The tension mounted for the boxers fighting at the first-ever outdoor show held at the Fish Head Cantina on Aug. 20 in Arbutus.
After all, they were ready to rumble at the appointed hour and then had to wait another 90 minutes to begin, adding to pre-fight jitters
Once the bouts began at Mighty Moe's Fights at the Fish Head, though, the ring amateurs wanted more.
So did an estimated 400 to 500 fans, especially local supporters of Lansdowne High students Brian Yakel and Sam Warfield.
Yakel and Warfield were still bouncing around on adrenaline outside the ring after each won impressive victories.
Catonsville resident Greg Wright, who fought in the main event, wanted more time in the ring after a tough loss to Travis Roberts — for another reason.
Wright and Roberts were expecting to fight for four two-minute rounds, but they only went three.
"I didn't know we weren't having a fourth round until before the third round," said Wright, who was told by his trainer, Moe Rites. "Moe was like, 'This is the last round, go and get it.' "
Rites, who organized the highly successful event, was told they could only go three rounds because, "We didn't write it down on the card."
He still felt good about Wright's chances.
"I thought Greg won the first two rounds," Rites said.
Wright, who has sparred with Roberts, learned that he must have faster starts in the future and not cater to his opponent's style.
"When we got into the ropes, I was into his game," Wright said. "His game is inside, and I should have stayed outside."
Wright, whose record in three years as an amateur is 6-4,admitted pre-fight emotions are the same before every fight.
"If you don't have nerves before a fight, something is wrong with you," he said. "You are getting in there with somebody that is trying to hurt you — somebody that is trying to knock your head off."
Earlier in the evening, he watched Yakel win his first-ever amateur bout and it brought back memories of Wright's first triumph.
Yakel's win came after he lost his amateur debut in June.
"I was in the same spot he was, where I lost my first," Wright said. "It's a lot of pressure walking in there for another time, you know (you lost) and your family knows, so it's a big relief."
The 6-foot Yakel pummeled 6-foot-4 inch Reid Ruark in a bout that was stopped late in the first round.
Yakel celebrated by hugging everybody in his path.
Trainer Russ Shipley was the first recipient. His family and friends in the front row were next on the to-hug list.
"It was amazing — the best feeling ever," Yakel said.
He drew his inspiration from schoolmate Warfield and fellow Mighty Moe's Boxing and Fitness trainee Sturdivant "Chico" Dunlap.
"After Sam won and Chico won, I said, 'I'm going after it in the first round — and I did,' " he said.
Yakel, who weighed in at 259, started training at Mighty Moe's Boxing and Fitness in January of 2011 when he tipped the scales at 310 pounds.
Warfield, who spent the spring pitching Lansdowne High's baseball team to the state championship final, improved to 2-0 with his victory over Chris Cho.
Warfield won the first two rounds and grew even stronger in the third when he stung Cho with a straight right hand that wobbled him.
"I figured I could counter, so I'd let him swing and hit me and right off the hit I would hit back," said Warfield, who, like Wright had butterflies before the bout. "I was nervous, but I knew once I stepped in the ring everything would go away just like the last time, and I would do what I had to do."
Warfield, who said he's playing football for the first time at Lansdowne High this fall, won't abandon boxing.
"I'll train through the season," said Warfield, as he bounced on his toes. "I could go another four or five rounds."
Warfield isn't the only one who will hit the gridiron when they leave the ring.
Deonta Dunlap, 10, and his older brother Devin, 11, are playing in the Catonsville Stars football program.
Although they lost their bouts, they cheered on their dad, "Chico" when he dispatched Walt Robinson.
Robinson defeated Dunlap on June 17 in a bout a day after Dunlap's birthday.
"I had a day's notice for the fight, and I believed I won. But I did a lot of roadwork and ran the Arbutus hills to get in shape (for the rematch),"
Both fighters appeared drained in the third round until Dunlap found another gear.
"I was gassed, but I bit on my mouthpiece and every time he came in, I jabbed low because he's taller than I am," Dunlap said.
All told, there were 11 fights promoted by Rites.
"It's my first show in Arbutus since 1998 or 1999 and the atmosphere was great," the Catonsville High grad said. "I loved it."