Major Olympic-style boxing will return to northern Nevada as Reno plays host to the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Men’s Boxing, December 7-12. While Las Vegas is often known as the prime destination for major professional boxing matches, Reno has hosted many of the biggest domestic and international Olympic-style boxing events and will be the perfect locale for USA Boxing’s premier men’s event.
“USA Boxing is excited to work with Eldorado Resorts and the Carano family as well as the Reno-Sparks Visitors and Convention Authority to bring the highest level of Olympic-style boxing to northern Nevada. Reno has a rich and colorful history in Olympic-style boxing having hosted numerous international duel matches and the 1986 World Championships,” said USA Boxing Executive Director Mike Martino. “The northern Nevada fans will witness the highest level of Olympic-style boxing and get the first peek at the athletes that will represent the United States in the 2016 Olympics.”
USA Boxing has placed several national and international competitions in Reno over the last decade and many of the sport’s greatest names, including 2004 Olympic gold medalist and world champion Andre Ward competed there there prior to climbing the professional ranks.
“We look forward to welcoming all of the Olympic boxing hopefuls and their families to our properties for the Olympic Trials for Men’s Boxing,” said Rick Murdock, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Eldorado Resort. “Bringing an event of this magnitude to Reno is consistent with our goal of making northern Nevada a major sports and entertainment destination.
The first four days of Olympic Trials competition will take place at the Silver Legacy Exposition Hall with final round action moving to the Reno Events Center for championship bouts on December 11 and 12.
“The entire Reno community is thrilled to be hosting USA Boxing and the American Olympic hopefuls competing for a spot in Rio de Janeiro. Elite athletic competition is something we are intimately familiar with and our extensive boxing history makes us perfect for the Olympic Team Trials for Men’s Boxing,” said Shelli Fine, Director of Sports Development for the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority.
Olympic hopefuls from across the country began qualifying for the Olympic Trials in December of 2014 and eight boxers in each of the 10 men’s weight divisions will compete in Reno for the chance to represent the United States in the 2016 Olympics. The U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Men’s Boxing will be a double elimination tournament, giving every athlete an extra opportunity to fulfill their Olympic dream.
Athletes will begin arriving on Saturday, December 5 prior to the start of competition on December 7. Olympic Trials action will take place daily at the Exposition Hall through December 10. Final round bouts will be contested at the Reno Events Center on December 11 and 12 with an additional day of final round round bouts if needed on Sunday, December 13.
The eight boxers in each weight division won their Olympic Trials berths through gold medal victories at the WSB and World Championship Team Trial, USA Boxing National Championships and top two finishes at the Olympic Trials Qualifiers I and II. The final Olympic Trials for Men’s Boxing qualifying tournament will take place the final week in October in Memphis, Tenn., and the full list of Olympic Trials participants will be released in early November.
Reno’s connection to Olympic-style boxing reaches back to the 1980’s when the city hosted a USA vs. Cuba duel and the 1986 World Championships, both of which featured Cuban great Teofilo Stevenson. USA Boxing’s Junior and Youth Open has taken place in Reno every year since 2013 in addition to multiple international duel competitions over the past decade.
