Four of USA Boxing’s elite men will challenge the best boxers in the world at the 2015 AIBA Elite Men’s World Championships, October 10-15 in Doha, Qatar. Light flyweight Nico Hernandez (Wichita, Kansas), middleweight Anthony Campbell (Covington, Tenn.), light heavyweight Steven Nelson (Omaha, Neb.), and heavyweight Joshua Temple (St. Louis, Mo.) will all compete in the event, which is also an international Olympic qualifier.
Unlike past editions of the international event, athletes had to qualify for the 2015 World Championships, ensuring a smaller and more competitive event than previous years. The 2015 tournament will feature 260 boxers from 73 nations all competing for not only world titles, but also 23 berths in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
“This edition of the AIBA World Boxing Championships will be a key event in the run up to Rio 2016 Olympic Games as the top boxers from all five continents converge in Doha, Qatar, to compete in an astounding venue. For the first time, all the boxers had to qualify to the World Championships ensuring that boxing fans will enjoy the most remarkable show the elite of the boxing world has to offer,” said AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.
The two finalists in the light flyweight, flyweight and light heavyweight divisions, top three finishers in the bantamweight through middleweight classes and champions in the heavyweight and super heavyweight from the 2015 Elite Men’s World Championships will all qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games.
All four American representatives won gold at the WSB and World Championship Trial last December in Chattanooga, Tenn., before qualifying internationally at a continental event in Venezuela in August. The squad has been preparing for the major international event at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs since September 12. They will depart for Qatar on Thursday to acclimate for the start of competition on Tuesday, October 6 at the at the state-of-the-art Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena in Doha, Qatar.
“Doha is ready to welcome all of the boxers and officials to AIBA World Boxing Championships Doha 2015 and we are confident that the event will be held at the highest level. Local fans are looking forward to the event, which demonstrates the vitality of boxing in our region,” said Qatar Boxing Federation (QBF) President Yousuf Ali Al Kazim.
The official tournament draw and opening ceremony will take place on Monday, October 5 before the start of preliminary competition on Tuesday, October 6. The opening two days of the tournament will be contested at 2 p.m. (7 a.m. ET) and 7 p.m. (noon ET) local time. The afternoon session will shift to 3 p.m. (8 a.m. ET) local time for the two final days of preliminary action and the quarterfinal bouts on October 10. The medalists will compete in semifinal action at 7 p.m., on October 11 and 12 prior to the rest day on October 13. Competition will conclude with final round bouts and bronze medal matches at 7 p.m. on October 14 and 15 at the Alli Bin Hamad Ali Attiyah Arena.
Coaches Andrews Soto (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Kay Koroma (Burke, Va.) have been preparing the U.S. team for competition and will guide them at the event in Qatar.
U.S. Roster
Light flyweight/108 lbs: Nico Hernandez, Wichita, Kansas
Middleweight/165 lbs: Anthony Campbell, Covington, Tenn.
Light heavyweight/178 lbs: Steven Nelson, Omaha, Neb.
Heavyweight/201 lbs: Joshua Temple, St. Louis, Mo.
Coach: Andrews Soto, Phoenix, Ariz.
Coach: Kay Koroma, Burke, Va.
