LEWISTON – Three fighters made their pro debuts Saturday night during the boxing card at the Multi-Purpose Center in Lewiston. But only one had a former world champion in his corner. And only one was basically at home.

It took just about as much time for 18-year-old Ryan Gamache to make it to the ring as it did to earn his first professional victory in the main event of a 10-bout card promoted by his uncle, Joey Gamache, Jr.

Gamache disposed of his opposition, Angelo Smith, at the 2:28 mark of the first round after Gamache put Smith on the mat for the third time.

Led by his uncle, and followed by his grandfather, Joe Gamache Sr., it was time for another generation of the local boxing family to step into the ring as a professional. It was a decision that uncle and grandfather tried to talk him out of.

It wasn’t that two-time champ Joey or his father felt the 18-year-old wasn’t capable. After all, they have watched him box since he was six. They’ve watched him put together a 25-5 amateur record and win medals at many levels of competition. They were just concerned he was making the leap a little too soon.

“I was 21 when I turned pro,” Joey Gamache said late last week. “He does know the theatrics of the game.”

“We were just concerned that he didn’t have a man’s strength,” said grandfather and trainer Joe Gamache Sr. “My son Joey had 100 amateur fights under his belt when he turned pro. Ryan’s only had 30.”

“We were hoping he would stay an amateur a while longer and physically develop more and stay around for a possible shot at the Olympics. But as Joey says, the politics at the amateur level can be too much.”

For the younger Gamache, despite advice from his family, there was no doubt it was the right decision, one that was 12 years in the making.

“I’ve been boxing since I was six,” said Ryan Gamache as he basked in the attention a winner and hometown hero gets. “I took two years off to think about this decision. This was a big decision for me to turn pro. Ninety percent of me took a big turn today.”

According to the fighter with the 1-0 professional record, it was business as usual in the ring.

“It’s all in the training,” said the fighter. “You approach it by looking at who you are fighting. You go in with the mindset to win and not to be the fastest or anything. You just think about what you need to do to win and do it.”

Despite the similarities, it is also completely different.

“The gloves are a lot smaller,” said Gamache. “And of course there is no head gear. There is definitely a lot on the line in there in a professional fight.”

“With changes like that, you never know if a young fighter will fold under the pressure,” added Joe Gamache Sr.

He wasted no time going after Smith. With a brief flurry of punches the challenger went down. He did it again a short time later and when Smith went down the third time, the referee stopped the fight.

“I thought Ryan did very well,” said Gamache Sr. “His opponent was a tall guy with long arms and that is trouble. Ryan did it right and stayed in close and worked the body.”

The 18-year-old didn’t come out unscathed. He sported a scrape on his forehead and one behind his shoulder. None of that mattered after the fact as the beaming victor held court for friends and fans.

“When he hugged me after the fight, he told me he got hit pretty hard and that the guy had power,” said Gamache Sr. “But he looks a lot like Joey and already knows things Joey took years to learn.”

It may have been a big step for Ryan but in fact it was just the first step.

“I will keep training both here and at Gleason’s Gym in New York City and get another fight and keep working hard,” said the fighter.

“It feels great,” said Gamache. “It’s in my blood. It’s Uncle Joe.”

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