A-Square Fight Club owner Eric McGuire moved with an uncharacteristic swagger inside a pole-barn that served as a boxing arena at the Saline Fairgrounds on Sunday.

Escorting his only boxer of the weekend, James Taylor, to the ring, McGuire projected confidence as though any excess would make its way to his pupil by way of osmosis. His stern face glowing from Vaseline and sweat, Taylor stomped about the ring with the same confidence of his coach prior to the opening bell.

Taylor’s many ring-side supporters screamed in support, including his mother, Dalion Thompson, and four-month-old niece, Genesis.

Keeping his opponent at a safe distance for much of the fight with a well-executed left jab, Taylor justified McGuire’s confidence and put smiles on his family members’ faces with a unanimous decision over Fernando Martinez, Jr., 15, of South Bend, Ind.

That lone win was all Taylor would need to take first place in his division at the 2011 Junior Olympic Regional Championships. With the win, Taylor qualifies for the Junior Olympic National Tournament Aug. 2-5 in Mobile, Ala.

Martinez had a reputation as an aggressive fighter who pushes the pace, but Taylor was able to use his reach to neutralize that strength.

“I knew I wasn’t just going to sit up and bang with him,” Taylor said “I decided to just box him, get my points, cuz he’s a brawler.”

Though Taylor was the only A-Square Fight Club boxer to compete at the two-day event -- which pitted state champions from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio against each other -- he will be one of three to represent the club at nationals.

Pioneer freshman Jasmine Hampton -- Taylor’s cousin -- and Issa Awad (a freshman at Huron) both went uncontested and therefore earned spots at nationals as well.

“It’ll be the first time we’ve ever had three at nationals,” McGuire said.

McGuire was encouraged by the way Taylor won on Sunday. He said Taylor had been trying to knock opponents out too much of late, and is getting back to what could be most successful for him in the long run.

“He kind of got away from the jab and was turning into one of those guys that wanted to throw the hooks all the time. He can win like that, but he got to the point where he was trying to do that too much,” McGuire said. “He’s got a longer reach than most the opponents he faces, so he needs to use that to be most successful.”

Taylor -- a 16-year-old Stone School sophomore -- had a healthy dose of aggressiveness in the third and final round, attacking relentlessly and nearly stopping the fight with a body shot that stunned Martinez at the ropes. It was a stark contrast to the first two rounds when he mostly let the action come to him

One judge had Taylor ahead by a single point heading into the third, and ahead 16-11 by the end.

“I just wanted to make it clear that I wanted to fight,” Taylor said.

Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.