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AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 5/19/12 Finals!

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AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 5/19/12 Finals!

The finals were an exciting culmination to a remarkable tournament that pitted 325 superb amateur athletes from 77 nations in a test of ability, skill, savvy and courage.  The competition was also something more, the first international Olympic qualifying test for female boxers in history.

Tiara Brown in her Semifinal win over Svetlana Staneva, Credit: Feng Li/Getty Images Asia Pac

Team USA came away with two Olympians, one gold medal, two silver medals and two bronze medalists.

Franchon Crews winning her semifinal bout over Timea Nagy, Credit: Feng Li/Getty Images AsiaPac

Olympians!

Marlena Espara (Flyweight)

Claressa Shields (Middleweight)

Gold Medalist!

Tiara Brown (Featherweight)

Silver Medalists!

Franchon Crews (Light Heavyweight)

Raquel Miller (Welterweight)

Bronze Medalists!

Christina Cruz (Bantamweight)

Mikaela Mayer (Light Welterweight)

Raquel Miller defeating Irina Porteyeva in the semifinals, Credit: Feng Li/Getty Images AsiaPac

Click here for the Full Bout roster for the Finals held on 5/19/12:

5:19:12 Full Roster Finals

Click here for full results for Semifinals (5/18/12) & Finals (5/19/12):

5:18:12 Results Session 12A

5:18:12 Results Session 13A

5:19:12 Results Session 14A Finals

Click here for Medalists!

AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 5/18/12!

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AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 5/18/12! (Update 2)

The Semifinals!

LIVE NOW!!!

All five of the remaining USA Boxing team members are scheduled to compete in the semifinals today.

Results so far are as follows:

Franchon Crews (81kg) routed her opponent Hungary’s Timea Nagy by the score of 22:8 to win her semifinal bout in the first session of today’s Women’s World Championship action today.  She led the fight from the beginning, but really put it away with a 6:2 third round and a 9:3 fourth round.  No word yet on who Crews will face in the finals!

Raquel Miller (69 kg) proved victorious in her semifinal bout over Russia’s Irina Poteyeva winning the close bout 13:10.  Miller was able to hold Poteyeva off through most of the match and will proudly move on to the finals!

Christina Cruz (54 kg) lost her semifinal bid to Italy’s Terry Gordini by the score of 7:11.  The low scoring bout saw Gordini to effectively hold Cruz to low points throughout, though Cruz was able to tie Gordini 2:2 in the third round.  Cruz has been a true champion with excellent showings throughout the tournament so this is a big loss.

From the PM sessions, Tiara Brown (57kg) defeated Bulgaria’s Svetlana Staneva by the score of 22:14.  She moves onto the finals as the top seed in her division!

Mikaela Mayer (64gk) who fought the North Korean light welterweight  Kyong Pak on the heels of her quarterfinal rout of India’s Meena Rani, lost a tough, close battle 24:25 to Pak. Mayer and Pak each won a round in the first two, but Pak pulled out a 3-point advantage in the third. In the fourth round Mayer came back very strong, however, a mid-round stop effected her momentum and though she took the round 10-8, Pak’s holding at the end of the round cost Mayer the bout.

Other results from the first session are as follows:

Ireland’s Katie Taylor took her semifinal bout and will be in the finals against Russia’s own Sofya Ochigava. Ochigava defeated the heavily touted British fighter Natasha Jones 18:10 to gain her spot in the final.

Click here for the Full Bout roster for 5/16/12:

5:18:12 Full Roster Semifinals

Click here for full results for 5/16/12 & the first session for 5/18/12:

5:16:12 Results Session 10A

5:16:12 Results Session 10B

5:16:12 Results Session 11A

5:16:12 Results Session 11B

5:18:12 Results Session 12A

AIBA’s article link is here: Russian women continue terrific form in quarter-finals.

AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 5/14/12!

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AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 5/14/12! – UPDATED! (Added 5/14/12 Results Session 6B)

More Preliminary Rounds!

Erika Guerrier (Red) & Nives Radic, Credit: Feng Li/Getty Images AsiaPac

Well in early results from today’s bouts it seems the USA has three winners so far!

As the PM results come through, however, it seems that Claressa Shields has suffered a defeat at the hands of Great Britain’s Savannah Marshall by the score of 8:14.  The low scoring bout saw a 2:2 draw in the first round followed by a steady increase in points by Marshall.  This is a heartbreaker for Claressa who was an early favorite to go all the way.

The USA’s own Queen Underwood continues to advance with a huge win against New Zealand’s Alexis Pritchard by the score of 28:9. Queen dominated throughout the fight with an amazing third round that saw her to receive the score of 10:2.  Queen will go on to fight in the Elite 8 next where she will face Norway’s Ingrid Egner.

Franchon Crews (81kg) the USA Boxing Champion also routed her opponent, Sabrina Arlette Jaqueline Delarue of France with a score of 22:8.  She advances to the quarterfinals where she will face Kazakhstan’s Dariga Shakimova.

And finally, the USA’s Tiara Brown who has been awarded the top seed handily won her bout against India’s Mandakini Chanu Kangabam by the score of 21:16 in the 57kg division. She faces China’s Jian Qin in the quarterfinal.

Bouts in the Olympic Flyweight, and non-Olympic Bantamweight, Light Flyweight, Light Welterweight and Welterweight divisions dominate today’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Quinhuangdao, China.

The afternoon and evening sessions include bouts in the Featherweight, Lightweight, Light Heavyweight and Middleweight divisions.

Click here for the Full Bout roster for 5/14/12:

5:14:12 Full Bout Roster

Click here for full results for 5/13/12 + 5/14/12 first two sessions:

5:13:12 Results Session 4A

5:13:12 Results Session 4B

5:13:12 Results Session 5A

5:13:12 Results Session 5B

5:14:12 Results Session 6A

5:14:12 Results Session 6B

AIBA’s article link is here: China, Russia and the USA still perfect in Qinhuangdao

Women’s boxing: all eyes on Canada

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>>>UPDATE!!!

Congratulations to the Women’s Elite Continental Boxing Champions!!!

Alex Love-48kg (USA), Marlen Esparza-51kg (USA), Clelia Costa-54kg (Brazil), Tiara Brown-57kg (USA), Adriana Araujo-64kg (Brazil), Mikaela Mayer-64kg (USA), Miriam da Silva-69kg (Canada), Claressa Shields-75kg (USA), Franchon Crews-81kg (USA), Erika Cabrera-+81kg (Brazil)!!!

Women’s boxing: all eyes on Canada …

The Women’s Elite Continental Boxing Championships have been underway in Cornwall, Ontario since April 4th and will run through April 7th.  Amateur women’s boxing champions from as far away as Argentina and Brazil and including teams from Jamaica, Ecuador, Mexico, Honduras, Puerto Rico, the United States and Canada have been competing their hearts out.

The tournament has been a preview of the caliber of women’s boxing we can expect in next month’s world championships in China, and importantly, a preview of sorts of how women in the Olympic weight classes will fare.

More importantly, as women’s boxing fever begins to rise, it is offering people who are less familiar with the sport the opportunity to become “infected” by the incredible boxing skills these extraordinary women are  demonstrating night after night.

As always, it seems, women who box do so “wall-to-wall” with barely an opportunity to breathe, never mind allow the action to stop.   As Puerto Rico’s Tiffany Perez who lost a heartbreaker last night put it in an interview with a Canadian paper, “ Women’s boxing is important because women are always the underdogs and this makes them stronger and more determined.” Article link here.

Tonight’s finals will be no exception, pitting the best of that North and South America have to offer for the world to see.  Give yourself a treat and watch the bouts starting at 7:00 PM EST:  Go Fight Live TV

Bout Roster – Finals 7:00 PM EST

(48kg) RED-LOVE Alexandra USA v.  BLUE-CRUZ Claribel ARG
(51kg) RED-ESPARZA Marlen USA v. BLUE-MATOS Erica BRA
(54kg) RED-BENAVIDEZ Yanina ARG  v.  BLUE-COSTA Clelia BRA
(57kg) RED-SANCHEZ Leonela ARG  v. BLUE-BROWN Tiara USA
(60kg) RED-ARAUJO Adriana BRA v. BLUE-SANCHEZ Dayana ARG
(64kg) RED-SILVA Roselaine BRA v. BLUE-MAYER Mikaela USA
(69kg) RED-GITTENS Kimberly BAR v. BLUE-da SILVA Myriam CAN
(75kg) RED-SHIELDS Claressa USA v. BLUE-SPENCER Mary CAN
(81kg) RED BERGERON Maude CAN v. BLUE CREWS-Franchon USA
(+81kg) RED CABRERA Erika BRA v. BLUE-PEREZ Victoria USA


Female 2012 USA Boxing National Champions Crowned!

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Female 2012 USA Boxing National Champions Crowned!

Mikaela Mayer winning the 2012 USA National Championship at 141 lbs., Credit: Mark Mayer

Alex Love (106 lbs), Christina Cruz (119 lbs),Tiara Brown (125 lbs), Mikaela Mayer (141 lbs), Raquel Miller (152 lbs), and Franchon Crews (178 lbs), each veterans of the first-ever female Olympic Trials and each competing in a non-Olympic weight class, will be representing the US once again at the 2012 Women’s World Championships as winners of the 2012 USA Boxing National Championships in their respective weight classes.  They will reunite with the three US Olympic Trials champions, Marlen Esparza, Queen Underwood and Claressa Shields, to round out the US team.

Mikaela Mayer had the additional honor of being name the outstanding female boxer of the 2012 USA Boxing National tournament.

Girlboxing sends a huge shout out to these remarkable women for their accomplishments!

Saturday’s Championship Results

5 p.m. session – Winners will go on to the 2012 Women’s World Championships in China this coming May 2012!

106 lbs/female: Alex Love, Monroe, Wash., dec. Lisa Ha, Honolulu, Hawaii, 26-13

119 lbs/female: Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y., dec. Jamie Mitchell, Pacific Grove, Calif., 22-7

125 lbs/female: Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., dec. Rashida Ellis, Lynn, Mass., 20-17

141 lbs/female: Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif., dec. Cashmere Jackson, Cleveland, Ohio, 20-16

152 lbs/female: Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif., dec. Danyelle Wolf, San Diego, Calif., 10-5

178 lbs/female: Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md., dec. Tiffanie Hearn, San Diego, Calif., 27-17

178+ lbs/unopposed female: Victor Perez won unopposed

1 p.m. – Olympic Weight Classes

112 lbs/female: Ayesha Green, Trenton, N.J., dec. Anissa Vasquez, Fort Worth, Texas, 26-7

132 lbs/female: Emily Dagnan, Jasper, Tenn., dec. Katie Brunacini, Los Angeles, Calif., 16-9

165 lbs/female: Fallon Farrar, Staten Island, N.Y., dec. Dara Shen, Alexandria, Va., 22-15

Gaining spots in the Finals @ 2012 USA Boxing Nationals!

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Gaining spots in the Finals @ 2012 USA Boxing Nationals!

Tiara Brown, Credit: Sue Jaye Johnson

The roster for the 2012 USA Boxing finals is set with finalists including Olympic Team Trials contenders Christina Cruz (119 lbs), Alex Love (106 lbs), Tiara Brown (125 lbs), Mikaela Mayer (141 lbs), Raquel Miller (152 lbs), Tiffanie Hearn (178 lbs) and Franchon Crews (178 lbs). 

There will be two championship sessions today.  The three women’s Olympic weight classes will compete in final action at 1 p.m. with the remaining weight divisions, which are each advancing on to major international tournaments, boxing at 6 p.m. at the Fort Carson Special Events Center.

Today’s Championship round bout sheet is as follows:

1 p.m.

112 lbs/female: Anissa Vasquez, Fort Worth, Texas vs. Ayesha Green, Trenton, N.J.

132 lbs/female: Emily Dagnan, Jasper, Tenn., vs. Katie Brunacini, Los Angeles, Calif.

165 lbs/female: Fallon Farror, Staten Island, N.Y., vs. Dara Shen, Alexandria, Va.
6 p.m.

106 lbs/female: Alex Love, Monroe, Wash., vs. Lisa Ha, Honolulu, Hawaii

119 lbs/female: Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y., vs. Jamie Mitchell, Pacific Grove, California

125 lbs/female: Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., vs. Rashida Ellis, Lynn, Mass.

141 lbs/female: Cashmere Jackson, Cleveland, Ohio vs. Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif.

152 lbs/female: Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif., vs. Danyelle Wolf, San Diego, Calif.

178 lbs/female: Tiffanie Hearn, San Diego, Calif., vs. Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md.

Friday’s Semifinal Results

106 lbs/female: Lisa Ha, Honolulu, Hawaii dec. Marina Ramirez, Sacramento, Calif., 20-14

106 lbs/female: Alex Love, Monroe, Wash., dec. Amy Sowers, Bozeman, Mont., 22-13

112 lbs/female: Ayesha Green, Trenton, N.J., dec. Maryguenn Vellinga, Salt Lake City, Utah, 10-7

119 lbs/female: Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y., dec. Ayanna Vasquez, Las Cruces, N.M., 16-13

119 lbs/female: Jamie Mitchell, Pacific Grove, Calif., dec. Melanie Costa, Norton, Mass., 25-18

125 lbs/female: Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., dec. Kirstie Simmons, Aurora, Colo., 21-9

125 lbs/female: Rashida Ellis, Lynn, Mass., dec. Karla Herrera, Los Angeles, Calif., 14-12

132 lbs/female: Emily Dagnan, Jasper, Tenn., dec. Karla Herrera, Los Angeles, Calif., 19-10

132 lbs/male: Jose Ramirez, Avenal, Calif., dec. Kenneth Sims, Jr., Chicago, Ill., 27-14

132 lbs/male: Raynell Williams, Cleveland, Ohio dec. Toka Kahn Clary, Providence, R.I., 21-20

141 lbs/female: Cashmere Jackson, Cleveland, Ohio dec. Ariel Beck, Helena, Mont., 22-5

141 lbs/female: Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif., dec. Christella Cepeda, Yonkers, N.Y., 21-5

152 lbs/female: Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif., dec. Tara Weisshaar, Burlington, Colo., 29-2

152 lbs/female: Danyelle Wolf, San Diego, Calif., dec. Alicia Napoleon, Lingdenhurst, N.J., 24-5

178 lbs/female: Tiffanie Hearn, San Diego, Calif., stopped Kendra Minnis, St. Louis, Mo., RSC

178 lbs/female: Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md., stopped Denise Rico, Los Angeles, Calif., RSC

Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials Day Six, 2/18/2012!

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Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials Day Six, 2/18/2012!

Tyrieshia Douglas battling Christina Cruz, 2/17/12, Credit: AP

And then there were three!  Challengers that is for tonight’s Championship round in this double elimination tournament.
Last night’s action was all about determination and slogging through the fatigue of what was for some, their fifth bout in as many days!
Flyweight boxer Tyrieshia Douglas faced Christina Cruz for the second time, but was able to edge out Cruz with focus and grit through the first three rounds.  With her laser-like accuracy and a heart that wouldn’t quit Douglas pulled ahead of Cruz in the final round and won with a score of 22-14.  Tyrieshia earned the right to face Marlen Esparza tonight.
Lightweights Mikaela Mayer and N’yteeyah Sherman both fought a confident, highly skilled, technical battle with not dissimilar styles.  N’yteeyah with the height advantage was able to pull head in the opening round, but Mayer was able to fight through to tie and eventually to grab the lead, taking the decision with a score of 26-25.  She will face Queen Underwood for the second time tonight.
For the middleweight contest, Tika Hemingway took control of the bout against Raquel Miller with quicker hands and a savvy ring style that saw her to set the pace.  Tika’s style also meant that she was able to gain a decisive lead from the first round on taking the decision with a final score of 21-6.  Tika will face Claressa Shields tonight in a repeat of their Thursday battle.
A word on double elimination:  Marlen Esparza, Queen Underwood and Claressa Shields will all be fighting as “winners” tonight.  That means if any of them lose the bout tonight, they will have the right to fight their opponents a second time on Sunday as “challengers”.  However, Tyrieshia Douglas, Mikaela Mayer and Tika Hemingway as tonight’s “challengers” must win in order to keep their Olympic dreams alive.

Press coverage includes the following:

USA Boxing, AP’s Greg Beacham in the Washington Post, FoxNews, Los Angeles Times, and Spokesman-Review. 

Tonight’s bouts can be viewed online at the link here.  By the way if you’ve missed any of the action, click on the link to watch previous night’s bouts!

Friday’s Challengers Bracket Finals Results
112 lbs/challengers bracket: Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md., dec. Christina Cruz, 22-14
132 lbs/challengers bracket: Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif., dec. N’yteeyah Sherman, 26-24
165 lbs/challengers bracket: Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa., dec. Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif., 21-6
Saturday’s Championship Round Bout Sheet

112 lbs: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas vs. Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md.
132 lbs: Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash., vs. Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif.
165 lbs: Claressa Shields, Flint, Mich., vs. Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials Day Five, 2/17/2012!

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Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials Day Five, 2/17/2012!

Mikaela Mayer landing a left hook against Tiara Brown, 2/16/2012, Credit: Wally Skali / Los Angeles Times

Last night’s boxing efforts are why these exceptional women are called champions!

For the six fighters in the challengers bracket it meant overcoming losses and finding the courage to make the course corrections necessary to win.  For the champions in the winners bracket it meant stepping up to bring that much more of themselves and their ring saavy to come out on top.

In the first flyweight bout Marlen Esparza did just that.  She outfought Christina Cruz’s valiant effort by literally beating her to the punch through a mixture of sheer nerve and technical prowess.  Both fighters were rangy, cagey and filled with tactical brilliance, but it was Esparza who was able to pull out with a final score of 13-10.  Tyrieshia Douglas also proved that she was in the tournament to win with her decisive “never look back” win over Virginia Fuchs.  Both competitors were fierce, however, Douglas, who will fight Christina Cruz tonight for the right to go on to the finals on Saturday, never, ever let up through four rounds of boxing.  The final score was 31-19.

Queen Underwood also brought it last night in a tough, tough match that gave her rangy opponent N’yteeyah Sherman a one point edge through the first three rounds. Queen’s constant barrage and willingness to dig in ultimately gave her the ammunition to take the fight with the final score of 25-24.  On the challenger’s side, Mikaela Mayer fought a decisive win over Tiara Brown by using her outside/inside prowess for a final score of 23-18. Sherman and Mayer will battle it out tonight for the right to go on to Saturday’s Final Round.

Claressa Shields, fighting her toughest bout in the tournament continued to impress as she strong-armed two-time light heavyweight national champion Tika Hemingway through four rounds for a final score of 23-15. In the final challengers bout of the night Raquel Miller pushed through to handily defeat top seed Franchon Crews by using her tactical prowess to avoid being trapped in a slug fest. With a final score of 26-15, Miller will go on to fight tonight against Hemingway.

Press coverage includes the following:

USA Boxing, AP’s Greg Beacham, Detroit Free Press, SFGate, Los Angeles Times, News-Press.com and Spokesman-Review. 

Tonight’s bouts can be viewed online at the link here.  By the way if you’ve missed any of the action, click on the link to watch previous night’s bouts!

The full results for Day Four of the Trials are as follows:

Thursday’s Results

112 lbs/winners bracket: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas, dec. Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y., 13-10
112 lbs/challengers bracket: Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md., dec. Virginia Fuchs, Kemah, Texas, 31-19
132 lbs/winners bracket: Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash., dec. N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio, 25-24
132 lbs/challengers bracket: Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif., dec. Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., 23-18
165 lbs/winners bracket: Claressa Shields, Flint, Mich., dec. Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa., 23-15
165 lbs/challengers bracket: Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif., dec. Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md., 26-15

Tonight’s Challengers Bouts will determine who survives for Saturday bouts!  This is do or die for these six exceptional fighters!

Friday’s Challengers Bracket Bout Sheet

112 lbs: Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y., vs. Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md.

132 lbs: N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio vs. Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif.

165 lbs: Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa., vs. Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif.

Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials Day Four, 2/16/2012!

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Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials Day Four, 2/16/2012!

Queen Underwood throws a right at Mikaela Mayer, 2/15/2012, Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

Last night was a WAR: Twelve fighters on the precipice of elimination from the tournament fought their hearts out to claim a place on today’s bout roster, all of their hopes and dreams for Olympic glory on the line.

For flyweight Tyrieshia Douglas that meant a crescendo of battle tactics that saw her to first overwhelm and then finally stop Taversha Norwood at 1:18 in the fourth round when the referee ended the bout.  Virginia Fuchs also fought a non-stop battle from the outside to defeat Alex Love by a 21-16 decision.  Douglas and Fuchs will battle each other tonight in the Challenger’s bracket.

The lightweights were equally exciting. Tiara Brown, the 2011 USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist proved herself a winner in a very close tactical battle with Bertha Aracil that saw the momentum shift from Aracil to Brown with a final score of 12-11. In the other lightweight contest, Mikaela Mayer was relentless in her pursuit of Asia Stevenson who was given two standing eight counts at the end of the second round, one at the end of the third and was finally stopped at 1:24 in the fourth round. Mayer’s style was relentless from the outside but she showed no fear in the clinches. Stevenson fought as a southpaw and showed a nice stinging jab in the first round, only to lose momentum from the second round on.  The battle tonight between Tiara Brown and Mikaela Mayer should certainly prove to be an exciting matchup!
Franchon Crews fought a tough slugfest against Tiffanie Hearn, but managed to pull off a close decision 27-26.  Both fighters fought in close and lost points for “wrestling.”   In the last contest of the night, Raquel Miller did her best to slug it out with Andrecia Wasson, finally winning the contest by a score of 7-6 — on her birthday no less.  Neither fought a particularly clean fight, but Miller proved to be more effective. Crews and Miller will meet tonight in what will likely be another all out war.

Press coverage includes the following: USA Boxing, AP’s Greg Beacham, Detroit Free Press, ESPN, and Sarah Deming’s Day three report on Huffington Post. 

Tonight’s bouts can be viewed online at the link here.

The full results for Day Three of the Trials are as follows:

112 lbs/challengers bracket: Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md., stopping Taversha Norwood, Marietta, Ga., RSC-4 (1:18)

112 lbs/challengers bracket: Virginia Fuchs, Kemah, Texas dec. Alex Love, Monroe, Wash., 21-16

132 lbs/challengers bracket: Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., dec. Bertha Aracil, Yonkers, N.Y., 12-11

132 lbs/challengers bracket: Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif., stopped Asia Stevenson, Washington DC, RSC-4 (1:24)

165 lbs/challengers bracket: Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md., dec. Tiffanie Hearn, San Diego, Calif., 27-26

165 lbs/challengers bracket: Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif., dec. Andrecia Wasson, Centerline, Mich., 7-6

Tonight’s Bouts are a combinations of the winner’s bouts from Valentine’s Day and last night’s successful challengers. There will be a total of six fights, two from each division.

Thursday’s Bout Sheet

112 lbs/winners bracket: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas vs. Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y.
112 lbs/challengers bracket: Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md., vs. Virginia Fuchs, Kemah, Texas
132 lbs/winners bracket: Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash., vs. N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio
132 lbs/challengers bracket: Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., vs. Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif.
165 lbs/winners bracket: Claressa Shields, Flint, Mich., vs. Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa.
165 lbs/challengers bracket: Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md., vs. Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif.

Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials Day Three, 2/15/2012!

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Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials Day Three, 2/15/2012!

Patricia Manuel (L) & Tiara Brown, 2/13/2012, first round, U. S. Women's Boxing Olympic Trials, Credit: Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times

What a great night of boxing!

In the middleweight division, Claressa Shields continued to impress with her decisive win over world champion Andrecia Wasson by the score of 31-12. New York’s own flyweight Christina Cruz also fought a brilliant tactical fight against Tyrieshia Douglas to pull out a 20-15 decision.  Christina Cruz will face the powerful heavy favorite Marlen Esparza on Thursday.  Esparza who had a walkover in her opening bout, fought a rough and tumble bout against Alex Love taking the decision with a score of 22-12.

In the lightweight division, Queen Underwood was truly on her game and in control taking the 27-20 decision from Mikaela Mayer who proved herself to be a tough challenger. Underwood will face N’yteeyah Sherman on Thursday who won a decisive victory over Tiaira Brown, 32-24 last night.  Underwood and Sherman last met in the 2011 USA Boxing National Championships.

Press links can be found here:  USA Boxing, The Spokesman-Review, Los Angeles Times, New York Times. Plus check out this article on the issues surrounding making weight to qualify for one of the three Olympic weight-classes open to women in the 2012 Olympics by Greg Beacham of the Associated Press.

By the way, kudos to USA Boxing for the video streaming and especially to Christy Halbert for her great commentary!

Tonight’s bouts can be viewed online at the link here.

The full results for Day Two of the Trials are as follows:

112 lbs/winners bracket: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas, dec. Alex Love, Monroe, Wash., 22-12

112 lbs/winners bracket: Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y., dec. Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md., 20-15

112 lbs/challengers bracket: Taversha Norwood, Marietta, Ga., won unopposed

112 lbs/challengers bracket: Virginia Fuchs, Kemah, Texas, dec., Latonya King, Harrison Township, Mich., 14-13

132 lbs/winners bracket: Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash., dec. Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif., 27-20

132 lbs/winners bracket: N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio, dec. Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., 32-24

132 lbs/challengers bracket: Asia Stevenson, Washington DC, won on walkover over Patricia Manuel, Long Beach, Calif., W/O

132 lbs/challengers bracket: Bertha Aracil, Yonkers, N.Y., dec. Lisa Porter, Northridge, Calif., 16-13

165 lbs/winners bracket: Claressa Shields, Flint, Mich., dec. Andrecia Wasson, Centerline, Mich., 31-12

165 lbs/winners bracket: Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa., dec. Tiffanie Hearn, Louisville, Ky., 19-15

165 lbs/challengers bracket: Franchon Crews won on medical disqualification over Dara Shen, Alexandria,
Va., DQ

165 lbs/challengers bracket: Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif., dec. Tiffanie Ward, Hacienda Heights, Calif., 23-12

Tonight’s Bouts will be fought by the challengers — and will consist of six fights in total, two from each division.  Winners in this double elimination tournament will have the opportunity to continue on Thursday.

Wednesday’s Bout Sheet

112 lbs/challengers bracket: Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md., vs. Taversha Norwood, Marietta, Ga.

112 lbs/challengers bracket: Virginia Fuchs, Kemah, Texas vs. Alex Love, Monroe, Wash.

132 lbs/challengers bracket: Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., vs. Bertha Aracil, Yonkers, N.Y.

132 lbs/challengers bracket: Asia Stevenson, Washington DC vs. Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif.

165 lbs/challengers bracket: Tiffanie Hearn, Louisville, Ky., vs. Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md.

165 lbs/challengers bracket: Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif., vs. Andrecia Wasson, Centerline, Mich.

Why women box? Courage, pure and simple.

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Why women box?  Courage, pure and simple.

Tyrieshia Douglas, Photo: Sue Jaye Johnson

There have been some remarkable truths that have come out about the women who box.   I found the following video about the featherweight boxing powerhouse Tyrieshia Douglas to be particularly moving.

Please give this a view.  Her honesty and straight forward compassion for her family are overwhelming.  We need more people like Tyrieshia in the world.  Kudos to Andre Chung for this beautiful video essay.

Please also listen to the WNYC Radio‘s story on her as well:  Tyrieshia Douglas: Boxing is my Mother and My Father.  

Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials Day Two, 2/14/2012!

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>>> UPDATE!!! 

Saw this update in the Los Angeles Times.  Link is here.

[Updated at 11:27 a.m.:  Patricia Manuel iced her injured right shoulder late Monday but after she awoke Tuesday in greater pain, she and trainer Robert Luna elected to withdraw from the double-elimination tournament rather than risk further injury. “I’m sorry my story ends like this,” Manuel wrote in a text message.]

Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials Day Two, 2/14/2012!

Women's Boxing Olympic Trials, The 24! Credit: Sarah Deming/Huffington Post

For those of you who tuned into the live video stream, you got to watch some very exciting boxing last night!  We’re talking all the drama of a prize-fight with some surprising outcomes such as Franchon Crews‘ loss to Claressa Shields, 31-19. Of course, being a New Yorker, I was cheering on Christina Cruz and was not disappointed.  She fought a terrific four-round bout against Virginia Fuchs defeating her 15-12. One thing that came shining through was the caliber of the boxing!  The competitors truly “brought it” last night!

Press links on the night’s fighting can be found here: USA Boxing,  Chicago Tribune (AP Story), The Seattle Times, and don’t miss Brooklyn’s own Sarah Deming’s piece in the Huff Post here.

The results are as follows:

U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Women’s Boxing Results
112 lbs: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas on on walkover over Cynthia Moreno, Phoenix, Ariz., W/O
112 lbs: Alex Love, Monroe, Wash., dec. Taversha Norwood, Marietta, Ga., 24-15
112 lbs: Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y., dec. Virginia Fuchs, Kemah, Texas, 15-12
112 lbs: Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md., dec. Latonya King, Harrison Township, Mich., 34-11
132 lbs: Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash., dec. Bertha Aracil, Yonkers, N.Y., 22-12
132 lbs: Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif., dec. Lisa Porter, Northridge, Calif., 27-10
132 lbs: N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio dec. Asia Stevenson, Washington DC, 42-17
132 lbs: Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla., dec. Patricia Manuel, Long Beach, Calif., 18-13
165 lbs: Claressa Shields, Flint, Mich., dec. Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md., 31-19
165 lbs: Andrecia Wasson, Centerline, Mich., dec. Dara Shen, Alexandria, Va., 34-9
165 lbs: Tiffanie Hearn, San Diego, Calif., dec. Tiffanie Ward, Hacienda Heights, Calif., 18-17
165 lbs: Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa., dec. Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif., 16-10

Tonight’s bouts can be viewed online at click the link here.

Tonight’s bout sheets are as follows:

U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Women’s Boxing Tuesday Bout Sheets

112 lbs/winners bracket: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas vs. Alex Love, Spokane, Wash.

112 lbs/winners bracket: Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y., vs. Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md.

112 lbs/challengers bracket: Taversha Norwood, Marietta, Ga. unopposed

112 lbs/challengers bracket: Virginia Fuchs, Kemah, Texas vs. Latonya King, Harrison Township, Mich.

132 lbs/winners bracket: Queen Underwood, Spokane, Wash., vs. Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif.

132 lbs/winners bracket: N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio vs. Tiara Brown, Lehigh Acres, Fla.

132 lbs/challengers bracket: Bertha Aracil, Yonkers, N.Y., vs. Lisa Porter, Northridge, Calif.

132 lbs/challengers bracket: Asia Stevenson, Washington DC vs. Patricia Manuel, Long Beach, Calif.

165 lbs/winners bracket: Claressa Shields, Flint, Mich., vs. Andrecia Wasson, Centerline, Mich.

165 lbs/winners bracket: Tiffanie Hearn, San Diego, Calif., vs. Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa.

165 lbs/challengers bracket: Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md., vs. Dara Shen, Alexandria, Va.

165 lbs/challengers bracket: Tiffanie Ward, Hacienda Heights, Calif., vs. Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif.

Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials Day One, 2/13/2012

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Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials Day One, 2/13/2012!

Tiara Brown (r) & N'yteeyah Sherman arriving at Northern Quest Resort, Credit: USA Boxing

The brackets have been set for this week’s historic competition.

The four top seeds are the four top finishers from the 2011 USA Boxing National Championships held last summer.  According to USA Boxing, the “unseeded boxer each drew a ping pong ball to determine her opening round opponent in the historic event at Sunday’s manual draw.”

That is pretty heady stuff indeed with the action set to begin tonight with a total of twelve bouts starting at 7:00 PM tonight Pacific Time.

You can watch ALL THE ACTION HERE!!!  Just click on the link!

The bout sheet for tonight’s Winners Bracket Quarterfinals is as follows:

1.  Marlen Esparza (Red Corner) vs. Cynthia Moreno (Blue Corner)

2.  Taversha Norwood (Red Corner) vs. Alex Love (Blue Corner)

3.  Christina Cruz (Red Corner) vs. Virginia Fuchs (Blue Corner)

4.  Tyrieshia Douglas (Red Corner) vs. Latonya King (Wingate) (Blue Corner)

5.  Queen Underwood (Red Corner) vs. Bertha Aracil (Blue Corner)

6.  Lisa Porter (Red Corner) vs. Mikaela Mayer (Blue Corner)

7.  N’yteeyah Sherman (Red Corner) vs. Asia Stevenson (Blue Corner)

8.  Tiara Brown (Red Corner) vs. Patricia Manuel (Blue Corner)

9.  Franchon Crews (Red Corner) vs. Claressa Shields (Blue Corner)

10. Dara Shen (Red Corner) vs. Andrecia Wasson (Blue Corner)

11. Tiffanie Ward (Red Corner) vs. Tiffanie Hearn (Blue Corner)

12. Tika Hemingway (Red Corner) vs. Raquel Miller (Blue Corner)

For more information about tonight’s bouts click on the USA Boxing link here.

For live stream information, click here.   

Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials set to begin, February 13, 2012!

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Women’s Boxing Olympic Trials set to begin, February 13, 2012!

USA Boxing 2011 National Championships, Credit: USA Boxing

There will be just 24 women competing, 24 women who have worked harder than they ever thought possible to gain the right to compete in the first-ever Women’s United States Boxing Team Olympic Trials.  Set to run for six short days from February 13-19, 2012, the women who represent the best that elite women’s boxing has to offer will once again, box their hearts out for one of three Olympic weight divisions spots that will see them go on to the 2012 Women’s World Championship Olympic qualifier in China this coming May.

Set to compete at the Northern Quest Resort in Airway Heights, Washington, just outside of Spokane, these resilient competitors representing the Pan American Games, USA Boxing National Championships, Golden Gloves Championships and National PAL Championships, have not only fought hard-won competitions, but the long odds of battling through the lingering doubts about the sport and whether women should fight at all.  Still, they have all come to do battle, and to a person, shall be shouting out a mantra of “I want to win.”

Win or lose, these women should remain forever in our hearts as the champions they truly are!  THEY ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Women’s Boxing Qualified Athletes

Flyweight/112 lbs

1. Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y. (Pan American Games representative)
2. Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas (USA Boxing National Championships)
3. Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md. (USA Boxing National Championships)
4. Cynthia Moreno, Phoenix, Ariz. (Golden Gloves Championships)
5.Virginia Fuchs, Kemah, Texas (National PAL Championships)
6. Alex Love, Monroe, Wash. (National PAL Championships)
7. Taversha Norwood, Marietta, Ga. (National PAL Championships)
8. Latonya Wingate (King), Harrison Township, Mich. (National PAL Championships)

Lightweight/132 lbs
1. Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash. (Pan American Games representative)
2. Tiara Brown, Lehigh, Fla. (USA Boxing National Championships)
3. Lisa Porter, Northridge, Calif. (USA Boxing National Championships)
4. N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio (USA Boxing National Championships)
5. Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif. (Golden Gloves Championships)
6. Patricia Manuel Long Beach, Calif. (National PAL Championships)
7. Bertha Aracil, Yonkers, N.Y. (National PAL Championships)
8. Asia Stevenson, Washington DC (National PAL Championships)

Middleweight/165 lbs

1. Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md. (Pan American Games representative )
2. Alyssa DeFazio, Peoria, Ariz. (USA Boxing National Championships)
3. Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa. (USA Boxing National Championships)
4. Tiffanie Ward, Hacienda Heights, Calif. (USA Boxing National Championships)
5. Tiffanie Hearn, Louisville, Ky. (Golden Gloves Championships)
6. Claressa Shields, Flint, Mich. (National PAL Championships)
7. Andrecia Wasson, Centerline, Mich. (National PAL Championships)
8. Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif. (National PAL Championships)

Women Box!

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Women Box!

Bertha Aracil, Photo: Sue Jaye Johnson

The specter of the debut of women’s boxing at the upcoming 2012 Olympics has led to a plethora of interest in the sport!

“Women who box love it for the same reason guys do, boxing requires intense physical and psychological discipline, the ability to overcome fear and anger.” – Morning Edition

Franchon Crews, Photo: Sue Jaye Johnson

This weekend NPR opened a series on women’s boxing which aired on Sunday’s Morning Edition. The piece is wonderfully affirming and I encourage everyone to listen to it and to read the accompanying article.

The first installment, entitled ‘I Am A Boxer’: Fighter In The Ring, Lady Outside It  includes sensitive interviews with boxer Bertha Aracil and other fighters vying for an Olympic berth at the upcoming Olympic Trials in Spokane, Washington next month.  The piece also gets to the heart of gender, an issue that continues to dog the place of women in the sport.  The series is co-produced by Marianne McCune and photographer Sue Jaye Johnson.

Link: ‘I Am A Boxer’: Fighter In The Ring, Lady Outside It (First installment)

Link: Why Would A Woman Box (Article published on WNYC’s website)

Sue Jaye Johnson’s video and photo essay, Bout Time in The New York Times Magazine section was also published yesterday and is another “must read” piece.

Link:  Bout Time

Oh, and in case you need any reminding, women have been boxing for a LONG, LONG time. The following is from Pierce Egan’s book Boxiana: Or Sketches of Ancient & Modern Pugilism, published originally published in 1830!