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Team USA advances six to finals of 2022 USA Boxing International Invitational
by USA Boxing
Team USA advanced six boxers and earned seven bronze medals during today’s semifinal bouts of the 2022 USA Boxing International Invitational in Pueblo, Colo.
Emilio Garcia (Laredo, Texas) once again started off Team USA strong by taking all five judges’ cards in all three rounds against Rongyao Bai of China to set up a final bout against fellow American Jonathan Mansour (San Diego, Calif.), who advanced by way of walkover over Vershaun Lee (Rock Island, Ill.).
A second USA versus USA final came to fruition after Morelle McCane (Cleveland, Ohio) and Stephanie Simon (Miami, Fla.) picked up victories against Liu Yan of China and Stephanie Pineiro of Puerto Rico. McCane won by way of a 4-1 split, while Simon grabbed the unanimous decision to advance.
2021 World Championship silver medalist Omari Jones (Orlando, Fla.) made his tournament debut and grabbed an impressive win against the 2022 Under 22 European Championships bronze medalist, Nabi Isgandarov of Azerbaijan. Jones will return to the ring in tomorrow’s final to face Germany’s Magomed Schachidov, who defeated Quincey Williams (Washington, D.C.) by a 4-1 decision.
The final American to advance to the finals today, Julius Ballo (San Diego, Calif.), put up a strong performance against his teammate and 2021 World Champion Jahmal Harvey (Oxon Hill, Md./USA), in what was one of the highlight fights of the whole tournament. Ballo will now face Umid Rustamov of Azerbaijan in tomorrow’s championship bout.
Kayla Gomez (El Paso, Texas), who earned the bye in the bantamweight bracket, will finally make her way to the ring tomorrow in the gold medal bout with China’s Yan Cai, while 2022 World Champion Rashida Ellis (Lynn, Mass.) will box for the lightweight gold medal against China’s Chengyu Yang after her semifinal victory on Tuesday.
Seven Team USA boxer’s tournament run ended today, earning them the bronze medal. Full results can be found below.
Tomorrow’s championship bouts will begin at 11:00 a.m. MT and can be watched live here.
Semifinal Results
51 kg: Xinming Ma/CHN dec. over Richard Fernandez Jr., San Antonio, Texas/USA,
54 kg: Yan Cai/CHN dec. over Shera Mae Patricio, Waianae, Hawaii/USA, 5-0
57 kg: Julius Ballo, San Diego, Calif./USA, dec. over Jahmal Harvey, Oxon Hill, Md./USA,
57 kg: Zichun Xu/CHN dec. over Daisy Bamberger, Hayward, Calif./USA, 5-0
63.5 kg: Emilio Garcia, Laredo, Texas/USA, dec. over Rongyao Bai/CHN, 5-0
63.5 kg: Jonathan Mansour, San Diego, Calif./USA, won by walkover over Vershaun Lee, Rock Island, Ill./USA, WO
66 kg: Morelle McCane, Cleveland, Ohio/USA, dec. over Liu Yang/CHN, 4-1
66 kg: Stephanie Simon, Miami, Fla./USA, dec. over Stephanie Pineiro/PUR, 5-0
71 kg: Omari Jones, Orlando, Fla./USA, dec. over Nabi Isgandarov/AZE,
71 kg: Magomed Schachidov/GER dec. over Quincey Williams, Washington, D.C./USA, 4-1
80 kg: Tanglatihan Tuohetaerbieke/CHN dec. over Donte Layne, Elmont, N.Y./USA, 4-1
Championship Bouts
54 kg: Kayla Gomez, El Paso, Texas/USA, vs. Yan Cai/CHN
57 kg: Julius Ballo, San Diego, Calif./USA, vs. Umid Rustamov/AZE
60 kg: Rashida Ellis, Lynn, Mass./USA, vs. Chengyu Yang/CHN
63.5 kg: Emilio Garcia, Laredo, Texas/USA, vs. Jonathan Mansour, San Diego, Calif./USA
66 kg: Morelle McCane, Cleveland, Ohio/USA, vs. Stephanie Simon, Miami, Fla./USA
71 kg: Omari Jones, Orlando, Fla./USA, vs. Magomed Schachidov/GER
Emilio Garcia (Laredo, Texas) once again started off Team USA strong by taking all five judges’ cards in all three rounds against Rongyao Bai of China to set up a final bout against fellow American Jonathan Mansour (San Diego, Calif.), who advanced by way of walkover over Vershaun Lee (Rock Island, Ill.).
A second USA versus USA final came to fruition after Morelle McCane (Cleveland, Ohio) and Stephanie Simon (Miami, Fla.) picked up victories against Liu Yan of China and Stephanie Pineiro of Puerto Rico. McCane won by way of a 4-1 split, while Simon grabbed the unanimous decision to advance.
2021 World Championship silver medalist Omari Jones (Orlando, Fla.) made his tournament debut and grabbed an impressive win against the 2022 Under 22 European Championships bronze medalist, Nabi Isgandarov of Azerbaijan. Jones will return to the ring in tomorrow’s final to face Germany’s Magomed Schachidov, who defeated Quincey Williams (Washington, D.C.) by a 4-1 decision.
The final American to advance to the finals today, Julius Ballo (San Diego, Calif.), put up a strong performance against his teammate and 2021 World Champion Jahmal Harvey (Oxon Hill, Md./USA), in what was one of the highlight fights of the whole tournament. Ballo will now face Umid Rustamov of Azerbaijan in tomorrow’s championship bout.
Kayla Gomez (El Paso, Texas), who earned the bye in the bantamweight bracket, will finally make her way to the ring tomorrow in the gold medal bout with China’s Yan Cai, while 2022 World Champion Rashida Ellis (Lynn, Mass.) will box for the lightweight gold medal against China’s Chengyu Yang after her semifinal victory on Tuesday.
Seven Team USA boxer’s tournament run ended today, earning them the bronze medal. Full results can be found below.
Tomorrow’s championship bouts will begin at 11:00 a.m. MT and can be watched live here.
Semifinal Results
51 kg: Xinming Ma/CHN dec. over Richard Fernandez Jr., San Antonio, Texas/USA,
54 kg: Yan Cai/CHN dec. over Shera Mae Patricio, Waianae, Hawaii/USA, 5-0
57 kg: Julius Ballo, San Diego, Calif./USA, dec. over Jahmal Harvey, Oxon Hill, Md./USA,
57 kg: Zichun Xu/CHN dec. over Daisy Bamberger, Hayward, Calif./USA, 5-0
63.5 kg: Emilio Garcia, Laredo, Texas/USA, dec. over Rongyao Bai/CHN, 5-0
63.5 kg: Jonathan Mansour, San Diego, Calif./USA, won by walkover over Vershaun Lee, Rock Island, Ill./USA, WO
66 kg: Morelle McCane, Cleveland, Ohio/USA, dec. over Liu Yang/CHN, 4-1
66 kg: Stephanie Simon, Miami, Fla./USA, dec. over Stephanie Pineiro/PUR, 5-0
71 kg: Omari Jones, Orlando, Fla./USA, dec. over Nabi Isgandarov/AZE,
71 kg: Magomed Schachidov/GER dec. over Quincey Williams, Washington, D.C./USA, 4-1
80 kg: Tanglatihan Tuohetaerbieke/CHN dec. over Donte Layne, Elmont, N.Y./USA, 4-1
Championship Bouts
54 kg: Kayla Gomez, El Paso, Texas/USA, vs. Yan Cai/CHN
57 kg: Julius Ballo, San Diego, Calif./USA, vs. Umid Rustamov/AZE
60 kg: Rashida Ellis, Lynn, Mass./USA, vs. Chengyu Yang/CHN
63.5 kg: Emilio Garcia, Laredo, Texas/USA, vs. Jonathan Mansour, San Diego, Calif./USA
66 kg: Morelle McCane, Cleveland, Ohio/USA, vs. Stephanie Simon, Miami, Fla./USA
71 kg: Omari Jones, Orlando, Fla./USA, vs. Magomed Schachidov/GER