Draw set for 2023 Strandja Tournament
by USA Boxing
The 2023 Strandja Tournament gets underway tomorrow in Sofia, Bulgaria, where Team USA has 15 boxers set to step into the ring throughout the week, with eight boxer’s taking part in the first day of boxing. Complete day one schedule can be seen below.
Bantamweight duo Jewry Rodriguez (Houston, Texas) and Shera Mae Patricio (Waianae, Hawaii) will be the first American boxers to step into the ring during the day’s first session, with Rodriguez boxing against Delphine Mancini of France, while Patricio will go head-to-head against Sunita of India.
2021 World Championship silver medalist Omari Jones (Orlando, Fla.) will be the third American to compete during the day’s first session when he faces Kosovo’s Patriot Behrami.
Emilio Garcia (Laredo, Texas) will close out the day’s first session when he takes to the ring to go against Hampus Bromman of Sweden.
The evening session will be kicked off by Jennifer Lozano (Laredo, Texas) facing China’s Meiyi Hu, while featherweights Jajaira Gonzalez (Glendora, Calif.) and Alyssa Mendoza (Caldwell, Idaho) will box Algeria’s Zahra Zobeidi Hayam Fatma and Ireland’s Kelsey Leonard, respectively.
Welterweight Morelle McCane (Cleveland, Ohio) will round out the day for Team USA with her bout against Italian Angela Carini.
This marks the 74th edition of the Strandja Tournament and Team USA’s first time competing in the event since 2020. USA Boxing Head Coach Billy Walsh (Colorado Springs, Colo.) is leading the team at the tournament, along with Christine Lopez (Rowlett, Texas), Timothy Nolan (Rochester, N.Y.), Jose Polanco (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Richard Stephenson (Middletown, N.Y.) and Chad Wigle (Colorado Springs, Colo.).
Competition can be followed along on the Bulgarian Boxing Federation website.
Day 1 Schedule
50 kg: Jennifer Lozano, Laredo, Texas/USA, vs. Meiyi Hu/CHN (Ring A, Bout 8, 10:45 a.m. MT)
54 kg: Shera Mae Patricio, Waianae, Hawaii/USA, vs. Sunita/IND (Ring B, Bout 6, 5:15 a.m. MT)
54 kg: Jewry Rodriguez, Houston, Texas/USA, vs. Delphine Mancini/FRA (Ring B, Bout 5, 5:00 a.m. MT)
57 kg: Jajaira Gonzalez, Glendora, Calif./USA, vs. Zahra Zobeidi Hayam Fatma/ALG (Ring B, Bout 9, 11:00 a.m. MT)
57 kg: Alyssa Mendoza, Caldwell, Idaho/USA, vs. Kelsey Leonard/IRL (Ring B, Bout 10, 11:15 a.m. MT)
63.5 kg: Emilio Garcia, Laredo, Texas/USA, vs. Hampus Bromman/SWE (Ring B, Bout 13, 7:00 a.m. MT)
66 kg: Morelle McCane, Cleveland, Ohio/USA, vs. Angela Carini/ITA (Ring A, Bout 10, 11:15 a.m. MT)
71 kg: Omari Jones, Orlando, Fla./USA, vs. Patriot Behrami/KOS (Ring A, Bout 9, 6:00 a.m. MT)
Complete Day 1 Bout Sheets