At first Joe Gumina seems like a well-mannered young man, but underneath the veneer of politeness is a fighter who loves doing one thing - and he does it well.

�The love of hurting people, man, there�s no adrenaline rush like it,� Gumina said of his love for boxing. �It�s the greatest feeling ever when you knock someone out.�

It was boxing that helped focus Gumina, the light heavyweight, and keep him out of trouble.

�I was kicking the crap out of everyone on the street,� Gumina said. �With all the time I spent out on the street I thought I might as well get in the ring and try it.�

When he is not working at his construction job, Gumina spends his time training with Jimmy Ford at Crocker Park.

�We train like no one else, there�s no one that�s going to train as hard as us. Jimmy Ford is the greatest trainer there,� Gumina said. �I mean he�s got us out there everyday and he�s just busting us. You can�t even drive home afterward your legs hurt so bad.�

Ford built a training ring for Gumina and a few other local kids and trains them for free.

�He�s there every night but �American Idol� night,� Gumina joked.

All jokes aside, Gumina and Ford spent countless hours preparing for the biggest bout in Gumina�s short career.

Last weekend was the 75th Anniversary of the San Francisco Golden Gloves, where the Bay Area�s best amateur boxers face off for a weeklong celebration of officially sanctioned violence.

Gumina, an amateur fighter from San Bruno, had his sights set on winning the Golden Gloves since he started preparing for the event six months ago. The six-foot-tall Gumina stepped into the brightly lit ring, his black trunks and tank top, as well as his Punisher and Tasmanian Devil tattoos, help to make him look like one tough guy - an image that he would prove in just eight short minutes.

As the bell sounded off in the first round, Gumina exploded out of the red corner battering his opponent, Barret Reese, with a barrage of hits that would make the most grizzled pugilist proud. Just two minutes into the third round, Gumina connects with a combination that floors Reese. The fight is over. The victorious Gumina waves to the crowd of shouting supporters, many of whom have been chanting �Joe, Joe, Joe� throughout the fight.

After winning this first bout, Gumina advanced to the semifinal round on Thursday night. Gumina thoroughly pounded his opponent, Andrew Harrison during all three rounds. He won easily.

�I�m taking them all out,� Gumina said.

Saturday night was billed as the main event. Gumina faced off with Jason Miller. Not to be outdone by his previous bouts, Gumina flew off the ropes beating his opponent until he knocked him out. The first round lasted less than a minute. Gumina won.

His family and friends exploded in cheers and hollers, jumping up and down, and hugging each other.

�This feels great, I wanted this ever since I was 16, I was playing football so I didn�t get a chance to box. Now I got it at 21,� he said as he played with his medal, his grin stretching from ear to ear.