxing Federation junior-lightweight title Thursday night.

Despite losing two points on fouls, Barthelemy was the aggressor for most the bout at American Airlines Arena. The fight was a rematch of their first bout that ended in a no-contest on Jan. 3.

All three judges scored the bout for the unbeaten Barthelemy, 115-111. There were no knockdowns.

“This was a difficult fight,” Barthelemy said. “I faced an Argenis Mendez, who risked it all to keep his title. Thankfully, I knew how to overcome all obstacles.”

Barthelemy, a native of Cuba now living in Miami, pressured Mendez in the opening seconds, throwing rights to the head. Although Mendez blocked some of Barthelemy’s lead shots, a few found the target.

Utilizing a reach advantage, Barthelemy (20-0, 12 knockouts, 1 no contest) kept a charging Mendez at a distance as he connected with lead left jabs. Barthelemy also closed range in the third round, scoring with lefts and rights to the body.

But fighting at tight quarters helped Mendez enjoy productive rounds in the seventh and eighth. Mendez, making his third title defense, landed combinations to the body and left hooks to the head.

Barthelemy pinned Mendez (21-3-1, 11 KOs, 1 NC) to the ropes in the ninth and scored with lefts to the head. In another close exchange later in the round, referee Tellis Assimenios deducted a point from Barthelemy for hitting below the belt.

Another punch below the belt by Barthelemy in the 10th prompted Assimenios to deduct a second point from the challenger.

With the likelihood of the scorecards narrowing because of the point deductions, Barthelemy chased Mendez and landed lefts to the head in the 11th round. Mendez, of the Dominican Republic, moved around the ring, avoiding follow-up combinations.

Barthelemy aggressively pursued Mendez in the 12th, landing combinations to the head. Mendez stood up to Barthelemy and landed short left hooks to the head.

In their first fight, Barthelemy initially was a second-round knockout winner. But Barthelemy’s two-punch combination that finished Mendez occurred after the bell.

The Minnesota boxing agency, which supervised the bout, overturned the result, making it a no-contest after an appeal from Mendez’s promotional company, Iron Mike Productions.

Former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, who serves as Iron Mike’s president, sat at ringside for Thursday’s bout.

Barthelemy weighed the junior-lightweight limit of 130 pounds for the rematch, one more pound than Mendez.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote