Salim Ellis-Bey Highlights Day One of World Boxing Cup: China 2026 for Team USA

Salim Ellis-Bey continued his impressive first year representing USA Boxing’s Elite High Performance Team, earning his sixth victory of 2026 with a 3-2 decision over India’s Anmol Anmol. The victory over Anmol advanced Ellis-Bey to the Round of 16, where the Philadelphia native will face Kazakhstan’s Serik Temirzhanov.

Ellis-Bey took the opening round 3-2 before increasing the pressure in the final two rounds, landing multiple clean shots and earning 4-1 scores in each round. Ellis-Bey and Temirzhanov will now face each other on Tuesday, June 17.

Nnajai Wright (90+ kilograms) also competed on Monday in the men’s 90+ kilogram division against Kazakhstan's Aibek Oralbay, the 2025 World Boxing Championships gold medalist. After falling behind 4-1 in the opening round, Wright responded by winning the final round 3-2, but ultimately fell short against the World Boxing Championships gold medalist. The Richmond native fell 5-0 to the 2025 World Boxing Championships gold medalist.

Team USA will have six boxers in action on day two, with Marcus Luther (65 kilograms) and Deborah Grant kicking things off in the first session. Luther will be the first American to step in the ring on day two as the Washington D.C. native will begin his tournament run against Saudi Arabia's Mousa Alhawsaw in Ring A, Bout 1 at approximately 11 p.m. ET on Monday evening. As for Grant, she will face India’s Prachi Prachi in the Round of 16 in Ring B, Bout 7, at approximately 12:30 a.m. ET.

Following Grant, Lorenzo Patricio and Yoseline Perez will take the ring for Team USA in the second session. Patricio will be the first of the two to compete, with the Hawaii native squaring off against Singapore's Clayden Teo in Ring B, Bout 5 at approximately 5 a.m. ET. As for Perez, she will face Thailand’s Natnicha Chongprongklang in Ring B, Bout 9 at approximately 6 a.m. ET.

Concluding the day for Team USA in the third session will be Simona Winkler (70 kilograms) and Naomi Graham (75 kilograms). Winkler will be the first of the two competing on Tuesday, with the World Boxing Cup: Brazil 2026 bronze medalist going up against Ireland's Evelyn Igharo in the Round of 16 in Ring A, Bout 2, at approximately 8:15 a.m. ET. Graham will conclude the day for USA Boxing as she will compete against China’s Zi Yi Bao in Ring A, Bout 6, at approximately 9:15 a.m. ET.

At the World Boxing Cup: China 2026, USA Boxing will be led by Head Coach Billy Walsh (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and assisted by Elite High Performance Coach Nikki Burleson (Oklahoma City, Okla.) and Billy Rafalko (Philadelphia, Pa.)

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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