Team USA Grabs Five Wins on Second Day of 2021 Junior Pan American Games
by USA Boxing
Team USA continued their impressive 2021 Junior Pan American Games run, taking five wins, including securing four medals, during the second day of boxing action in Cali. Colombia.
Steven Navarro (Los Angeles, Calif.) started the day off with a unanimous decision victory over Jose Luis De Los Santos Feliz of Dominican Republic to clinch his place in a semifinal matchup against Cesar Martin Astorga during tomorrow’s first session of the day.
Welterweight Quincey Williams (Washington, D.C.) faced a familiar foe in Mexico’s Kevin Cantabrana in his second fight of the tournament. Williams saw the referee take a point away from him during the first round, however, came back strong in the following two rounds to win the unanimous decision victory to advance to the medal rounds. Williams will face Piero Mikeli Prieto Aguirre of Ecuador on Monday.
Donte Layne (Elmont, N.Y.) continued Team USA’s winning ways with his own unanimous decision victory. The middleweight defeated Felix Rivas of Puerto Rico and will return to the ring tomorrow against Felipe De Oliveira Ignacio to box for a place in the medal rounds.
Light heavyweight Santiago Franco (Portland, Ore.) made an impressive tournament debut against Omar Jose Leones Loiz right from the first bell. Franco grabbed all five judges’ cards in every round, including two 10-8 rounds during the first round after giving his opponent a standing eight count. Franco’s win guaranteed himself his first international medal and will take to the ring on Monday with Brazil’s Ricardo Candido De Oliveira Fiho.
Jesikah Guerra (Victorville, Calif.) picked up the first win for the women of Team USA tonight with her own dominating performance against Dominican Republic’s Hilary Carrera. Guerra advanced to her semifinal matchup against Roxana Esperanza Briceno Flores on Monday.
Middleweight Sativa James (Dixon, Calif.) closed out the day for Team USA against Darianne Hernandez of Mexico. James fell short of advancing in the tournament following the referee stopping the bout.
Ali Almadji (Arlington, Texas), Kayla Gomez (El Paso, Texas), Joel Iriarte (Bakersfield, Calif.), Jewry Rodriguez (Houston, Texas) join Layne and Navarro during tomorrow’s action. The men will compete in the 3:00 p.m. EST session, while the females will take to the ring in the 7:00 p.m. EST session and can be followed along here.
Day 2 Results
52 kg: Steven Navarro, Los Angeles, Calif./USA, dec. Jose Luis De Los Santos Feliz/DOM, 5-0
69 kg: Jesikah Guerra, Victorville, Calif./USA, dec. over Hilary Carrera/DOM, 5-0
69 kg: Quincey Williams, Washington, D.C./USA, vs. Kevin Cantabrana/MEX, 5-0
75 kg: Darianne Hernandez/MEX dec. over Sativa James, Dixon, Calif./USA
75 kg: Donte Layne, Elmont, N.Y./USA, dec. over Felix Rivas/PUR, 5-0
81 kg: Santiago Franco, Portland, Ore./USA, dec. Omar Leones/VEN, 5-0
Day 3 Schedule
51 kg: Kayla Gomez, El Paso, Texas/USA, vs. Mara Fabian/ARG
52 kg: Steven Navarro, Los Angeles, Calif./USA, vs. Martin Astorga/ARG
57 kg: Jewry Rodriguez, Houston, Texas/USA, vs. Maria Jose Martinez/COL
63 kg: Joel Iriarte, Bakersfield, Calif./USA, vs. Jean Emiliano Reyes/URU
75 kg: Donte Layne, Elmont, N.Y./USA, vs. Felipe De Oliveira/BRA
91 kg: Ali Almajdi, Arlington, Texas/USA, vs. Leonel Leonardo Delgado/PAR