The Pan American Games boxing tournament in Santiago, Chile, came to an end today at the Centro de Entrenamiento Olímpico after nine intense days and a total of 161 bouts. The gold medal matches in all 13 weight categories determined the champions.
Colombia’s Yeni Marcela ARIAS CASTANEDA was the first champion of the day as she triumphed over Brazil’s Tatiana Regina DE JESUS CHAGAS. In a tightly contested Women’s 54kg division final, the Brazilian started strong, taking a 3:2 lead over the 2022 South American Games gold medalist in the first and second rounds. However, the Colombian’s determination and aggressive counterattack took over in the third round, earning unanimous approval from all five judges and securing the victory.
In the Men’s 57kg, Jahmal HARVEY (USA) and Saidel Ivan HORTA RODRIGUEZ DEL REY (CUB) faced off in a hard-fought gold medal match. The Cuban boxer narrowly claimed the opening round, and the American fought back in the second round to turn the tide. In a thrilling third round, HARVEY’s attacking strategy and decisive punches sealed the victory and the Pan American title.
Beatriz Iasmin SOARES FERREIRA of Brazil stood atop the podium in the Women’s 60kg event. The 30-year-old boxer and Tokyo 2020 silver medalist outscored Angie Paola VALDES PANA of Colombia with a resounding 5:0 victory, leading throughout the entire match.
Mexico’s Marco Alonso VERDE ALVAREZ secured the brightest medal by defeating the 2022 South American Games bronze medalist Jose Gabriel RODRIGUEZ TENORIO of Ecuador. The 21-year-old Mexican talent showcased his brilliant boxing skills and strong jabs to control the match. The second and third rounds were decisive, earning him 10/9 scores from the judges in both rounds, ultimately resulting in a 5:0 victory in the final.
The 2023 Pan American champion in the Women’s 75kg class is Tammara Amanda THIBEAULT of Canada, who outscored Atheyna Bibeichi BYLON (PAN). The boxer from Panama began with powerful blows, taking a 3:2 lead. However, Olympian THIBEAULT refused to give up and fought back in the second and third rounds to reverse the situation and secure a unanimous decision victory.
Julio Cesar LA CRUZ PERAZA from Cuba and Keno Marley MACHADO from Brazil put on an extraordinary show in the Men’s 92kg final. The bout was closely contested, with both boxers displaying impressive punching and giving their all in every second of the match. Cuban experience and talent proved crucial and decisive in the final round, propelling LA CRUZ PERAZA to the top of the podium. He didn’t disappoint the expectations and claimed his fourth gold medal out of four participations at the Pan American Games, establishing himself as one of the strongest boxers in his category.
Brazilian Caroline BARBOSA DE ALMEIDA secured the gold in the Women’s 50kg final, dominating the match and earning a 5:0 victory over the United States’ Jennifer LOZANO. She led throughout all three rounds, maintaining control over her opponent. Team Brazil continued to celebrate as Jucielen CERQUEIRA ROMEU (BRA) emerged victorious in the Women’s 57kg final, outscoring Colombia’s Valeria ARBOLEDA MENDOZA with a convincing 5:0 score to claim the gold medal in her weight class.
In the Men’s 63.5kg gold medal match, Canada’s Wyatt SANFORD stood atop the podium after defeating Mexico’s Miguel Angel MARTINEZ RAMIREZ. The Mexican boxer delivered an impressive performance in the first round, earning five 10/9 scores from the judges. However, in the second round, the Canadian made a comeback and secured a full scorecard. Both boxers left it all in the ring during the third and final round, with SANFORD displaying a dominant performance to secure a unanimous decision victory.
Brazil continued to showcase their dominance as Barbara Maria DOS SANTOS (BRA) claimed the gold in the Women’s 66kg weight category. The Brazilian talent, cheered on by her team, won in style by being more aggressive and showcasing her boxing prowess, securing a 5:0 victory.
Two-time Olympic champion Arlen LOPEZ CARDONA from Cuba didn’t miss the opportunity to claim his third gold medal at the Pan American Games. In the Men’s 80kg final, he outperformed his Brazilian rival, Wanderley DE SOUZA PEREIRA, earning maximum points and a convincing 5:0 win.
Michael Douglas DA SILVA TRINDADE (BRA) in the Men’s 51kg event and Abner TEIXEIRA DA SILVA JUNIOR (BRA) in the Men’s +92kg event withdrew from their finals, conceding a walkover win to their respective opponents, Yunior ALCANTARA REYES of the Dominican Republic and Joshua Timothy EDWARDS of the United States of America.
The Boxing Road to Paris qualification pathway will now continue at the Pacific Games in Honiara (SOL), from the 27th of November to the 2nd of December. This event will conclude the continental qualifications phase for Paris 2024. Additionally, two World Qualification events will take place in Busto Arsizio (Italy) from February 29 to March 12, 2024, and in Bangkok (Thailand) from May 23 to June 3, 2024.
Stay tuned for more exciting boxing action!
Find the medal standings in the ‘Results’ section at the bottom of the event page, here.
You can also check our photo galleries, here.
