From USA Boxing:
Virginia Fuchs, Mikaela Mayer, and Claressa Shields Clinch Berths in the Olympic Trials Championship Bout
Virginia Fuchs Upsets Marlen Esparza in Championship Bracket Final
(MEMPHIS, TENN.) – Three athletes won spots in the championship round and 48 hours of rest with victories on Wednesday night at the Olympic Trials for Women’s Boxing. Flyweight Virginia Fuchs (Kemah, Texas), lightweight Mikaela Mayer (Los Angeles, Calif.), and middleweight Claressa Shields (Flint, Mich.) each clinched a berth in Saturday’s finals with wins at the Memphis Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tenn.
Fuchs pulled the upset of the night in her flyweight winners bracket final round bout with 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas). After falling to Esparza in the finals of the last three editions of the USA Boxing National Championships, Fuchs earned her first win over her fellow Houston native on Wednesday. The always aggressive Fuchs was able to execute the game plan that she and her coaches had been fine tuning in preparation for Esparza. Her efforts paid off in a 2-1 win and two days off before Saturday’s championship night. “I stopped her from getting in her rhythm. I got my space and I used my jab. My jab was the key,” Fuchs said. “It feels amazing. It feels so good because this is what I’ve been working for. For the past four years, this is what I’ve been working on. This is what I came here to accomplish.”
In flyweight challengers bracket competition, Giovanna Camacho (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Christina Cruz (New York, N.Y.) each won 2-0 decisions to remain in tournament contention. Camacho defeated Amanda Pavone (Burlington, Mass.) and Cruz took a victory over Alex Love (Colorado Springs, Colo.) to move on to Thursday’s action. Camacho and Cruz will face off on Thursday with the winner advancing to a Friday match-up with Esparza.
The lightweight winners bracket final featured a match-up of familiar opponents as well. Reigning lightweight national champion Mikaela Mayer (Los Angeles, Calif.) and 2012 World Champion Tiara Brown (Fort Myers, Fla.) met for the fifth time on Wednesday night at the Cook Convention Center. The two boxers headed in to the rivalry bout with each holding two victories apiece but Mayer exited the ring with her third win over Brown. In Wednesday’s match-up, Brown exhibited an aggressive style and took the bout to the taller Mayer. While Brown pressed the action, Mayer looked to box and use her reach advantage to outbox her opponent. At the end of the bout, Mayer was named the winner by a 3-0 margin and she advances to Saturday’s championship round. “She was coming toward me and that allowed me to use my boxing skills which is what I’m good at. That 1-2-3 was landing every time,” Mayer said. “I’m glad that I have these two days off because I fell in to the challengers bracket in 2012 and it was really hard to recover. I’m going to use the next two days to train, stay sharp, look and see who’s going to be in the finals with me and then work on the strategy for them.”
Jajaira Gonzalez (Glendora, Calif.) and Rianna Rios (Colorado Springs, Colo.) both advanced to the next round with challengers bracket victories on Wednesday. Rios won a 2-0 decision over Samantha Kinchen (Lexington, Ky.) and Gonzalez moved on with a medical walkover over Amelia Moore (Millersville, Md.). Gonzalez and Rios will meet in Thursday’s competition to determine who will face Brown in Friday’s action.
In the middleweight division, 2012 Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields (Flint, Mich.) continued her winning streak with a 3-0 victory over Raquel Miller (San Diego, Calif.). After an intense showdown in the winners bracket final, Shields’ bout on Wednesday was a bit slower paced. The reigning World and Pan American Games champion picked her shots against Miller and rode her stiff jab and strong right hand to her second straight unanimous decision victory. She advances to the finals and will await the middleweight challengers bracket winner. “She was really patient and backed up a lot of the fight. She came forward some but I landed the cleaner, harder shots. She landed a few right hands but I kept going forward, and kept landing jabs. I landed a lot of jabs,” Shields said. “It was a good fight and now I’m going to enjoy my two days off.”
In middleweight challengers bracket action, Franchon Crews (Baltimore, Md.) and Tika Hemingway (Brackenridge, Pa.) each won unanimous decision victories to set up another battle between the two. The winner will move on to a Friday match-up with Miller.
Thursday’s Olympic Trials competition will begin at 6 p.m., with only three challengers bracket contests taking place in the day’s action. Thursday’s winners will meet the boxers who fell in tonight’s winners bracket competition.
Wednesday was the final day of preliminary competition with the 101 victors in the Men’s Trials Qualifier advancing to Thursday’s quarterfinal competition. There will only be one session for the remainder of the tournament with Thursday and Friday’s action beginning at 6 p.m. at the Cook Convention Center.
Olympic Trials for Women’s Boxing Results
112 lbs/challengers bracket: Giovanna Camacho, Colorado Springs, Colo., dec. Amanda Pavone, Burlington, Mass., 2-0
112 lbs/challengers bracket: Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y., dec. Alex Love, Colorado Springs, Colo., 2-0
112 lbs/winners bracket: Virginia Fuchs, Kemah, Texas dec. Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas, 2-1
132 lbs/challengers bracket: Rianna Rios, Colorado Springs, Colo., dec. Samantha Kinchen, Lexington, Ky., 2-0 tiebreaker
132 lbs/challengers bracket: Jajaira Gonzalez won on medical walkover over Amelia Moore, Millersville, Md., W/O
132 lbs/winners bracket: Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif., dec. Tiara Brown, Fort Myers, Fla., 3-0
165 lbs/challengers bracket: Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md., dec. Naomi Graham, Colorado Springs, Colo., 3-0
165 lbs/challengers bracket: Tika Hemingway, Brackenridge, Pa., dec. Cierra Taylor, Rochester, N.Y., 3-0
165 lbs/winners bracket: Claressa Shields, Flint, Mich., dec. Raquel Miller, San Diego, Calif., 3-0
Thursday’s Olympic Trials Bout Sheet>
112 lbs/challengers bracket: Giovanna Camacho, Colorado Springs, Colo., vs. Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y.
132 lbs/challengers bracket: Rianna Rios, Colorado Springs, Colo., vs. Jajaira Gonzalez, Glendora, Calif.
165 lbs/challengers bracket: Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md., vs. Tika Hemingway, Brackenridge, Pa.
Wednesday’s Men’s Trial Qualifier III Results
114 lbs: Timothy Jarman, St. Louis, Mo., dec. John Atiles, Cypress, Texas, 3-0
123 lbs: Raheem Robinson, Jamaica, N.Y., dec. Rudy Garcia, Los Angeles, Calif., 2-1
123 lbs: Efren Lopez, Fresno, Calif., dec. Israel Torres, Inverness, Fla., 3-0
123 lbs: Dan Abram, Kansas City, Mo., dec. dec. Michael Nelson, Shelby, Ohio, 2-1
123 lbs: Juan Gonzales, San Antonio, Texas dec. Tyler Herberger, San Diego, Calif., 3-0
123 lbs: Rocky Marzan, Scranton, Pa., won on TKO over Roscoe Hill, Spring, Texas, TKO-3
123 lbs: Sandy Rivas, Odessa, Fla., dec. Jorge Romero, Miami, Fla., 3-0
123 lbs: Duke Ragan, Cincinnati, Ohio dec. Jose Carillo, Manteca, Calif., 3-0
123 lbs: Anthony Chavez, San Berandino, Calif., dec. Javon Campbell, Powder Springs, Ga., 3-0
132 lbs: Elijah Peixoto, E. Providence, R.I., dec. Jalonte Cole, Burke, Va., 3-0
132 lbs: Arnold Alejandro, Grand Prairie, Texas dec. Lorenzo Caldera, Portland, Ore., 3-0
132 lbs: Maliek Montgomery, Macon, Ga., won on TKO over Romuel Cruz, Philadelphia, Pa, TKO-2
132 lbs: Trea Talton, Reno, Nev., dec. Antonio Williams, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., 3-0
132 lbs: Michael Dutchover, Midland, Texas dec. Ernest Hall, Baltimore, Md., 3-0
132 lbs: Jousce Gonzalez, Glendora, Calif., dec. Javar Jones, Anderson, Ind., 2-1
132 lbs: Bruce Carrington, Brooklyn, N.Y., dec. Martino Jules, Allentown, Pa., 3-
141 lbs: Richardson Hitchins, Brooklyn, N.Y., dec. Felix Santana, Ocala, Fla., 3-0
141 lbs: Marcell Davidson, Kansas City, Kansas dec. Charles Vasquez Vera, New Port Richey, Fla., 2-1
141 lbs: Frank Martin, Indianapolis, Ind., dec. Sharad cCollier, Hartford, Conn., 3-0
141 lbs: Nasir Jones, Philadelphia, Pa., dec. Benjamin Orozco, Fort Myers, Fla., 3-0
141 lbs: Julian Smith, Robbins, Ill., dec. Elias Diaz, San Diego, Calif., 2-1
141 lbs: Michael Montgomery, Macon, Ga., dec. Nigel Fennell, Salisbury, Md., 3-0
141 lbs: Kenneth Thomas, Indianapolis, Ind., dec. Damien Lopez, Burbank, Calif., 3-0
141 lbs: Edurado Garcia, Houston, Texas dec. Trent Wilson, Denmark, Tenn., 2-1
141 lbs: Randy Moreno, Las Vegas, Nev., dec. Mark Bailey, Durham, N.C., 3-0
141 lbs: Christian Camarena, Pasadena, Calif., dec. Tavarus Roberts, 2-1
141 lbs: Abraham Nova, Albany, N.Y., dec. Rosalindo Morales, Ellwood City, Pa., 3-0
152 lbs: Rashid Stevens, Gahanna, Ohio dec. Quantavious Green, Shreveport, La., 3-0
152 lbs: Javaune James, Miramar, Fla., dec. Anthony Laureano, E. Hartford, Conn., 2-1
152 lbs: Quinton Randall, Katy, Texas dec. David Rodriguez, Tallmadge, Ohio, 3-0
152 lbs: Nikolas Valdez, Seattle, Wash., dec. James Perella, Mansfield, R.I., 3-0
152 lbs: Ferdinand Kerobyan, N. Hollywood, Calif., dec. Keeshawn Williams, Washington DC, 3-0
165 lbs: David Wallace, Cantonsville, Md., dec. Antonio Woods, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 2-1
152 lbs: Joseph Hicks, Grand Rapids, Mich., dec. James Kelleher, Coopersburg, Pa., 3-0
165 lbs: Kevin Green, New Orleans, La., dec. Ivan Beltran, San Diego, Calif., 3-0
165 lbs: Frederick Wilson, Clveland Ohio, dec. Tavon Body, Burtonsville, Md., 3-0
165 lbs: Gregory Soileau, Marion, La., dec. Christan De La Rosa, Denver, Colo., 2-1
165 lbs: Carlos Monroe, Snellville, GA., dec. Ezekiel Scruggs, Little Rock, Ark., 3-0
165 lbs: Charles Conwell, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, dec. Donald Reed, Missouri City, Texas, 3-0
165 lbs: Javier Martinez, Milwaukee, Wis., dec. Daine Smikle, New Haven, Conn., 3-0
178 lbs: Joseph George, Houston, Texas won on TKO over Bobby Harris, Worcester, Mass., TKO-3
178 lbs: Kiante Irving, Ambridge, Pa., dec. Richard Rivera, Hartford, Conn., 3-0
178 lbs: Martez McGregor, Maywood, Ill., won on TKO over Joseph Merrill, Jacksonville, Fla., TKO-1
178 lbs: Edgar Berlanga, Brooklyn, N.Y., dec. Joacquin Lagree, Lauderhill, Fla., 3-0
178 lbs: Emilio Rodriguez, Mission Hills, Calif., dec. Jeremy Cullors, Spring Valley, Calif., 3-0
178 lbs: Jose Rodriguez, Tallmadge, Ohio won on walkover over De’Antwon Jackson, Canal Winchester, Ohio, W/O
178 lbs: Chyrye Anderson, N. Las Vegas, Nev., won on TKO over Matthew Brown, Barberton, Ohio, TKO-2
178 lbs: Eric Moon, Marietta, Ga., dec. Mark Duncan, Clarksburg, Md., TKO-3
201 lbs: Lonnie Adams, Long Beach, Calif., dec. Richard Druliner, Seattle, Wash., 3-0
201 lbs: Edmen Shahbazyan, Glendale, Calif., dec. Devon Henry, Columbus, Ohio, 2-1
201 lbs: Jason Beauchamp, Henderson, Nev., dec. Joshua Juarez, Laredo, Texas, 3-0
201 lbs: Brandon Glanton, Atlanta, Ga., dec. Dominique Mayfield, Philadelphia, Pa., 3-0
201 lbs: Marquise Williams, Newburgh, N.Y., won on knockout over Vardan Khachatrian, Los Angeles, Calif., KO-2
201 lbs: Sardius Simmons, Flint, Mich., dec. Charles Harris, Red Oak, Texas, 3-0
201 lbs: Cedric Washington, Pearland, Texas, dec. Demek Edmonds, Worcester, Mass., 2-1
201+ lbs: Colby Madison, Ownings Mills, Md., dec. Austin Joseph, Atlanta, Ga., 3-0
201+ lbs: Brandon Lynch, Albany, N.Y., won on TKO over James Dancing Bull, Minot, N.D., TKO-2
201+ lbs: Derrick Durr, Chicago, Ill., dec. Reggie Reams, Colorado Springs, Colo., 2-1
201+ lbs: Elvis Garcia, Tacoma, Wash., dec. Giovanni Lacognata, Pensacola, Fla., 3-0
201+ lbs: John Luna, Milwaukee, Wis., dec. John Washington, Forrest City, Ark., 3-0
201+ lbs: Leonid Grachev, Boulder, Colo., dec. Jerome Jones, Peridot, Ariz., 3-0
201+ lbs: Nkosi Solomon, Brooklyn, N.Y., won on walkover over Muhammed Bin-Bilal, Albuquerque, N.M., TKO-1
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