Eighteen U.S. boxers that recently concluded the inaugural season of the World Series of Boxing are among the over 330 amateurs boxers set to compete at the 2011 USA Boxing National Championships beginning Monday.
Among those WSB participants competing are defending U.S. champions Jospeh Diaz Jr. (bantamweight/El Monte, Calif.) and Lenroy “Cam” Thompson (super heavyweight/Lenexa, Kan.) who were a part of the Los Angeles Matadors and the Memphis Force respectfully.
With the top four finishers in each of the 10 men’s weight divisions qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, all of the participants are looking to make a statement and stake their claim as the favorite in their weight division.
2008 U.S. featherweight Olympian Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio) will look to add a 2011 USA Boxing National Championship in a new weight class to his already impressive resume. Having competed for the Memphis Force this past season, Williams has moved up to the lightweight division for his second run at Olympic gold. Williams will compete alongside fellow WSB participants Adrian Martinez (Milwaukee, Wis.) and Ernesto Garza (Saginaw, Mich.) in the 132-pound weight class.
Williams’ Force teammate and fellow Cleveland native Terrell Gausha is a 2009 National Champion who has been honing his skills in the World Series of Boxing over the last six months and is looking for another national title in the stacked middleweight weight class. Other WSB boxers competing for a shot at the 165-pound title include Chris Pearson (Trotwood, Ohio) and Russell Lamour, Jr. (Portland, Maine) who both competed on the Americas league-champion Los Angeles Matadors this past season.
At light welterweight, Matador teammates Jose Saenz (Kansas City, Mo.) and Eric Fowler (Houston, Texas) will compete.
William Williams (Conyers, Ga.), who competed for the Miami Gallos during the 2010-11season, is the lone WSB representative competing at welterweight.
The light heavyweight division will feature WSB boxers Tony Mack (Plano, Texas) and Robert Brant (Oakdale, Minn.), both of the Memphis Force while Sijoula Shabazz (Las Cruces, N.M.) of the Miami Gallos will also be among the participants.
The heavyweight and super heavyweight division will feature five WSB contenders including David Imoesiri (Long Beach, Calif.) of the LA Matadors, Javonta Charles (Memphis, Tenn.) of the Memphis Force and Danny Calhoun (Cincinnati, Ohio) of the Memphis Force at heavyweight. Meanwhile, Javier Torres (Carson, Calif.) of the LA Matadors will be among the super heavyweight ranks alongside defending champ Thompson.
The 2011 USA Boxing National Championships will kick off at the Colorado Springs Christian School with preliminary action, June 20-21 before the all-important quarterfinal bouts on June 22. Semifinal action will be contested on June 23 and the consolation bouts will take place on June 24. The event will move to the historic City Auditorium for the women’s non-Olympic bouts on the afternoon of June 25 and culminate with 13 Olympic weight class bouts in the evening. The top four finishers in the 13 Olympic weight divisions, which include 10 male weight classes and three female weight divisions, will all earn berths in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
The USA Boxing National Championships have been held annually since 1888, making it the longest running amateur boxing tournament in the United States, and the event consistently showcases future Olympians and future World Champions. Former champions include Muhammad Ali (as Cassius Clay). Pernell Whitaker, Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Ray Leonard, Floyd Mayweather, Jr., and Andre Ward.
