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.