Boxing
Comprehensive 2024 US National Boxing Team Roster Breakdown
Published
4 months agoon
By
J. HumzaThis Olympic year has been a strange one for USA Boxing, largely because the Olympic Trials didn’t have much significance. None of the U.S. Olympians competed in the Trials, as the team was built around the 2021-2022 competition results and some of the athletes gained significant international experience.
That different team vigorous made the 2023 Olympic qualifying less invigorating, leading to the absence of fighters like lightweight heavyweight Nathan Lugo, flyweight Terry Washington and Sierra Martinez, all of whom won the qualifiers but did not make the team.
The fresh format will either be a huge success or the subject of endless questions for the future.
Below is a breakdown of the 2024 U.S. National Boxing Team roster:
Roscoe Hill – 51 kilograms / 112 pounds
- Background: Born and raised in Spring, Texas, Hill, 28, trained at George Foreman’s gym under the legendary weightlifter. At 28, Hill is older than the average Olympian.
- Achievements: Hill won a gold medal at the 2022 AMBC Elite Championships, silver at the 2021 Elite World Championships and bronze at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago.
- Comparison: Awkward and untraditional, much like Prince Naseem Hamed, Hill also reminds many of Rau’shee Warren, though he lacks the latter’s blinding hand speed. He has good movement and can time his opponents well.
- Expectancy: Flyweight is a good division for USA Boxing. With no clear favorites in the bracket, Hill’s international experience makes him a dim horse for gold. His performance could test the viability of the current team selection model, given his marathon qualification path (he qualified in his final event for the Olympics).
- Insight into brackets: Hill has a tough road ahead of him, with potential quarterfinal matches against top-seeded Billal Bennama of France and Alejandro Claro of Cuba. Overcoming those obstacles could lead to a medal.
Jahmal Harvey – 57 kilograms/125 pounds
- Background: Originally from Oxon Hill, Maryland, 21-year-old Harvey made the transition from American football to boxing under the guidance of his coach.
- Achievements: Harvey won gold at the 2021 Elite World Championships and the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, securing a spot at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
- Comparison: Harvey, with multiple national championship gold medals, is poised to become a star on Team USA, much like Errol Spence Jr., Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis did at previous Olympics. Harvey is a boxer who most expect to be a standout professional.
- Expectancy: As USA Boxing’s best hope for a gold medal, Harvey is aiming for a Triple Crown win. He is the favorite in the featherweight division.
- Insight into brackets: Harvey faces a deep bracket, with potentially tough early matches against Saidel Horta of Cuba and Javier Ibáñez of Bulgaria. A gold-medal match against Abdumalik Khalokov of Uzbekistan is likely if all goes well.
Omari Jones – 71 kilograms / 156 pounds
- Background: Jones, 20, burst onto the international stage by winning silver at the 2021 Elite World Championships.
- Achievements: Jones recently qualified for Paris 2024 by winning gold at the 2023 GeeBee International Tournament and the Czech Republic Grand Prix.
- Comparison: Jones’s style recalls the awkwardness of Ra’eese Aleem, with elements of a teenage Maurice Hooker and Erickson Lubin.
- Expectancy: Although Jones has a style more suited to professionals, he is likely to medal, potentially challenging for heavyweights. He has been consistent in international competition since 2021.
- Insight into brackets: Jones faces a tough division, but if he gets past Kan Chia-wei, he has favorable matchups. Key threats include Marco Verde, Nishant Dev, Sewon Okazawa, and Nikolai Terteryan.
Joshua Edwards – 92 kilograms and over / 203 pounds and over
- Background: Despite being undersized for a super heavyweight, Houston’s Edwards stands out for his speed and defense.
- Achievements: Edwards secured his place at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris by winning gold at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago and winning numerous medals internationally.
- Comparison: Edwards’ style and demeanor are reminiscent of Steve Cunningham.
- Expectancy: With Bakhodir Jalolov the clear favourite, Edwards is a promising contender who has a tough road ahead of him.
- Insight into brackets: Edwards benefits from the No. 1 seed, which gives him a chance to avoid Jalolov until the semifinals. Despite Edwards’ talent, defeating Jalolov will be tough.
Jennifer Lozano – 50 kilograms / 110 pounds
- Background: Lozano, a native of Laredo, Texas, took up boxing to fight tyranny, which resulted in a successful amateur career.
- Achievements: Lozano won silver at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago and gold at the 2022 USA Boxing Elite Championships.
- Comparison: Like Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz, Lozano has the ability to land high punches and has done well on the international stage.
- Expectancy: Lozano should win a medal, but she faces a tough match in the quarterfinals against favorite Buse Naz Cakiroglu.
- Insight into brackets: Cakiroglu, considered one of the best women at these Olympics, poses a challenge for Lozano.
Alyssa Mendoza – 57 kilograms / 125 pounds
- Background: Mendoza, a 20-year-old from Caldwell, Idaho, has quickly become a promising international star.
- Achievements: Mendoza went on to win multiple medals in 2023, including gold at the 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Championships.
- Comparison: Mendoza’s style combines aggression with boxing skills, similar to Shawn Porter’s style.
- Expectancy: Mendoza is a star who has the potential to win a medal if he stays consistent.
- Insight into brackets: With no clear favorite, Mendoza could win a medal, or even gold, if she performs like she did two years ago.
Jajaira Gonzalez – 60 kilograms / 132 pounds
- Background: Hailing from Glendora, California, Gonzalez returned to boxing in 2021 after a hiatus to quickly regain her form.
- Achievements: Gonzalez won a bronze medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago and multiple gold medals at the junior and youth level.
- Comparison: A high guard and very aggressive fighter, similar to her brother, professional Joet Gonzalez.
- Expectancy: Gonzalez has the potential to win gold, but she faces sturdy competition from Estelle Moseley, Beatriz Ferreira and Kellie Harrington.
- Insight into brackets: This will be a tough match as Gonzalez will start with Moseley and will find himself in the bracket with Ferreira and Harrington.
Morelle McCane – 66 kilograms / 145 pounds
- Background: McCane, of Cleveland, is the first female boxer from Ohio to qualify for the Olympics.
- Achievements: McCane secured her place at the Olympics by winning a silver medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago.
- Comparison: McCane has been compared to Terrell Gausha due to her boxing and striking skills.
- Expectancy: With a sturdy chance of winning a medal, McCane has a chance of winning gold, most likely competing against Imane Khelif and Busenaz Sürmeneli.
- Insight into brackets: As is often the case in life, Khelif and Sürmeneli found themselves on the opposite side of McCane’s ladder.
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Boxing
The fight between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel will take place on December 14 at the Toyota Arena
Published
19 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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