- 1st place, Sports Picture Story - /
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba Jr / Akron Beacon JournalCaged Madness is an amateur mixed martial arts show that is a combination boxing, kick-boxing, submission-style wrestling and karate blended together in an eight-sided cage. It's part ruthless aggression and part disciplined art. It oozes machismo but seems to have a soul all at the same time. Where else can you see a man bloody someone's face before choking him out with his own arm, only to invite him to train together five minutes later? Some fans are young, some are old. Some women are stylish, others are comfortable in a T-shirt. Some men remain reserved, others yell to ''rip someone's head off.'' Some of the women in the crowd might yell that, too. A competitor shadow boxes as he prepares for his match during Caged Madness, an amateur mixed martial arts event.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba Jr / Akron Beacon JournalA large crowd of enthusiastic fans watch a full card of bouts in a restaurant banquet area during Caged Madness, an amateur mixed martial arts event.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba Jr / Akron Beacon JournalCurt Lemmon exchanges punches with his opponent, Clay Wetzel, in their bout at Caged Madness, an amateur mixed martial arts event.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba Jr / Akron Beacon JournalJanie Smoley, Donna Hettick and Matthew Smoley react as a member of the Goliath Fight Team wins his bout during Caged Madness, an amateur mixed martial arts event.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba Jr / Akron Beacon Journal"Ring girls" sit with their round cards and watch matches from the front row during Caged Madness, an amateur mixed martial arts event.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba Jr / Akron Beacon JournalTerry Johnson has his injuries looked at by the medical staff as Kris Maruna, the man who beat him, leaves the ring, during Caged Madness, an amateur mixed martial arts event.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba Jr / Akron Beacon JournalLisa Montavon of Akron and the crowd react after watching Curt Lemmon knock out Clay Wetzel in their bout during Caged Madness, an amateur mixed martial arts event.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba Jr / Akron Beacon JournalA fighter celebrates after knocking out his opponent during during his match at Caged Madness, an amateur mixed martial arts event.
First Place, Sports Picture Story - Ed Suba Jr / Akron Beacon JournalBrandon Saling shows off his championship belt, his bruises and his blood after defending his title during Caged Madness, an amateur mixed martial arts event.
- 2nd place, Sports Picture Story - /
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Carrie Cochran / Cincinnati EnquirerRay Robinson, 64, of Millvale, helps his 13-year-old daughter, Raynesha, put on her boxing gloves at the Millvale Recreation Center before practice begins. Ray is a single father raising his two children."She's gonna hang with me. She's not going to be hanging with her friends," he said. Raynesha's had been failing her classes and Ray believes it's because she had been hanging around kids from the neighborhood. He raises Raynesha and Ray Ray, 10, in a small apartment in a government-subsidized housing project, where gun violence and teen pregnancy are commonplace.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Carrie Cochran / Cincinnati EnquirerRaynesha Robinson, 13, of Millvale, works the punching bag at the Millvale Recreation Center. Her father is making her come to the gym as he tries to teach her focus and discipline. She was getting into trouble at school and was getting bad grades.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Carrie Cochran / Cincinnati EnquirerRaynesha walks to the car as she enjoys just a few minutes with her friends after boxing practice. She had wanted to go to a football game with them, but her dad wouldn't let her. "She's gonna focus on her schoolwork, and being in the gym," said Ray. "She's gonna focus on that until I see a difference."
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Carrie Cochran / Cincinnati EnquirerRaynesha looks out the window of their apartment, which is part of a government-subsidized housing project. According to 2008 Census data, 51.4% of households are single-mother families in Millvale, versus 14.1% overall in the city. As a single parent, her father says that he feels for the young girls raising children on their own. He doesn't want that to happen to Raynesha.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Carrie Cochran / Cincinnati EnquirerRay Robinson, 64, of Millvale, keeps on Raynesha as she shadow boxes. "She's gonna hang with me. She's not going to be hanging with her friends," he said. Raynesha's grades are slipping and Ray believes its because she had been hanging around kids from the neighborhood.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Carrie Cochran / Cincinnati EnquirerRay watches as both of his children, Raynesha, 13, left, and Ray Ray, 10, work on the punching bags. Ray Ray has won national championships, and his father believes he has a chance to make it to the Olympics. But right now he's more concerned with Raynesha. "She just went off track," he said.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - / With her father still in the gym, Raynesha catches a brief moment out of his sight as she walks from the center to their car.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - / Spectators watch Raynesha and her brother, Ray Ray, spar in the ring.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Carrie Cochran / Cincinnati EnquirerA crowd of boys gather around Raynesha to watch as she starts to get into a groove during practice, hitting whatever her dad throws up at her. She's been in the gym almost everyday now, while most of the boys come in inconsistently. "Most of the boys in the neighborhood start out at the gym, but then they'll see how much hard work it is, and then they'll stop," said Ray Robinson.
Second Place, Sports Picture Story - Carrie Cochran / Cincinnati EnquirerRaynesha tears up after getting frustrated with her dad and with the way practice is going. "She's intelligent, smart, but just the focus is not there," says Ray.
