Today marked the start of the Boxing Tournament at the 19th Panamerican Games, taking place at the Centro de Entrenamiento Olímpico in Santiago de Chile. This event features the participation of 174 boxers from 26 different countries and an Independent Team. The competition will unfold over a span of nine days, running from October 19 to 27. During this time, athletes will compete in 13 events, all with the aim of securing both Panamerican titles and medals, as well as the coveted 30 quota places for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. These slots represent the desired tickets to the forthcoming Olympics.
Morning Session
The Women’s 66kg round-of-16 bout, featuring Alesha JACKMAN from Guyana and Lucia Noelia PEREZ representing Argentina, kicked off the first session of the event. In a swift and dominating performance, Argentina’s PEREZ emerged victorious in less than two rounds when the referee stopped the contest at 1 minute and 52 seconds of the second round. This decisive victory showcased PEREZ’s skill and determination in this competitive match, securing her advancement in the tournament.
Moments later, in the Men’s 57 kg weight category, Guyana’s Keevin ALLICOCK easily advanced past his round of 16 bout against Irvin Javier IBARGUEN MONA from Panama (PAN). He overwhelmed his opponent before the referee stopped the contest at 1 minute and 32 seconds into the second round.
Luiz Gabriel DO NASCIMENTO C. O. (BRA) secured his place in the advancing brackets by dominating his bout against Canadian boxer Victor TREMBLAY. The Brazilian DO NASCIMENTO forced his opponent into a standing count at 1 minute and 44 seconds into the second round, impressively earning four 10/8 scores and one 10/9 from the judges. DO NASCIMENTO will now face off against Uruguay’s Lucas Alexander FERNANDEZ GARCIA, who achieved a resounding 5:0 unanimous decision victory over Juan Eai REYES DONIS (EAI). This sets the stage for an exciting and highly anticipated matchup in this competitive weight category.
In the Men’s 63.5 kg class, 19-year-old Luciano Matias AMAYA of Argentina displayed his excellent boxing skill as he outclassed Leodan PEZO SABOYA from Peru. With only one minute and 23 seconds remaining in the first round, the referee had to stop the match due to injury, thus advancing AMAYA to the round of 16.
Moving on to the Men’s 92kg division, the spectators were treated to a display of heavy punches by Colombia’s Cristian Camilo SALCEDO CODAZZI (COL). He secured a unanimous points victory with a score of 5-0 against Nigel Carlan Thomas PAUL from Trinidad and Tobago. In the following bout, Delroy JNO CHARLES from Dominica (DMA) withdrew from his round-of-16 bout, granting a walkover win to his opponent, Fernando Alejandro ARZOLA LOPEZ of Cuba.
Afternoon session
In the Women’s 66kg event, Stephanie PINEIRO AQUINO (PUR) had a tough bout against her Venezuelan opponent Yuliannys Nazareth ALVAREZ FRANCO. The opening round was closely contested with the boxer from Puerto Rico edging ahead by the barest of margins. However, ALVAREZ FRANCO mounted a comeback in the second round, showcasing her determination and skill. With both boxers going at it in the third round, PINEIRO AQUINO landed some decisive punches to drive home the victory earring five 10/9 from the judges.
Arianne IMBERT LAMOTE of Cuba had a challenging time against Maria Altagracia MORONTA HERNANDEZ (DOM), who won in style being more aggressive and landing some heavy blows to the Cuban’s face. The referee had to stop the contest in the first round, after barely 52 seconds of boxing, awarding the victory to the Dominican Republic’s boxer.
Cuban talent Saidel Ivan HORTA RODRIGUEZ DEL REY , making his debut at the Pan American Games, delivered an exceptional performance in the Men’s 57kg category. The 21-year-old showcased his dominance with a convincing unanimous decision victory (5-0) over Miguel Fernando VEGA BARRERAS from Mexico. HORTA now advances in the tournament, where he is set to face Yilmar Leandro GONZALEZ LANDAZURY from Colombia, who secured a split decision victory (4-1) over Caleb Josue TIRADO PAGAN of Puerto Rico. In an electrifying match, the Dominican Republic’s Jose Luis DE LO SANTOS FELIZ secured a remarkable victory over the Rio 2016 silver medalist, Yoel Segundo FINOL RIVAS of Venezuela. Both athletes displayed exceptional combinations, but in the end it was DE LO SANTOS FELIZ who sealed the deal with a hard-fought 4-1 split decision victory, proving to be a formidable contender in the ring.
In the Men’s 63.5 kg weight category, Jose Manuel VIAFARA FORY of Colombia made the most of his opportunity to advance. He overwhelmed his opponent, Kervens BOUCHE from Haiti, leading the referee to stop the contest at 1 minute and 45 seconds into the second round.
The home crowd had the chance to witness an exciting bout as Miguel Angel VELIZ CORREA of Chile faced off against Ecuador’s Gerlon Gilmar CONGO CHALA in the Men’s +92kg category. Both boxers put on a spectacular display of punching prowess, with CONGO CHALA narrowly securing a 3-2 split decision victory.
The action at the Pan American Games continues with a single session on Friday, October 20, starting at 11:00 local time in Santiago. This session will feature the preliminary round of 16 in the Women’s 75kg and Men’s 92kg categories, promising more thrilling bouts and excellent displays of boxing skill.
Make sure to stay updated with the latest competition information, results, schedules, and additional content by visiting the official website of the Pan American Games.
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