2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing Male Brackets Preview

The 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing is coming in for a landing in Lafayette, La. Male boxers have high expectations to keep their Paris 2024 Olympic Games dreams alive. These boxers will go head-to-head against each other with hopes of coming out on top next week and being one step closer to being selected to represent Team USA at next year’s World Qualifiers and punch their ticket to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.  Here is a closer look at who will be stepping into the ring in one of the seven male weight classes contested in Lafayette.

51 kg

The 51 kg weight class is well-rounded and has some must-see boxers. Jordan Roach (Upper Marlboro, Md.) was the 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Champion, earning the top seed of the bracket, as well as winning a bronze medal at the 2023 Grand Prix International Tournament.  Behind Roach is Ryan Williams (Toledo, Ohio), who came in second at the 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Championships and participated in the 2022 Youth Worlds, before making the jump from youth to elite last December. Terry Washington (San Bernardino, Cali.), 2023 USA Boxing Elite National Qualifier Champion, and Alex Espinoza (Garland, Texas), 2023 National Golden Gloves Champion, round up the top four seeds of the bracket.

Other notable names include Aaron Maximus Garcia (Payton, Utah), Last Chance Qualifier champion, Eli Lankford (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Maximilano Baez (Reading, Pa.), Kenario Davidson (Colorado Springs, Colo.), David Delgado (Woodland, Cali), Peter Frakes (Cincinnati, Ohio), Marcellus Smith (Garfield Heights, Ohio), and Amos Thang (Indianapolis, Ind.).

The winner will move on and go head-to-head with Roscoe Hill (Spring, Texas) and try and claim the Team USA spot over Hill and go on to the World Qualifiers in March and May

57 kg

This deep and highly anticipated weight class is a must-watch for every bout and has fans eager to see who will come out on top.

One of the rising stars and someone fans have had their eyes on for a long time, Steven Navarro (Los Angeles, Calif.), was the 2021 Junior Pan Ams silver medalist and 2022 Elite Nationals silver medalists and will be the top seed next week.

Raimier Walker (Liverpool, N.Y.), Francis Stewart (Cleveland, Ohio), and Abraham Lozano Garcia (Concord, Calif.) round up the top four in the rankings. Walker was the 2023 USA Boxing Last Chance Qualifier Champion Stewart was the 2023 National Golden Gloves Champion, while Garcia took top honors at the 2023 USA Boxing Summer Festival.

However, this weight class has several other boxers worth mentioning. Zaquin Moses (Newark, N.J.) has boxing in his blood, as his cousin and 2016 Olympic silver medalist Shakur Stevenson will be most likely in his corner during the Trials. Moses, wanting to make a name for himself, has continued to make strides this year, winning his first elite tournament at the Last Chance Qualifier and picking up impressive wins over former Team USA members like now-professional, Curmel Moton.

Other names to watch out for in this strong and deep weight class are Jordan Fuentes (Fresno, Calif.) and William Luther (Washington D.C.). Fuentes defeated Cornellio Phipps, 2022 Youth World championships bronze medalist, at Last Chance Qualifier in his final youth tournament. Fuentes is hoping momentum is staying on his side and he can take the momentum into the Olympic Trials and his elite debut. As for Luther, he has the power, speed, and skills of a boxer to make a deep run at the Olympic Trials.

Other boxers include Izak Carlos (Olathe, Kan.), Jamir Germany (Norfolk, Va.), Joel Hernandez (Renton Wash.), Yoruba Moreu (Washington, D.C.), Jeremiah Perales (Omaha, Neb.), and Phillip Vella (Henderson, Nev.).

However, this class might be the strongest and deepest weight class of the Trials, but Team USA’s, Jahmal Harvey (Oxon Hill, Md.), did secure an Olympic qualification at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games, resulting in the Olympic Trials champion looking to become Harvey’s alternate.

63.5 kg

A weight class that again is talented from top to bottom. All boxers competing have a chance to go and secure that top spot for Team USA in January over current number one, Emilio Garcia (Laredo, Texas).

Alone at the top of the seeding is Dedrick Crocklem (Tacoma, Wash.), 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Champion, 2022 Youth World Championships bronze medalist, and 2023 High Performance squad member. Crocklem will look to continue his winning ways and come out on top of the field once again.

Noah Timoteo (Waianae, Hawaii), 2023 National Qualifier champion, Jonathan Mansour (San Diego, Calif.), 2023 National Golden Gloves Champion, and Alejandro Alvarado (La Puente, CA), 2023 Summer Festival Champion, round out the top four in the weight class.

Mansour has had international and World Championship experience, as well as competed at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, which he hopes to use to his advantage over his younger competitors. Outside of the rankings looking in include Vershaun Lee (Rockhill, Ill.), Troy Nash (Colorado Springs, Colo.), and Dustin Jimenez (Rochester, N.Y.). Jimenez, the 2022 Youth National Champion, will be the youngest male in the field, but one to keep an eye on, while Nash looked impressive in his elite debut at the 2023 Last Chance Qualifier. Lee, who represented Team USA at the 2021 Elite World Championships, began the quad on top and will look to return there.

The bracket is completed by Marcell Bonner (Cleveland, Ohio), Santana Draper (Fresno, Texas), Jordan Jenkins (Dallas, Texas), Javy Melgar-Torres (West Valley City, Utah), Cesar Olvera (San Leandro, Cali.), Khalil Osaze (East Cleveland, Ohio), Garrett Rice (Dearborn, Mich.), Israel Rodriguez (Humble, Texas) and Kentrell Rouser (Pontiac, Mich.).

71 kg

Leading the way in yet another impressive weight class is Benjamin Johnson (Springdale, Md.). Johnson was the 2022 USA Boxing Youth National Champion and 2023 Youth Brandenburg Cup Champion, as well as took the title at the 2023 Elite National Qualifier in his elite debut.

Other boxers to keep a close look at include Carlos Flowers (Dover, Del.) and Jason Moreno (Philadelphia, Pa.). Amir Anderson, the reigning National Champion, moved up to 80 kg, leaving Moreno as the top boxer from last year’s National Championships, while Flowers has been part of numerous High Performance camps this year and took victories at USA vs. Canada duels, hoping to carry that experience and momentum into these the Trials.

Keon Davis (Houston, Texas) and Kamakani Waialae (Waianae, Hawaii), the three and four seeds of the bracket, will be two other boxers hoping to make an impressive run in Lafayette. Davis is the brother of 2020 Olympic silver medalist Keyshawn Davis and has hopes of following in his brothers’ footsteps who won the 2020 Olympic Trials. As for Wailalae, he recently won the 2023 USA Boxing Last Chance Qualifier and will hope to use that in his favor next week.  Andrew Zammit (Centerville, Ohio) also is a 2023 Last Chance Qualifier champion but won the 75 kg bracket and did so in a dominating fashion.

The final group of boxers listed include Joseph Almaidi (Fort Worth, Texas), Ebenezer Griffith (Centennial, Colo.), Dante Kirkman (Palo Alto, Calif.), Javier Meza (Amarillo, Texas), Jirar Thompson (Inkster, Mich.) and Aaron Waldon (Georgetown, Ind.),

The winner will advance to the January selection camp, where they will go head-to-head against Omari Jones to determine who will represent Team USA at the World Qualifiers for next summer’s Games.

80 kg

The top seed for 80 kg is Obed Bartee-El (Colorado Springs, Colo.), who won gold at the 2022 AMBC Continental Championships. A member of the Army’s World Class Athlete Program, Barteel-El won this past September’s Last Chance Qualifier and was formerly ranked in the top eight in the world.

Nathan Lugo (Marietta, Ga.)  follows Bartee-El in the seedings after Lugo made an impressive run and won the 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Championships. Lugo, while one of the younger in his bracket, may be the most experienced boxer, having multiple national and international medals on his impressive boxing resume.

Ethan Smith (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Theon Davis (Chicago, Ill.) round out this strong top four, as Smith recently made the jump from youth to elite after winning the 2022 USA Boxing Youth National Championships and the 2023 Youth Brandenburg Cup, while Davis placed second at the 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Championships.

Missing the rankings but names to keep an eye out for in this weight class are Amir Anderson (Syracuse, N.Y.) and Alexis Chaparro (Ridgewood, N.Y.). Anderson is the reigning 71 kg National Champion but made the transition to 80 kg this year and was a member of USA Boxing’s 2023 High Performance Squad. Chaparro competed at the 2020 Trials and took a break, now returning and finishing second at the Summer Festival. His return was impressive, as he won all his fights before the finals by RSC or KO before falling short in a close finals bout and will come to Lafayette looking for redemption.

Boxers rounding out the bracket include Isaiah Carr (Kannapolis, N.C.), Steven Colome (North Port, Fla.), Julian Delgado (Corpus Christi, Texas), Sean O’Bradaigh (New York, N.Y.), Delbert Taylor (McKees Rocks, Pa.), Tyric Trapp (Tinton Falls, N.J.), and Keoni Washington (Antioch, Calif.).

The winner of the light heavyweight class will go against Robby Gonzales, 2021 Elite World Champion, with hopes of overtaking him on Team USA and having the opportunity to compete at the World Qualifiers to punch their ticket to Paris.

92 kg

Ben Turla (Kansas City, Mo.), Charles Pugh (East Cleveland, Ohio), Malachi Georges (Teaneck, N.J.), and Leroy Clark (Albuquerque, N.M.) are at the top of the seedings for the 92 kg weight class.

Turla, a 2023 Elite Men’s High Performance squad member, won the 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Championship which secured the top spot in the bracket for him. Following Turla, Pugh went on to win the 2023 USA Boxing Elite National Qualifier, while Georges won the 2023 National Golden Gloves to earn him the third seed. Clark secured the fourth seed by taking top honors at the 2023 USA Boxing Summer Festival.

A name to watch out for outside these four is Derae Crane (Houston, Texas). Crane returned to competition this year after taking a seven-year layoff following the 2016 Olympic Trials. Crane, who returned to competition at the 2023 USA Boxing Summer Festival, clinched his place to compete in Lafayette after winning the Last Chance Qualifiers in September.

The remaining boxers in the bracket include Danel Brown (Philadelphia, Pa.), Kyree Brown Zellner (Virginia Beach, Va.), Jacob Cox (Hutchinson, Kan.), Maurice Davis (Kalamazoo, Mich.), Toriano Johnson (Saint Louis, Mo.), Ali Monaghan (Cedar Rapids, Iowa), Eric Post (Gardena, Calif.) and Tyler Yayalar (Sarasota, Fla.)

The winner will move on and go head-to-head with Jamar Talley (Camden, N.J.) to try and claim the Team USA spot and go on to the World Qualifiers in March and May.

92+ kg

The super heavyweights’ bracket in Lafayette stars 2023 Elite Men’s High Performance squad member, Ali Feliz (Danbury, Conn.). Feliz went on to gain the top spot after he was the 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Champion. Feliz also brings international experience to the bracket, as he took a silver medal at the 2021 Junior Pan American Games.

Following Feliz are Steven Williams (Chester Pa.), Eric Ross (Chicago, Ill.), and Darnell Thompson (Mckinney, Texas). Williams went on to win the 2023 USA Boxing Elite National Qualifier, whereas Ross won the 2023 National Golden Gloves Champion. Thompson secured the final spot in the seedings by winning the 2023 USA Boxing Summer Festival.

Outside of the rankings, a name that can make a push and make some noise in the field is Ty Jackson (Alexander, Ark.). Jackson continues to grow his game over the last two years and has worked with Team USA recently in training camps, gaining valuable experience against some of the top heavyweight and super heavyweights in the United States.

The remaining boxers in this bracket include Giovanni Perkins-Cornicelli (Rancho Mirage, Cali.), the 2023 Last Chance Qualifier champion, Rockill Brown (Cleveland, Ohio), Curtis Gee (Little Rock, Ark.), Michael Green (Fort Worth, Texas), Jessie Jombo (Grand Prairie, Texas), Gilbert Kabamba (Boston, Mass.) and Alonzo Neal (Aurora, Colo.).

Boxers in this weight class will be looking to take top honors in Lafayette and become the alternate to Joshua Edwards (Houston, Texas), who secured his place to next summer’s Olympic Games with his gold medal performance at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games.

All boxing from the CAJUNDOME in Lafayette, La. will begin on Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. and can be followed here.  Tickets for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing start at $10 per day, $25 for Saturday’s finals, or $50 for the whole week.

To access the official 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing Media Guide please click here.