Richmond Hill Boxer Takes 4th Straight Golden Gloves

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“It went exactly how I predicted it before the fight,” hesaid. “I knew with this fight that I was definitely going tobe finishing stronger than he was.”
Overconfidence? Not exactly. Because when the judges declaredRosinsky the 178-pound men’s champion on Friday night, he hadbeen there before, too: three times before, to be exact —becoming the first in his weight class to win four consecutiveGolden Glove titles.
Rosinsky, 23, was raised in Richmond Hill, where he got his startboxing and still lives today. He is currently a senior at QueensCollege, studying education. This May, he will finish his lastclasses before student-teaching in the fall at St. Francis Prep, inFresh Meadows, and P.S. 207, in Howard Beach. Once that isfinished, he is set to receive his diploma in December.
As a boy, Rosinsky was interested in karate, training at a localdojo. But by the time he was a teen, his interest in the sportbegan to wane.
It was at about that time, when he was a 15-year-old student atArchbishop Molloy High School, in Briarwood, that a friend turnedhim on to boxing.
“It wasn’t really to fight, it was just to stay inshape,” he said of when he first started. “I reallystarted boxing just to stay in shape and to keep myself busy.”
But the passing interest soon evolved into a passion. “Once Istarted boxing I really liked it,” he said.
Within a few years, Rosinsky was boxing competitively, fighting inhis first amateur bout the day before his 18th birthday. His firstGolden Gloves was in 2002, the first of two that he lost.
But Rosinsky persevered. By 2005, he had won his first of fourconsecutive Golden Gloves, and has won several other bigcompetitions since — including the national Golden Gloves in2005.
Now, with the city’s amateur circuit effectively licked, hehas decided he wants to go pro.
Felipe Gomez, Rosinsky’s coach for the last two-and-a-halfyears, has watched Rosinsky grow in the more than five years he hasknown him. He used to see Rosinsky around the gym before he was histrainer, and always thought he was a “likable kid.” Whenhe found out Rosinsky didn’t have a trainer, he offered hisservices.
“We clicked right away,” Gomez said. “We had a goodcommunication. ... You like to enjoy yourself when you train. Itrain him, but at the same time, we have fun.”
More than fun, however, what has really impressed Gomez isRosinsky’s work ethic.“You can count on him,” hesaid. “You don’t have to look after him. You tell him togo out and run five miles, he goes out and runs five miles.
“The harder I train him, the more he wants to train,” headded — a crucial attribute for any successful boxer. “Inorder for you to make it in boxing, you have to be dedicated.”
Gomez would know. A former boxer himself, he fought in three cityGolden Gloves tournaments, winning two of them in 1989 and 1993. Atone point, he contemplated entering the professional circuit, butdecided against it because of conflicts with his budding career atthe NYPD, where he is a sergeant.
Now, as a coach, he is watching his pupil face a similar crossroad:Rosinsky has decided to give professional boxing a try — adecision made easier, Rosinsky said, by a solid backup career ineducation. He plans to look at promoters and coaches while hefinishes his degree, and hopes to give the pros a shot by thebeginning of next year.
His parents are supportive, but not without their opinions. He wassurprised to discover that his mother was actually more in favor ofthe move than his father, who supports him but would rather see himteach. “There’s no bad results from teaching,” helaughed, “as opposed to getting hit in the head fromboxing.”
Like a father, Gomez is sad to see him go, but supports him in hisdecision, particularly because it gives Rosinsky a shot at doingsomething he wasn’t permitted to do.
“My wife tells me all the time, ‘he’s like a son toyou,’” Gomez said. “Before and after a fight,I’m so nervous.
“I think I wanted it as much as he did,” he addedreferring to the Golden Gloves victory. “I’m a proudcoach.”