Team USA Learns Path to Gold at World Boxing Cup: China 2026

Team USA will have 10 boxers competing during the World Boxing Cup: China 2026. This marks USA Boxing’s Elite High Performance Team’s third international competition and the second World Boxing Cup this year.

Team USA learned its path to gold across 10 weight classes on Sunday as the tournament draw took place ahead of competition beginning Monday. Action will continue throughout the week, with championship bouts scheduled for Sunday, June 21. The United States roster features six women and four men competing in Guiyang City, China.

Two Team USA boxers will be in action on the tournament's opening day, as Salim Ellis-Bey (60 kilograms) and Nnajai Wright (90+ kilograms) will step into the ring Monday, June 15.

Ellis-Bey will square off against India's Anmol Anmol in Session 1, Ring A, Bout 2 at approximately 11:15 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 14. The Philadelphia native earned his first elite international medal at the World Boxing Cup: Brazil 2026, capturing silver after defeating Kyrgyzstan's Munarbek Seiitbek Uulu, a Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist. Wright will face Kazakhstan's Aibek Oralbay, the 2025 World Boxing Championships gold medalist. Wright was elevated from USA Boxing's Elite High Performance Squad in place of Kelvin Watts due to injury and has earned a medal at every international event of his career, including two gold medals. Wright will enter the ring Monday morning in Session 3, Ring A, Bout 4 at approximately 8:45 a.m. ET.

Tuesday, June 16, Team USA will have six boxers making their tournament debut, including four females and two males. On the women's side, Yoseline Perez (54 kilograms) will look to secure her second medal in 2026 and her fifth medal in six international tournaments. The Houston native will go head-to-head with the winner of China’s Xuan Zhao and Thailand’s Natnicha Chongprongklang.

Deborah Grant (57 kilograms) will make her USA Boxing Elite High Performance Team debut this week after winning gold and the Best Female Boxer of the Tournament award at the 2026 Gee Bee Tournament in Helsinki, Finland, and adding a silver medal at the 2026 Copa America last month. Grant will face off with India’s Prachi Prachi in the Round of 16.

Rounding out the women’s team on Tuesday are Simona Winkler (70 kilograms) and Naomi Graham (75 kilograms). Winkler will open her tournament against Ireland's Evelyn Igharo in the Round of 16. The Seattle native has been one of Team USA’s rising stars in 2026, earning medals at both international competitions this year. As for Graham, the 2020 Tokyo Olympian will make her tournament debut in the quarterfinals and will face the winner of the Round of 16 bout between China’s Zi Yi Bao and Kazakhstan’s Natalia Bogdanova.

On the men's side, Marcus Luther (65 kilograms) will begin his tournament run against Saudi Arabia's Mousa Alhawsaw, while 2024 World Boxing U19 Championships gold medalist Lorenzo Patricio (55 kilograms) will square off with Singapore's Clayden Teo. Patricio has earned three international medals during his amateur career, including a silver medal with Team USA at the 77th International Boxing Strandja Tournament earlier this year.

Team USA’s women’s roster is completed by Noelle Haro (51 kilograms) and Marie Rosendo (65 kilograms). Rosendo will begin her quest for gold on Wednesday in the Round of 16 against Mongolia’s Tsetsegdari Myagmarsuren, while Haro will make her World Boxing Cup: China 2026 debut on Thursday against the winner of Bulgaria’s Zlatislava Chukanova and Mongolia’s Yesugen Oyuntsetseg. Haro enters China with momentum after earning a bronze medal at the World Boxing Cup: Brazil 2026, marking the first international medal of her career.

At the World Boxing Cup: China 2026, USA Boxing will be led by Head Coach Billy Walsh (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and assisted by National Development Coach Edward Fonteneaux (Fayetteville, N.C.) and Elite High Performance Coach Nikki Burleson (Oklahoma City, Okla.).

To view brackets, bout sheets, and all other tournament information for the World Boxing Cup: China 2026, fans can navigate to the event page, linked HERE.

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