(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – The United States and Mexico will face off in international dual action, April 15 and 17 at the Restorations Ministries’ Harvey Boxing Club and Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Ill., with the two squads competing in all 13 Olympic weight divisions over the two dual event.

Eight national champions will lead Team USA into action with light flyweight Louie Byrd (Denver, Colo.), female flyweight Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas), female lightweight Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.), male light welterweight Pedro Sosa (Bronx, N.Y.), female middleweight national champion Tiffanie Hearn (Louisville, Ky.), male middleweight national champion Luis Arias (Milwaukee, Wis.) and male super heavyweight champion Lenroy Thompson (Lenexa, Kansas) all competing in the international dual.

Two Chicago natives will see action in the international event with male lightweight Kenneth Sims, Jr. (Chicago, Ill.) and the Harvey Boxing Club’s own welterweight Alex Martin (Chicago, Ill.) facing Mexico over the weekend. 2010 USA Boxing National Championships male flyweight bronze medalist John Franklin (Fort Carson, Colo.), 2010 National PAL male bantamweight champion Oshanique Foster (Orange, Texas), male light heavyweight Caleb Plant (Ashland Tenn.), and 2010 Youth Olympic Games male heavyweight participant Joshua Temple (St. Louis, Mo.) will complete the U.S. team in Harvey.

Mexico is sending a squad of top athletes north of the border with five female athletes slated to compete in the two-dual event. The female athletes will be flyweights Mariana Caballero and Silvia Torres, lightweights Reyna Virdiana Cortija and Erika Cruz, and middleweight Alma Nora Ibarra. On the men’s side, light flyweight Francisco Alonso Melendez, flyweight Elias Emigdio Abarca, bantamweight Oscar Valdez Fierro, lightweight Angel Jordan Gutierrez Amezcua, light welterweight Carlos Barrera, welterweight Oscar Molina Casillas, middleweight Juan Antonio Mercado, light heavyweight Armando Pina, heavyweight Mario Heredia, and super heavyweight Juan Isidro Hiracheta will face American foes in the two dual event.

Charles Leverette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) of the United States’ Army, Clara Savannah (Houston, Texas) and Mark Chears (Chicago, Ill.) will be the Team USA coaches for the USA vs. Mexico Dual with Enrique Orci (Tuscson, Ariz.) and Randy Richard (Lafayette, La.) working as the AIBA officials, Rosemarie Trindle (Mercer, Pa.) serving as the Computer Technician and Dr. Alicia Broeren (Milwaukee, Wis.) joining the squad as the Team Physician.

Nine bouts of action will kick off the event on Friday at 8 p.m., at the Harvey Boxing Club with two women’s bouts showcasing a duo of the United States’ top female boxers against Mexican foes. Friday’s black-tie event will not only feature nine of the top Olympic hopefuls from both the United States and Mexico, but also serve as a fundraising event for the Restoration Ministries. USA Boxing and the Harvey Boxing Club have hosted the annual event for several years and it consistently provides a great night of boxing action.

Sunday’s action will commence at 2 p.m. at Thornton Township High School with competition being showcased in all 13 Olympic weight classes in the second dual of the event. Bout sheets for both days of USA vs. Mexico Dual action are attached.

Team USA Roster

Female – 112lbs/51kg: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas
Female – 132lbs/60kg: Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash.
Female – 165lbs/75kg: Tiffanie Hearn, Louisville, Ky.
108lbs/49kg: Louie Byrd, Denver, Colo.
114lbs/52kg: John Franklin, Colorado Springs, Colo.
123lbs/56kg: O’Shanique Foster, Orange, Texas
132lbs/60kg: Kenneth Sims, Chicago, Ill.
141lbs/64kg: Pedro Sosa, Bronx, N.Y.
152lbs/69kg: Alex Martin, Chicago, Ill.
165lbs/75kg: Luis Arias, Milwaukee, Wis.
178 lbs/81kg: Caleb Plant, Ashland, Tenn.
201 lbs/91kg: Joshua Temple, St. Louis, Mo.
201+lbs/+91kg: Lenroy Thompson, Lenexa, Kansas

Coach: Charles Leverette, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Coach: Clara Savannah, Houston, Texas
Coach: Mark Chears, Chicago, Ill.
Physician: Alicia Broeren, Milwaukee, Wis.
Official: Rosemaire Trindle, Mercer, Pa.
Official: Enrique Orci, Tucson, Ariz.
Official: Randy Richard, Lafayette, La.

Team Mexico Roster

Female - 112lbs/51kg: Mariana Caballero
Female – 132lbs/60kg: Reyna Viridiana Cortija
Female – 165lbs/75kg: Alma Nora Ibarra
Female - 112lbs/51kg: Silvia Torres
Female – 132lbs/60kg: Erika Cruz
Female – 165lbs/75kg: Irais Hernandez
108lbs/49kg: Francisco Alonso Melendez
114lbs/52kg: Braulio Avila Juarez
123lbs/56kg: Oscar Valdez Fierro
132lbs/60kg Angel Jordan Gutierrez Amezcua
141lbs/64kg: Carlos Barrera

152lbs/69kg: Oscar Molina Casillas
165lbs/75kg: Juan Antonio Mercado
178 lbs/81kg: Armando Pina
201 lbs/91kg: Mario Heredia
201+lbs/+91kg: Juan Isidro Hiracheta

Coach: Francisco Bonilla Vazquez
Coach: Guillermo Becerril Perez
Coach: Mario Gonzalez Lugo
Team Manager: Oscar Contreras Gonzales
Physician: Aurelio Alvarez Plascencia
Official: Ismael Mejia Cordova

USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).