(MAY 17) (COLORADO SPRINGS,
COLO.) – USA Boxing’s string of international competition has
moved south to Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela for the 2013 Women’s
Continental Championships, May 16-19, and United States boxers
continue to rack up international victories. Team USA put on a
show on the first day of competition in Venezuela, winning all
six of the squad’s bouts. Light flyweight Elisha Halstead
(Philadelphia, Pa.), flyweight Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas),
lightweight Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.), light welterweight
Bertha Aracil (Yonkers, N.Y.), middleweight Franchon Crews
(Baltimore, Md.) and heavyweight Denise Rico (Los Angeles,
Calif.) all won their bouts on Thursday night in Venezuela.
Halstead made her international debut on Thursday and she didn’t
miss a beat in her bout with Brazil’s Margareth Diaz. The light
flyweight won a 15-5 decision over Diaz to move on to a
semifinal bout with Tayonis Cedeno of Venezuela on Saturday.
Esparza, an Olympic bronze medalist, competed in her first
international bout of the year in Venezuela, taking on
Colombia’s Valencia Ingrid. Esparza won a 19-12 decision to
advance to a semifinal round contest with Canada’s Mary Bujold.
Esparza’s Olympic teammate Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.) was
the second U.S. boxer of the night to battle a Brazilian
opponent. Underwood enjoyed success as well, winning a 24-16
decision over Aline Santana in first round action. As she is
competing in the largest weight class in the tournament,
Underwood will now face Stephanie Walker of Canada in
quarterfinal action today.
Aracil doesn’t boast the same international experience as
Esparza and Underwood, but that didn’t stop the towering light
welterweight from putting on an impressive performance in her
first bout in Venezuela. She defeated Ingle Charles of Trinidad
by a 26-4 margin to earn a berth in the semifinal round where
she will face Maria Ortega of Bolivia.
In middleweight action, Crews, a previous Women’s Continentals
champion, defeated Brazil’s Bastieri Danieli, 18-10, in their
quarterfinal bout. Crews will return to the ring on Saturday for
semifinal action to face Francelis Carmona of Venezuela.
Heavyweight Denise Rico (Los Angeles, Calif.) was the final U.S.
boxer to compete in first day action in Venezuela and she
continued the winning streak in dominating fashion. Rico stopped
Kemara Stuart of Barbados in the third round of their four round
contest to advance to Sunday’s finals. She will battle Diosmary
Matutes of Venezuela for the gold medal.
Welterweight Danyelle Wolf (San Diego, Calif.) and light
heavyweight Tiffanie Hearn (Oxnard, Calif.) will compete for the
first time today, facing Venezuela’s Carolina Quevado and
Trinidad’s Chimere Taylor respectively. Bantamweight Christina
Cruz (New York, N.Y.) received a first round bye and will take
on Brazil’s Marcia Silva on Saturday. Featherweight Jennifer
Hamann (Seattle, Wash.) will make her tournament debut on
Saturday as well, facing Caroline Veyre of Canada.
2000 U.S. Olympic Coach Israel Acosta (Milwaukee, Wis.), Benny
Roman (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Eugene Hart (Philadelphia, Pa.) are
serving as the U.S. coaches for the 2013 Women’s Continental
Championships.
More than 60 athletes from 15 countries are competing in the
event in all 10 women’s weight divisions. The women’s
continental championships is the third international event in
the last three weeks for USA Boxing with U.S. junior athletes
winning a combined 16 medals, including eight gold, in the
Prikka and Victory Day Tournaments earlier in the month. The
elite men will be the final group to compete with 10 male
athletes heading to Puerto Rico on Sunday.
Thursday’s U.S. Results
106 lbs: Elisha Halstead, Philadelphia, Pa./USA dec. Margareth
Diaz, BRA, 15-5
112 lbs: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas/USA dec. Valencia
Ingrid, COL, 19-12
132 lbs: Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash./USA dec. Aline Santana,
BRA
141 lbs: Bertha Aracil, Yonkers, N.Y./USA dec. Ingle Charles,
TRI, 24-6
165 lbs: Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md./USA dec. Bastieri
Danieli, BRA, 18-10
178+ lbs: Denise Rico, Los Angeles, Calif./USA stopped Kemara
Stuart, BAR, RSC-3
WBAN
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