This 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.