Boxing
Meet the eight Team USA boxers fighting for gold at the 2024 Olympic Games
Published
4 months agoon
By
J. HumzaThe U.S. Olympic boxing team will face the same daunting task it has failed to accomplish at the last four Olympics: winning the men’s gold medal.
Andre Ward is the last American to win Olympic gold, having done so at the 2004 Athens Games. Ward has continued his Hall of Fame career in the pros.
Jahmal Harvey is widely considered the best hope for ending a 20-year Olympic gold medal drought. The 21-year-old featherweight — along with the other four members of the men’s and women’s boxing teams — is in Paris for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics on Friday.
“It’s really crucial to me to get the morale back in the U.S.,” Harvey told ESPN. “We haven’t won a gold medal in 20 years, so just to do this and bring all that excitement, bring some attention back to U.S. boxing and just get the teenage kids to see you do it and just work harder and believe in themselves that they can do it.”
“And it’s bigger than me, really. Even if I don’t do it, I’m joyful that I’m part of a team where my other teammates can do it and that I was on that path to push them.”
Before the team left for Paris, undisputed two-division champion Claressa Shields visited the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., and gave a motivational speech. Shields knows what to expect: She is the only American boxer to win a gold medal since Ward, and she did it twice (2012 and 2016).
“The best advice I gave them was to get rid of all doubt and believe in yourself 110 percent,” Shields, who competes with Vanessa Joanisse for the heavyweight title in Detroit on Saturday, told ESPN on Wednesday. She also previewed her upcoming biopic, “The Fire Inside,” for the team.
“Believe in your training, believe in your challenging work, believe in your dedication and go out there every fight and put it all on the line,” Shields said. “Fight every fight like it’s a gold medal game. That’s how you win a gold medal.”
Here are eight boxers who will be looking to bring gold to the United States:
Men:
Jahmal Harvey – Featherweight (125 lbs)
Harvey is the first American since 2007 to win gold at the world amateur championships.
His first Olympic match will be July 31 against Brazilian Luiz Gabriel Oliveria. Harvey got into boxing after playing in the same 7-on-7 football league with this year’s No. 1 NFL draft pick Caleb Williams in Maryland. Their youth football coach, Darrell Davis, opened a boxing gym, which led to Harvey trading in his shoulder pads for boxing gloves.
Like three-division champion Terence Crawford, Harvey is an ambidextrous fighter who can box in both the orthodox and left-handed stances.
Joshua Edwards – Super Heavyweight (over 203 pounds)
Edwards, 24, is the first super heavyweight Olympian from Houston since George Foreman, who won a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico.
At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Edwards will often be the smaller man in the middle of the ropes in Paris. In March 2023, he lost a decision to 2020 gold medalist, Uzbek professional boxer Bakhodir Jalolov (one of several professional boxers competing in the Paris Olympics). Edwards rebounded two months later with a decision win over Englishman Delicious Orie, one of the gold-medal favorites.
Edwards won the gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games. His first Olympic match will be on July 29 against Italian Diego Lenzi. Tyrell Biggs is the last American super heavyweight to win an Olympic gold medal (1984).
Omari Jones – welterweight (156 lbs)
Jones, 21, of Orlando, Fla., is an avid golfer who took up boxing at age 8 after switching from karate. He is also currently enrolled in the business program at Valencia College.
Jones won gold at the 2023 Gee Bee International Tournament and the 2023 Czech Grand Prix. Team USA coach Billy Walsh calls Jones “a very polished and classy boxer.”
Roscoe Hill – Flyweight (112 lbs)
Hill, 29, the oldest member of the eight-man team, began boxing at Foreman’s gym in Houston. Hill’s father was a boxer who trained with Foreman under Hall of Famer Archie Moore.
“I saw these things [Foreman] what he was doing around us in the gym and how he was helping the younger children, Hill told the official website of the Olympic Games“And I thought, ‘I want to do what George Foreman does.’”
Hill won a silver medal at the 2021 AIBA World Championships.
Women:
Jennifer Lozano – Flyweight (110 lbs)
“La Traviesa” is the first female Olympic boxer from Laredo, Texas. She started boxing to develop self-defense against bullying. Lozano, 21, split her formative years between Texas and Mexico.
Walsh called Lozano “a fighter … who has a lot of heart and strength.” She qualified for the Olympics after finishing second at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile.
Morelle McCane – Welterweight (146 lbs)
McCane, 29, is the first female Olympic boxer from Cleveland. She was an alternate at the 2021 Olympics.
After her first amateur boxing match, McCane’s brother died, causing her to take a break from the ring. She has two National Golden Gloves gold medals.
Jajaira Gonzalez – Lightweight (132 lbs)
After finishing second in the 2016 Olympic qualifiers, Gonzalez, 27, of Montclair, California, took a three-year break from boxing to focus on her mental health. She returned in 2021 and qualified for the Olympics after finishing third in the 2023 Pan American Games.
Gonzalez is the younger sister of professional featherweight boxer Joet Gonzalez, who has fought for the world title three times, most recently in September against Luis Alberto Lopez.
Walsh called Gonzalez “the engine of the team.”
Alyssa Mendoza – Featherweight (125 lbs)
Mendoza, 20, of Caldwell, Idaho, is the youngest member of Team USA. Trained by her father, JR, who runs a boxing gym in Idaho, Mendoza began training at age 12 and has a goal of putting Idaho on the boxing map.
Mendoza is left-handed and has the nickname “The Wrecking Machine.” She has 38 wins in 49 recorded amateur fights.
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Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
21 hours agoon
November 23, 2024In a clash of forces between two world title contenders, NABO welterweight titleholder Alexis “Lex” Rocha (25-2-0, 16 KO) will put his skills to the test against undefeated knockout and NABF welterweight titleholder Raul “El Cugar “. Curiel (15-0, 13 KO).
The 10-round main event will take place on Saturday, December 14, live from the Toyota Arena in Ontario, California, and will be broadcast worldwide on DAZN.
“‘The best versus the best’ is Golden Boy’s mantra and that’s what fans will see as Rocha and Curiel take on everything that’s on the table,” said President and CEO Oscar De La Hoya. “Rocha is a veteran whose goal is to win the world title, Curiel is an undefeated blue-chip prospect with huge potential. It’s really a 50/50 fight and I’m looking forward to it.”
Tickets for the Rocha vs. match Curiel will go on sale on Friday, October 11 at 10 a.m. PT and will be priced at $100, $75, $50 and $25, excluding applicable service fees. A confined number of Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets will also be available, including exclusive merchandise and fight night upgrades. Standard and VIP tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, Toyota-arena.com, Goldenboy.com or at the Toyota Arena box office from Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00
“I’ve seen Raul Curiel all these years and he never once mentioned my name,” Alexis Rocha said. “After my last defeat, he suddenly became interested in fighting me. If he thinks I’ve lost a step or somehow had an simple fight, he’s in for a rude awakening. I can’t wait to make a statement and show the world what I’m capable of.”
Santa Ana, California Rep. Alexis “Lex” Rocha comes from a struggling family. The younger brother of Ronny Rios, he was the youngest fighter to win a gold medal at the Junior Olympics at the age of 14 in 2012 and caught the attention of the boxing world by becoming a six-time national champion during his amateur career. Rocha signed with Golden Boy in January 2016 and made his professional debut in March 2016, defeating Jordan Rosario at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Since then, he has amassed an enviable record of powerful knockouts over top contenders and plans to return to world title contention, with his last fight being a victory over undefeated Santiago Dominguez on July 19 last year.
“The fans can expect a war,” said Raul Curiel. “I’m going to prepare well to put on a great show. This will be the most essential fight of my career so far. I know Alexis is a great fighter, a good opponent and will also show up prepared. My focus is on Alexis and if I can beat him, I know it will give me a chance to fight for the world championship.
Boxing
George Kambosos moves up to 140, adds Eddie Hearn to team
Published
2 days agoon
November 23, 2024Former unified lightweight champion George Kambosos approached promoter Eddie Hearn asking for more massive fights.
Kambosos has signed a co-promotional deal with Eddie Hearn, under which the Greek-Australian slugger will continue his association with DiBella Entertainment Inc. and his own company, Ferocious Promotions.
The 21-3 star will move up to the super lightweight division of Matchroom Boxing’s lively division. He aims to become a two-weight world champion in early 2025, and as part of the deal, a title fight is promised as long as he continues to win.
Since his stunning victory over Teofimo Lopez, Kambosos has never shied away from competing against the best. Those three losses on his resume came to Devin Haney [twice] and Vasily Lomachenko, all at home and all for world titles.
The 31-year-old is now set to face compatriot Liam Paro after defending his IBF title against Richardson Hitchins in December in Puerto Rico.
“I am thrilled to be working with Matchroom Boxing. I am excited to have signed a three-way promotional cooperation agreement with my long-time promoter DiBella Entertainment Inc. and Ferocious Promotions,” Kambosos said.
“I made great success and history when I moved up the Matchroom shows by winning my UK elimination fight against Lee Selby. The most noteworthy and unforgettable is my victory against Teofimo at Madison Square Garden in Up-to-date York to become the 135-pound world champion.
“I am officially announcing that I will be moving up to 140 pounds and signing with Matchroom will ensure my continued success and the legacy I want to leave in the sport of boxing.”
Hearn, who adds an experienced campaigner to his stable, added: “I am delighted to welcome George to the team. George’s victory over Teofimo tore up the script and showed that George was the man for the massive time. He has proven to be a huge attraction in Australia and one of the real driving forces behind the rapid growth of boxing Down Under.
“The 140-pound division is full of massive names and massive potential fights. Adding George to the mix only elevates the level, and a possible fight with Liam Paro is a truly appetizing prospect. If Liam manages to win in a great fight against Richardson on December 7th [the fight could be on].
Lou DiBella, who has worked with Kambosos for years, said: “I’m glad I was able to make a deal with my antique buddy Eddie to work with George Kambosos Jr. and Ferocious Promotions.
“Throughout his career, George has been a fighter who has never shied away from a challenge, and now he wants to test himself against top junior welterweights.
Matchroom works with top 140-pounders, including George’s compatriot Liam Paro, and, like DiBella Entertainment, is heavily invested in Australia.
“It’s a natural partnership,” added the Up-to-date Yorker.
Boxing
Mike Tyson had absolutely no chance of knocking out Jake Paul
Published
3 days agoon
November 21, 2024One of the hottest topics surrounding Mike Tyson’s return at the age of 58 was the possibility of the boxing legend scoring a knockout of Jake Paul.
WBN has weighed in on this topic several times, questioning the validity of five-second training clips that revealed nothing about Tyson’s abilities at this overdue age. One of the most intriguing observations during the preparations was the opinion of UFC commentator Daniel Cormier.
Speaking on his show “Funky and the Champ,” Cormier reflected on Tyson’s social media videos and offered an informed opinion on the meaning of the clips.
“I understand that [he is in amazing shape at 58]and I understand what he is saying [he feels as though he can compete]– Cormier said. “And I agree that when he hits the pads with Rafael Cordeiro, it looks like there’s still something left in him.
“But then I watch Jake Paul fight Mike Perry. I saw Jake Paul get overwhelmed to the point where he started to feel uncomfortable. It looked like Mike Perry had a chance. But Jake has a reserve tank he can go to and benefit from because he’s 28 years ancient. Then he comes back and finally finishes Mike Perry.
“At the beginning of the fight, Mike Perry gets beaten up and dropped. He looks trained and unmatched. This worries me because what if it looks like a 58-year-old man fighting a 28-year-old man while Mike can’t employ the backup tank to stay and compete with this newborn kid? I think it’s a failure for Jake Paul because if you beat Mike Tyson, everyone will love him.
He added: “What if Mike knocks him out? It’s over. Everything is ready. This would be the backfire of all time. If he gets knocked out, nothing like that has ever happened in the history of the sport.”
Unfortunately for Tyson, this revenge backfired spectacularly, as the former heavyweight champion’s return was the only event that bombed. Tyson had nothing left twenty years after he had nothing left in his tank and no desire to box in his mind.
Paul parlayed this into a money-making scheme that would forever be a success for him and his company, but would be poorly received by the die-hard boxing fraternity.
Cormier’s words resonate, especially after what happened in the ring when Mike Tyson struggled to shift into first gear, warning former fighters thinking about returning after 50.
‘MIKE TYSON WON’T FIGHT EVER AGAIN!’ – Gareth A Davies
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