Team USA Puts on a Show During Second Day of 2021 Strandja Tournament

Team USA put on a clinic during the second day of boxing at the 2021 Strandja Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Americans went 4-0 on the day, including three boxers winning by unanimous decision.

Charlie Sheehy (Brisbane, Calif) started the day for Team USA by taking all five judges’ cards over Dzmitry Dziashkevich of Belarus. The lightweight will have a quick turnaround, as he will compete in tomorrow’s quarterfinal bout against Armenia’s Benik Nikoghosyan.

Middleweight Naomi Graham (Fayetteville, N.C.) began her quest for her third straight Strandja Tournament title with a 4-1 decision over Anastasiia Chernokolenko, a former World Championship light heavyweight bronze medalist, of Ukraine. Graham will face India’s Kachari Bhagyabati in Thursday’s quarterfinal bout.

Virginia Fuchs (Houston, Texas) began the final session of the day with a dominating performance over Liubov Sharapova of Russia. Fuchs’, who is looking for her second straight Strandja title and third overall, unanimous decision victory places her in a quarterfinal matchup against Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota, the 2018 light flyweight World Championship silver medalists, on Thursday.

Featherweight Andrea Medina (San Diego, Calif.) closed out the impressive day with her own unanimous decision win against Aycan Guldagi of Turkey. Medina, who is now 2-0 in the tournament, will have a rest day before stepping into the ring against Bulgaria’s Svetlana Kamenova, who is making her return to the ring after a few years away from the sport.

Rashida Ellis (Lynn, Mass.) will join Sheehy as the two Americans to step into the ring tomorrow. Rashida will face Chaymae Rhaddi (Ring B, Bout 8) during the morning session that begins at 7 a.m. EST, while Sheehy will be the first bout in Ring A for the second session, which starts at 11:00 a.m. EST.

Click here to follow USA Boxing throughout the tournament.