Photos: Scott Foster

The 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing was in full swing Friday. Both the winner’s and challenger’s brackets competed. Winners in the winner’s bracket secured their spot in the finals. Losers in the winner’s bracket have one last shot at redemption tomorrow as they’ll take on the winners from the challenger’s bracket. Those that lost in the challenger’s bracket were eliminated.

Here’s how things shook out as the tournament reaches its apex.

In the women’s 165 lbs. division, Naomi Graham (Fayetteville, N.C.) secured her spot in the semifinals with a walkover victory over Morelle McCane (Cleveland, Ohio). McCane isn’t out of the tournament yet, as she drops down to the challenger’s bracket to take on Alexis Gomez (South San Francisco, Calif.), who defeated Melody Popravak (Brooklyn, N.Y.) for the second time this tournament, this time in a 4-1 decision.

Andrea Medina (San Diego, Calif.) of the women’s 125 lbs. division secured her third straight victory with by a 3-2 decision over Lupe Gutierrez (Sacramento, Calif.). Gutierrez will face Isamary Aquino (Universal City, Texas), who also won her bout by split decision against Iyana Verduzco (Los Angeles, Calif.), in the challenger’s bracket for the chance for another shot at Medina.

“I’m just staying focused,” Medina said. “I’m ready. I’m listening to my corner and that’s what’s gotten me here. I pushed myself to the max.”

Fueled by a chorus of cheers from the crowd, Javier Martinez (Milwaukee, Wisc.) bested Troy Isley (Alexandra, Va.) by a 4-1 decision to advance to the finals of the men’s 165 lbs. division. Isley will take on Joseph Hicks (Grand Rapids, Mich.), who defeated Francis Hogan (Weymouth, Mass.) in a 4-1 decision.

“This is what I wanted,” Martinez said. “I get a day off tomorrow. I’m looking to close the show. Hats off to Troy, he’s a great fighter. Ain’t nothing personal, but I just wanted it a little bit more.”
Antonio Mireles (Des Moines, Iowa) continued his path of destruction in the men’s 201+ lbs. division with a unanimous decision win over Jeremiah Milton (Tulsa, Okla.). Mireles advances to the finals while Milton will take on the division’s top seed, Luis Alvarado (Kenosha, Wisc.). Alvarado looked strong in a unanimous decision win over Kenyon Walker(San Antonio, Texas) to stay alive in the challenger’s bracket.

“This has been a busy year for me,” Mireles said. “This is my twelfth fight this year and I’ve won them all. Going to the finals, it’s nothing new. I’m ready man. My game plan is always aggressive. Forward, forward, forward. That’s just my mentality.”

In the women’s 132 lbs. division, top seed Rashida Ellis (Lynn, Mass.) took down Kimberly Carlson (Chicago, Ill.) by unanimous decision to secure her spot in the finals. In the challenger’s bracket, two seed Amelia Moore (Alexandria, Va.) set up a rematch with Carlson tomorrow with her unanimous decision win over Jennifer Lopez (Jersey City, N.J.).

Abraham Perez (Albuquerque, N.M.) confirmed his spot in the men’s 114 lbs. finals with a 3-2 decision win over Anthony Herrera (Los Angeles, Calif.) Friday. In the challenger’s bracket, Roscoe Hill (Spring, Texas) moved a step closer to a rematch with Perez with his unanimous decision win over Jose Nieves (Avenel, N.J.). Hill will have to get past Herrera to get another shot at Perez.

In the women’s 112 lbs. division, top seed Virginia Fuchs (Houston, Texas) took down two seed Heaven Garcia (Los Angeles, Calif.) unanimous decision to advance to the finals. Garcia has a tough task in front of her in the challenger’s bracket as she’ll have to get past Christina Cruz (Hell’s Kitchen, N.Y.), who won in convincing fashion over Mariana Gonzalez(Sunnyvale, Calif.), a 4-1 decision.

Rahim Gonzales (Las Vegas, Nev.), the top seed in the men’s 178 lbs. division, passed his greatest test thus far by defeating Atif Oberlton (Philadelphia, Pa.) by unanimous decision. Oberlton is not done yet as he’ll face Orville Crooks (Brooklyn, N.Y.), who defeated Nasheed Smith (Washington, D.C.) by a 3-2 decision to stay alive.

“I’ve been waiting for a year for this fight,” Gonzales said. He thought he beat me at Nationals in December. I knew I had to come in there and break his spirits down. I just walked him down. I knew I had to take the fight because he’s the number two seed.”

In the men’s 125 lbs. division, top seed Duke Ragan (Cincinnati, Ohio) was toppled by David Navarro (Los Angeles, Calif.) in a 3-2 decision, eliminating him from the tournament. In the top half of the bracket, eight seed Bruce Carrington (Brooklyn, N.Y.) earned his third consecutive win with a 4-1 decision victory over Rashiem Jefferson (Philadelphia, Pa.). Jefferson and Navarro will face off tomorrow for a shot at Carrington in the finals.

“Right now, I’m above cloud nine,” Carrington said. “I have supreme confidence. I’m just trying to take over the whole thing. I want to push the pace.”

Darius Fulghum (Rosharon, Texas) and Jamar Talley (Camden, N.J.) of the men’s 201 lbs. division competed in one of the most even matches thus far in the trials. Fulghum was awarded the win in a 3-2 decision. Talley has another tough test in front of him as he’ll be facing off against Brandon Moore (Lakeland, Fla.), who defeated Devon Young (Aiken, S.C.) by unanimous decision.

In the men’s 152 lbs. division, Delante Johnson (Cleveland, Ohio) continued to prove his dominance with a 4-1 decision victory over Kelvin Davis (Norfolk, Va.) to earn a trip to the finals. Top seed Freudis Rojas (Las Vegas, Nev.) will meet Davis in the next round of the challenger’s bracket after winning his rematch with Lavars Carter (Cincinnati, Ohio) by a 3-2 decision.

“I’ve just been staying focused,” Johnson said. “I have to take it one fight at a time and be better each fight. I have to keep it pushing, keep getting better to come out on top.”

Briana Che (Madison, Wisc.) scored her third consecutive win in the women’s 152 lbs. division with a 4-1 decision victory over Mary Spencer (Boulder, Colo.). In the top side of the bracket, top seed Oshae Jones (Toledo, Ohio) continued to look like the best in her weight class with a unanimous decision victory over Danyelle Wolf (San Diego, Calif.).

In the men’s 138 lbs. division, top seed Keyshawn Davis (Norfolk, Va.) advanced past Charlie Sheehy (Brisbane, Calif.) by unanimous decision and into the finals. Sheehy drops to the challenger’s bracket to face Ernesto Mercado (Pomona, Calif.), who had a dominant performance of his own with a unanimous decision victory over Harley Mederos (New York, N.Y.).

Tomorrow is the last chance for those in the challenger’s bracket. A win means one more shot at advancing to the second stage of the selection process. Competition will begin at noon at the Lake Charles Civic Center.

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