(APR 16) (COLORADO SPRINGS,
COLO.) – As USA Boxing’s elite women travel the Road to Rio,
they will make a stop in Atlanta on Saturday, April 25 for a
battle with top foes from China at the Women’s International
Clash of Champions at the Buckhead Fight Club. 2012 Olympic gold
medalist Claressa Shields (Flint, Mich.) and Olympic bronze
medalist Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas) will lead a talented
squad of boxers in to the USA vs. China Duel match-up just over
a year out from the 2016 Olympic Games.
The Women’s International Clash of Champions, sponsored by Sting
Sports and Impact Mouthguards, is the first international event
in the United States to feature all of the women’s weight
divisions since the inaugural Women’s World Championships in
Scranton, Pa., in 2001. All of the event’s bouts will showcase
top athletes from both the United States and China in an
important international competitive opportunity for Team USA’s
women.
Shields, Esparza and lightweight Mikaela Mayer (Los Angeles,
Calif.) have all qualified for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials
for Women’s Boxing and the trio will box in rematches with
Chinese opponents in the international competition. Esparza will
take on her 2012 Olympic Games conqueror and 2012 Olympic silver
medalist Cancan Ren of China in the first match-up between the
two since London. Shields’ opponent Li Qian will be looking to
avenge her loss to the Olympic champion at the 2014 Women’s
World Championships when they reunite in Atlanta. Mayer dropped
her bout to Asian champion Junhua Yin in international action
earlier this year and is looking forward to a second opportunity
to face Yin in Atlanta.
The event will not only showcase the three Olympic weight
divisions but also feature outstanding women’s boxing action in
six additional weight classes. Multi-time national champion and
world championships medalists Christina Cruz (New York, N.Y.)
and Franchon Crews (Baltimore, Md.) will return to international
action in the bantamweight and light heavyweight divisions
respectively. 2015 light flyweight national champion Maureeca
Lambert (Glen Ellyn, Ill.), three-time USA Boxing flyweight
silver medalist Virginia Fuchs (Kemah, Texas), 2015 USA Boxing
National Championships featherweight silver medalist Ashleigh
Moore (Buzzards, Mass.), 2015 USA Boxing National Championships
light welterweight bronze medalist Nakarri Jones (Tampa, Fla.),
and 2015 USA Boxing National Championships welterweight silver
medalist Samantha Kinchen (Lexington, Ky.) will all take on
China in Atlanta.
In addition to three Chinese boxers in the Olympic weight
divisions, light flyweight Xiao Lang, bantamweight Liu Piaopino,
featherweight Lu Qiong, light welterweight Yang Wenlu,
welterweight Yang Liu, and light heavyweight Yang Xiaoli will
face off with Team USA at the Women’s International Clash of
Champions.
Coaches Israel Acosta (Milwaukee, Wis.), Kevin Greene
(Enterprise, Ala.), and Everette Elliston (Denver, Colo.) will
lead the U.S. team in Atlanta. An experienced group of AIBA
officials will work at the Women’s International Clash of
Champions, including Atlanta natives Kevin and Kevina Franklin.
Tournament supervisor Debbie Holmes (Garland, Texas), Dawn
Sanchez (Las Vegas, Nev.), Shawn Reese (Harrison, Tenn.), Sierra
Samuels (Minneapolis, Minn.) will round out the group of
officials from the United States who will team up with their
Chinese counterparts to officiate the event. AIBA Women’s
Commission member and 2012 Olympic coach Christy Halbert
(Nashville, Tenn.) and Abbey Smith (Chattanooga, Tenn.) will
oversee the event as Tournament Staff.
The United States team is currently preparing for the event at
the Olympic Training Center and will travel to Atlanta on
Saturday for a week of training and festivities prior to the
competition.
