Team USA advanced six boxers and won seven bronze medals during today’s semifinal bouts of the 2022 USA Boxing International Invitational in Pueblo, Colorado.
Emilio Garcia (Laredo, Texas) once again started Team USA strong by taking all five judges’ scorecards in all three rounds against China’s Rongyao Bai to set up a final fight against fellow American Jonathan Mansour (San Diego, California), who advanced via walkover over Vershaun Lee (Rock Island, Illinois).
A second USA vs. USA final came to fruition after Morelle McCane (Cleveland, Ohio) and Stephanie Simon (Miami, Fla.) earned wins against China’s Liu Yan and Puerto Rico’s Stephanie Piñeiro. McCane won by way of a 4-1 split, while Simon made a unanimous decision to advance.
2021 World Championship silver medalist Omari Jones (Orlando, Florida) made his tournament debut and scored an impressive win against 2022 European Under 22 Championship 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, DC) by decision 4-1.
The last American to advance to the final today, Julius Ballo (San Diego, Calif.), put in a strong performance against teammate and 2021 world champion Jahmal Harvey (Oxon Hill, Md./USA), in what which was one of the standout fights of the entire tournament. Ballo will now face Azerbaijan’s Umid Rustamov in tomorrow’s championship fight.
Kayla Gomez (El Paso, Texas), who earned her bye in the bantamweight bracket, will finally hit the ring tomorrow in her gold medal fight with China’s Yan Cai, while 2022 world champion Rashida Ellis ( Lynn, Mass.) will. boxed for the lightweight gold medal against China’s Chengyu Yang after her victory in the semifinals on Tuesday.
Team USA’s seven-man tournament ended today, earning them the bronze medal. The full results can be found below.
Semifinal Results
51kg: Xinming Ma/CHN December. about Richard Fernandez Jr., San Antonio, Texas/USA,
54kg: Yan Cai/CHN Dec. About Shera Mae Patrick, Waianae, Hawaii/USA USA, 5-0
57 kg: Julius Ballo, San Diego, California/USA. USA, Dec. on Jahmal Harvey, Oxon Hill, Md./USA,
57 kg: Zichun Xu/CHN December. about Daisy Bamberger, Hayward, California/USA USA, 5-0
63.5 kg: Emilio Garcia, Laredo, Texas/USA, Dec. over Rongyao Bai/CHN, 5-0
63.5kg: Jonathan Mansour, San Diego, Calif./USA USA, won by walkover over Vershaun Lee, Rock Island, Ill./USA. USA, WO
66 kg: Morelle McCane, Cleveland, Ohio/USA. USA, Dec. over Liu Yang/CHN, 4-1
66 kg: Stephanie Simon, Miami, Florida/USA. USA, Dec. over Stephanie Pineiro/PUR, 5-0
71 kg: Omari Jones, Orlando, Florida/USA. USA, Dec. on Nabi Isgandarov/AZE,
71kg: Magomed Schachidov/GER dec. on Quincey Williams, Washington, DC/USA. USA, 4-1
80kg: Girls Tuohetaerbieke/CHN dec. about Donte Layne, Elmont, NY/USA. USA, 4-1
championship matches
54 kg: Kayla Gómez, El Paso, Texas / United States, vs. Yan Cai/CHN
57 kg: Julius Ballo, San Diego, California/USA, vs. Umid Rustamov/AZE
60kg: Rashida Ellis, Lynn, Mass./USA. USA, vs. Chengyu Yang/CHN
63.5 kg: Emilio Garcia, Laredo, Texas/USA. USA, vs. Jonathan Mansour, San Diego, California/USA USA
66 kg: Morelle McCane, Cleveland, Ohio/USA. USA vs. Stephanie Simon, Miami, Florida/USA USA
71 kg: Omari Jones, Orlando, Florida/USA. USA, vs. Magomed Schachidov/GER
