Photos: Scott Foster

The first day of competition at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing was filled with impressive upsets and jaw-dropping knockdowns on Monday at the Lake Charles Civic Center in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The stage is set for some interesting matchups tomorrow; here’s how those boxers made their way to the next round.

The women’s 125 lbs. bouts provided some early excitement. First, four seed Andrea Medina (San Diego, Calif.) connected on a jab to her opponent, five seed Destiny Jasso (Dallas, Texas), which sent her crashing to the canvas. Jasso was obviously shaken as she tried to stand, and the official called off the remainder of the bout.

“She kept leaving her hand down when I was coming with the hook,” Medina said. “I noticed the weight shifting and that’s when I caught her. It’s so exciting. I’m happy to be here and I’m ready for the next round.”

The startling shot wasn’t the only surprise for the group as two upsets followed. Six seed Iyana Verduzco (Los Angeles, Calif.) defeated three seed Mikiah Kreps (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) by a 4-1 decision. One bout later, seven seed Lupe Gutierrez (Sacramento, Calif.) upset two seed Isamary Aquino (San Antonio, Texas) by unanimous decision despite being tripped and falling to the canvas in the second round.

“It feels good,” Gutierrez said. “Got that one out of the way, opened up my lungs and everything. I’m ready to keep going. I know that one was good but the next one has to be better.”

Medina wasn’t the only one to win by RSC. In the men’s 165 lbs. group, three seed JosephHicks (Grand Rapids, Mich.) ended his bout with Alexis Chaparro (New York, N.Y.), the six seed, by landing a vicious hook which toppled Chaparro. Elsewhere in the same group, Javier Martinez (Milwaukee, Wisc.) and Troy Isley (Alexandra, Va.) won by unanimous decision while Kahshad Elliot (Plainfield, N.J.) defeated Antonio Garcia (Anaheim, Calif.) 3-2.

In the men’s 201+ lbs. group, top-seeded Luis Alvarado (Kenosha, Wisc.) and eight seed Dacarree Scott (Decatur, Ga.) drew rousing cheers from the crowd throughout the bout as the two exchanged blows. Alvarado emerged victorious in the end by unanimous decision.

“The funny thing is that the first round is always the hardest for me because I have to get going,” Alvarado said. “But this time it wasn’t that hard because we warmed up well. We got in there ready to go to war and he brought it, but I brought it right back.”

Alvarado advances to face Jeremiah Milton (Tulsa, Okla.), who defeated Dominic Okopie(Houston, Texas) by unanimous decision. Elsewhere in the group, seven seed KenyonWalker (San Antonio, Texas) upset two seed Deandre Savage (Las Vegas, Nev.) by a 3-2 decision and three seed Antonio Mireles (Des Moines, Iowa) took down Pryce Taylor (Brookyln, N.Y.) by unanimous decision.

“I’m just gonna go out there and do what I need to do,” Walker said. “It feels good to get the first win done and get the nerves out of the way. He’s bigger than me so he probably thought he was going to run over me but that didn’t happen. I’m more in shape than these big guys and I’m a lot faster.”

Despite being shortened by two walkovers, the men’s 114 lbs. group still brought arguably the biggest upset of the evening as eighth-seeded Anthony Olascuaga (Los Angeles, Calif.) defeated top-seeded Michael Angeletti (Spring, Texas) by 3-2 decision. In the bout immediately following, six seed Roscoe Hill (Spring, Texas) upset three seed Jose Nieves(Avenel, N.J.) by unanimous decision.

All three winners in the women’s 165 lbs. division, Naomi Graham (Fayetteville, N.C.), Kendra Reeves (Twin Falls, Idaho), and Alexis Gomez (South San Francisco, Calif.) won by unanimous decision. Morelle McCane (Cleveland, Ohio) won by walkover.

The dominant performances stretched into the women’s 132 lbs. division as top-seeded Rashida Ellis (Lynn, Mass.) and three seed Kimberly Carlson (Chicago, Ill.) both won by unanimous decision. The bout between Whitney Gomez (Bend, Ore.) and Stacia Suttles(Bronx, N.Y.) was much closer as Gomez won by a 3-2 decision.

Virginia Fuchs (Houston, Texas) began her push for a second straight trials championship with a unanimous decision victory over Stephanie Chavez (Orange, Calif.). Not to be outdone, Christina Cruz (Hell’s Kitchen, N.Y.) wobbled her opponent Jasmine Hampton (Ann Arbor, Mich.) to the point that the referee stopped contest. Heaven Garcia (Los Angeles, Calif.) was also dominant in a unanimous decision victory over Jazzelle Bobadilla(Ewa Beach, Hawaii). Mariana Gonzalez (Sunnyvale, Calif.) rounded out division competition for the day with a 4-1 decision over Lina Vezzani (Brooklyn, N.Y.).

The men’s 125 lbs. division provided some instant drama following the intermission as eight seed Bruce Carrington (Brooklyn, N.Y.) upset top-seeded Duke Ragan (Cincinnati, Ohio) by a 3-2 decision.

“Me being the eight seed didn’t really matter,” Carrington said. “I’ve been in this sport fifteen years. I have a lot of experience. At the end of the day, I’m gonna be in there having fun and doing what I have to do to win the tournament.”

Carrington will face Jonathan Mansour (La Mesa, Calif.) after his 3-2 decision victory over Japhethlee Llamido (Norwalk, Calif.) In the same division, Kevin Montano (Concord, Calif.) won a 3-2 decision over David Navarro (Los Angeles, Calif.) and Rashiem Jefferson(Philadelphia, Pa.) won by unanimous decision over Xavian Ramirez (Reading, Pa.).

The eight seed over one seed upsets were not done after Carrington. Soon after Carrington pulled his upset, the men’s 201 lbs. eight seed Darius Fulghum (Rosharon, Texas) defeated top-seeded Adrian Tillman (Colorado Springs, Colo.) by a 4-1 decision.

“I felt boosted up because I was coming in as the underdog,” Fulghum said. “It was a tough fight, but I was able to get the job done. I applied a lot of pressure; it was a real close fight and I’m just ready to move on. Ready to win this whole thing.”

Two other bouts in the same division ended with the same score as both Najee Lopez(Ellenwood, Ga.) and Jamar Talley (Camden, N.J.) won 4-1. Joshua Edwards (Houston, Texas) did one better by winning his bout by unanimous decision.

Lavars Carter (Cincinnati, Ohio), the eighth seed in the men’s 152 division, took it upon himself to keep the streak of upsets going as he defeated top-seeded Freudis Rojas Jr. (Dallas, Texas) by a 3-2 decision.

“I know what it takes,” Carter said. “I know he was number one and that he was going to give it his all. I knew I’d have to work hard. I just wanted to focus and show it in the ring today. I’ve fought the guy before, and I feel like I was better and more in shape than I was before. I wasn’t focused before.”

Carter wasn’t the only boxer in the division with an impressive performance as MarquesValle (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) forced a RSC against Wayne Boudreaux (Marrero, La.). Delante Johnson (Cleveland, Ohio) shined in a unanimous decision victory and KelvinDavis (Norfolk, Va.) won a close 3-2 bout over Victor Aranda (El Paso, Texas).

The men’s 178 lbs. division was nothing but domination as all four boxers won by unanimous decision. Orville Crooks, Atif Overlton, Rahim Gonzales, and Chavon Davis will all advance to the next round with the confidence of a strong performance behind them.

“I haven’t fought since the qualifiers in March,” Gonzales said. “There was a little ring rust but I’m excited to get back to it. I felt strong at this weight class. It was a blessing just getting in the ring with that guy. On to the next.”

2019 Pan American Games gold medalist Oshae Jones (Toledo, Ohio) continued her strong year with a unanimous decision victory in the first round of the women’s 152 lbs. division. Danyelle Wolf (San Diego, Calif.) followed suit with a unanimous decision victory of her own. Things were a bit closer for Mary Spencer (Boulder, Colo.) and Sharahya Moreu(Albuquerque, N.M.), both of whom advanced with 3-2 decision victories.

In the final division of the day to compete, the men’s 138 lbs. division brought an exciting end. Harley Mederos (New York, N.Y.) won a tight 3-2 decision over Ernesto Mercado (Pomona, Calif.). The following bout between Dalis Kaleiopu (Waianae, Hawaii) and Israel Rodriguez(Humble, Texas) might have been even closer as Kaleiopu emerged with a 3-2 decision win. Top-seeded Keyshawn Davis (Norfolk, Va.) proved his status with a unanimous decision win and Charlie Sheehy (Brisbane, Calif.) impressed with a 4-1 decision win.

Competition resumes tomorrow.

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