The Boxing Road to Paris America qualification tournament is ongoing in Santiago de Chile. Today, the round-of-16 matches for the Women’s 57kg category and the quarterfinals for the Men’s 80kg and Men’s 92kg weight classes took place. The tournament features athletes from 26 countries and an Independent team. It is being hosted at the Centro de Entrenamiento Olímpico from October 19th to the 27th, with the goal of securing 30 quota places, the tickets to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Morning session:
Valeria ARBOLEDA MENDOZA of Colombia delivered an impressive performance in the round-of-16 of the Women’s 57 kg event. She outclassed the experienced Olympian Miguelina HERNANDEZ GARCIA from the Dominican Republic, securing maximum points in each round and, as a result, securing a resounding 5:0 victory. Valeria’s commanding victory positions her as a formidable contender for the coveted Olympic quota place.
In the same weight category, Ashleyann LOZADA MOTTA of Puerto Rico achieved a significant victory over Minerva Magali MONTIEL MERELES, the 2022 South American Games bronze medalist from Paraguay, seizing the opportunity to advance to the quarterfinals. She delivered decisive blows towards the end of the match, impressing all five judges and securing a unanimous decision victory. Her next challenge will be facing Marie-Bathoul AL-AHMADIEH of Canada, who engaged in a fierce bout against Alyssa MENDOZA from the United States. Both boxers exhibited exceptional combinations, with the Canadian boxer narrowly edging out the first and second rounds. In a highly competitive third round, AL-AHMADIEH came out on top, ultimately securing a 3:2 split decision victory.
Following this bout, all eyes turned to the Men’s 80kg quarterfinal showdown, featuring Jhojan CAICEDO SINISTERRA of Colombia and Arlen LOPEZ CARDONA from Cuba. The Cuban superstar, a two-time Olympic champion, certainly lived up to the expectations. He displayed remarkable boxing skills in the ring and secured a victory by RSC (Referee Stops Contest) in the second round, after causing two standing counts to his opponent. On his journey to a potential third consecutive gold medal at the Pan American Games, Lopez’s next challenge will be against “Turco” Abraham Gabriel BUONARRIGO from Argentina. BUONARRIGO had a challenging match against his Canadian adversary, Keven Emmanuel BEAUSEJOUR, which proved to be an engaging contest with impressive punching from both sides. Ultimately, the Argentinian emerged victorious, securing a 4:1 split decision win at the end of the three rounds.
In the Men’s 92kg class, the stage was set for a spectacular bout as Julio Cesar LA CRUZ PERAZA from Cuba and Andrews Nicolas SALGADO CHAVEZ took to the ring. The two-time Olympic champion, LA CRUZ, showcased his exceptional footwork and devastating punches to outclass the hometown favorite, SALGADO CHAVEZ of Chile, earning a resounding unanimous decision victory. The Cuban legend will now face off against Olympian and 2022 South American Games gold medalist, Julio Cesar CASTILLO TORRES from Ecuador, in the semifinal match. CASTILLO TORRES left no room for doubt in his bout against Mexico’s Rogelio ROMERO TORRES, securing a convincing 5:0 victory. This sets the stage for an eagerly anticipated clash in the semifinals.
Moving forward in the tournament, Keno Marley MACHADO, the defending silver medalist from the 2019 Pan American Games representing Brazil, exhibited a strong tactical performance. He outclassed the 2022 South American Games bronze medalist, Marlon Andres HURTADO COLORADO of Colombia, securing unanimous 10/9 scores from all five judges in each of the three rounds. As he progresses to the semifinals, he will face the challenge of Bryan Ellis Mackenzie COLWELL from Canada. COLWELL secured a 3:2 victory against Yakita Drickie I Tabukuo ASKA of Antigua & Barbuda. The stage is set for an exciting medal match in the upcoming round.
Afternoon Session
Omailyn Carolina ALCALA SEGOVIA from Venezuela and Leilany Noshbet REYES MORENO from the Independent Athletes Team made their debut at the Pan American Games boxing tournament in the Women’s 57kg weight division today. ALCALA SEGOVIA, the Venezuelan boxer, came out strong in the first round, impressively securing four 10/9 scores and one 9/10 score from the judges. While her opponent from the Independent Athletes Team mounted a counter-attack in the second round, ALCALA SEGOVIA regained control in the third round, ultimately sealing the victory with a 4:1 decision. She has now set up a meeting with Legnis CALA MASSO (CUB), the silver medalist in the San Salvador Central American Games, who demonstrated her superiority by winning a 4:1 points decision against the 2018 Youth Olympic Games silver medalist from Mexico, Jennifer Yazmin CARRILLO CARRILLO. This upcoming match promises to be an exciting contest between two formidable contenders.
In the same class, was a Brazil vs Argentina match when the 2019 Pan American Games silver medallist and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Jucielen CERQUEIRA ROMEU (BRA) and the 22-year-old Milagros Rosario HERRERA from Buenos Aires jumped on the ring. The Brazilian talent used her skills and strong jab to clear her bout with maximum points. She is now only one win away to guarantee the coveted spot for Paris 2024.
In the same weight class, a thrilling Brazil vs. Argentina match unfolded when Jucielen CERQUEIRA ROMEU, the 2019 Pan American Games silver medalist and Tokyo 2020 Olympian from Brazil, faced off against the 22-year-old Milagros Rosario HERRERA from Buenos Aires. CERQUEIRA ROMEU, showcasing her remarkable skills and a powerful jab, decisively won her bout with a perfect score. With this victory, she is now just one win away from securing the coveted spot for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Later in the evening, the crowd at the Centro de Entrenamiento Olímpico in Santiago was treated to an exceptional match featuring the 20-year-old Jahmal HARVEY from the USA and the experienced Olympian Keevin ALLICOCK from Guyana. The bout was intense, with both boxers adopting aggressive and attacking strategies. After three fierce rounds, the young American talent from Maryland emerged victorious with a unanimous decision. He now awaits his next challenge in the semifinals, where he will face Luiz Gabriel C. O. DO NASCIMENTO from Brazil. DO NASCIMENTO exhibited patience and skill to secure a sharp 5:0 points victory over the 2019 Pan American Games silver medalist, Lucas Alexander FERNANDEZ GARCIA from Uruguay. The stage is set for what promises to be another thrilling match in the upcoming round.
Adding to the list of Cuban advances in the brackets, the fourth of the day, was the 21-year-old southpaw, Saidel Ivan HORTA RODRIGUEZ DEL REY. He edged out the Tokyo 2020 Olympian from Colombia, Yilmar Leandro GONZALEZ LANDAZURY, in a closely contested Men’s 57kg quarterfinal match, ultimately winning by a narrow 3-2 decision. HORTA RODRIGUEZ DEL REY is now set to face Dominican Republic’s Jose Luis DE LO SANTOS FELIZ in the next round. DE LO SANTOS FELIZ displayed consistent power and precision throughout the contest, securing a convincing 5:0 victory against Ecuador’s Jean Carlos CAICEDO PACHITO.
In the Men’s 80kg event, Team Brazil once again stole the spotlight as the 2022 South American Games gold medalist, Wanderley DE SOUZA PEREIRA, celebrated a 5:0 victory over Cristian Javier PINALES from the Dominican Republic. In the upcoming phase, he is slated to face Cedrick BELONY-DULIEPRE, representing Haiti, who secured a spot in the semifinals with a 4:1 victory over Charles Antonio COX of Barbados. This victory brings him one step closer to a medal at the PanAm Games.
The action is set to resume tomorrow, on October 25th, with the quarterfinals in the Women’s 50kg, 54kg, 66kg, 75kg and Men’s 51kg and +92kg taking place in two sessions at 11:00 and 17:00 (Santiago local time).
Watch boxing action live on Olympic Channel via Olympics.com and the official Olympics app.
Find additional information on the event on the Santiago 2023 official website.
You can also check our photo galleries, here.
