Jones Earns Silver at 2021 Elite Men’s World Championships
by Brian Taylor, USA Boxing
Omari Jones (Orlando, Fla.) World Championships run ended tonight against Japan’s Sewonrets Okazawa. Jones, who turns 19 on Sunday, was making his elite international debut at these World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.
The welterweight saw the first round go in favor of the 2020 Olympian from Japan, 3-2, however, came back strongly in the second round to take four of the five judges’ cards, resulting in the scorecards to see the American up on two, tied on two and Okazawa up on one heading into the final round.
With the fight and a world title on the line, Jones left his heart out in the ring, however, saw the judges award Okazawa with the 3-2 decision to see the final decision in favor, 3-2, to Japan, leaving the Jones with the silver medal. Jones silver medal is the first American male welterweight to medal at an Elite World Championships since Demetrius Andrade won gold in 2007.
Jones’ World Championship run included victories over Scotland’s Tyler Jolley, Norway’s Martin Skogheim and Brazil’s Wanderson De Oliveira.
Team USA still has three more opportunities for gold at these championships, as Rahim Gonzales (Las Vegas, Nev.), Jahmal Harvey (Oxon Hill, Md.) and Roscoe Hill (Spring, Texas) will compete in tomorrow’s final day of boxing. Click here to follow all the action.
Finals Day 1 Results
67 kg: Sewonrets Okazawa/JPN dec. over Omari Jones, Orlando, Fla./USA, 3-2