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Team USA Grabs 3 Wins on First Day of 2021 Junior Pan American Games Qualifier
by USA Boxing
Team USA went 3-1 during the first day of boxing at the 2021 Junior Pan American Games Qualifier, where boxers are vying to earn a spot at the first ever Junior Pan American Games, scheduled later this year.
Flyweight Steven Navarro (Los Angeles, Calif.) started Team USA with a strong unanimous decision victory over Panama’s Angel Bernal to advance to the second round of competition. Navarro will be right back in action on Friday, where he will step into the ring with Jimenez William of Venezuela.
Joel Iriarte (Bakersfield, Calif.) continued the young American teams winning ways with his own impressive 5-0 win against Venezuela’s Luis Rusa. The lightweight will have a quick turnaround, as he will be back in the ring tomorrow.
Super heavyweight Ali Feliz (Danbury, Conn.), a last-minute replacement for Team USA, took full advantage of this opportunity in his international debut. After giving his opponent, Erick Naranjo of Ecuador, two standing eight counts in the first round, the referee stopped the contest before the bell was rung in the round to advance to Saturday’s semifinal bouts, which guarantees him a medal in his international debut.
Team USA’s final competitor of the day, heavyweight Ali Almajdi (Fort Worth, Texas) put up a tough fight against Cuba’s Ronnye Alvarez but fell short of taking the judges’ card to advance in the tournament.
Joining Iriarte in tomorrow’s bouts will be Julius Ballo (Santee, Calif.), Santiago Franco (Portland, Ore.), Jesikah Guerra (Victorville, Calif.) and Jewry Rodrigues (Houston. Texas). All the action can be followed along on the livestream here.
Chadrick Wigle (Surf City, N.C.) will lead the team throughout the tournament as head coach, with assistant coaches Adonis Frazier (Minneapolis, Minn.), Edward Ochoa (Gilbert, Ariz.) and Nora Trujillo (Richmond, Texas), while Timothy Nolan (Rochester, N.Y.) is serving as the Team Manager.
Day 1 Results
52 kg: Steven Navarro, Los Angeles, Calif./USA, dec. over Angel Bernal/PAN, 5-0
63 kg: Joel Iriarte, Bakersfield, Calif./USA, dec. over Luis Rusa/ VEN, 5-0
91 kg: Ronnye Alvarez/CUB dec. over Ali Almajdi, Fort Worth, Texas/USA, 5-0
91+ kg: Ali Feliz, Danbury, Conn./USA, wins by RSC over Erick Naranjo/ECU, RSC-1
Day 2 Schedule
57 kg: Julius Ballo, Santee, Calif./USA, vs. Ivan Rudas/PAN
57 kg: Jewry Rodriguez, Houston, Texas/USA, vs. Maria Martinez/COL
63 kg: Joel Iriarte, Bakersfield, Calif./USA, vs. winner of PUR vs. ECU
69 kg: Jesikah Guerra, Victorville, Calif./USA, vs. Kelly Delgado/ECU
81 kg: Santiago Franco, Portland, Ore., vs. Luis Reynoso/CUB
Flyweight Steven Navarro (Los Angeles, Calif.) started Team USA with a strong unanimous decision victory over Panama’s Angel Bernal to advance to the second round of competition. Navarro will be right back in action on Friday, where he will step into the ring with Jimenez William of Venezuela.
Joel Iriarte (Bakersfield, Calif.) continued the young American teams winning ways with his own impressive 5-0 win against Venezuela’s Luis Rusa. The lightweight will have a quick turnaround, as he will be back in the ring tomorrow.
Super heavyweight Ali Feliz (Danbury, Conn.), a last-minute replacement for Team USA, took full advantage of this opportunity in his international debut. After giving his opponent, Erick Naranjo of Ecuador, two standing eight counts in the first round, the referee stopped the contest before the bell was rung in the round to advance to Saturday’s semifinal bouts, which guarantees him a medal in his international debut.
Team USA’s final competitor of the day, heavyweight Ali Almajdi (Fort Worth, Texas) put up a tough fight against Cuba’s Ronnye Alvarez but fell short of taking the judges’ card to advance in the tournament.
Joining Iriarte in tomorrow’s bouts will be Julius Ballo (Santee, Calif.), Santiago Franco (Portland, Ore.), Jesikah Guerra (Victorville, Calif.) and Jewry Rodrigues (Houston. Texas). All the action can be followed along on the livestream here.
Chadrick Wigle (Surf City, N.C.) will lead the team throughout the tournament as head coach, with assistant coaches Adonis Frazier (Minneapolis, Minn.), Edward Ochoa (Gilbert, Ariz.) and Nora Trujillo (Richmond, Texas), while Timothy Nolan (Rochester, N.Y.) is serving as the Team Manager.
Day 1 Results
52 kg: Steven Navarro, Los Angeles, Calif./USA, dec. over Angel Bernal/PAN, 5-0
63 kg: Joel Iriarte, Bakersfield, Calif./USA, dec. over Luis Rusa/ VEN, 5-0
91 kg: Ronnye Alvarez/CUB dec. over Ali Almajdi, Fort Worth, Texas/USA, 5-0
91+ kg: Ali Feliz, Danbury, Conn./USA, wins by RSC over Erick Naranjo/ECU, RSC-1
Day 2 Schedule
57 kg: Julius Ballo, Santee, Calif./USA, vs. Ivan Rudas/PAN
57 kg: Jewry Rodriguez, Houston, Texas/USA, vs. Maria Martinez/COL
63 kg: Joel Iriarte, Bakersfield, Calif./USA, vs. winner of PUR vs. ECU
69 kg: Jesikah Guerra, Victorville, Calif./USA, vs. Kelly Delgado/ECU
81 kg: Santiago Franco, Portland, Ore., vs. Luis Reynoso/CUB