Bantamweight Shakur Stevenson (Newark, N.J.), middleweight Charles Conwell (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) and heavyweight Cam F. Awesome (Lenexa, Kansas) all scored definitive preliminary round victories on Sunday at the Americas Olympic Qualifier in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The wins advance all three to the quarterfinal round in the Olympic qualifying event at the Ferial la Rural de Palermo.
Fresh off being named AIBA January/February Boxer of the Month, Stevenson stepped in to the ring for his first bout of the Americas Olympic Qualifier. The first U.S. boxer to compete in Sunday’s action, Stevenson faced off with Colombia’s Luis David Vargas in a bantamweight preliminary bout. The 18-year-old started quickly in the match, dictating the pace and landing clean punches from every angle. The bout was action-packed and entertaining through all three rounds as Stevenson landed shots, consistently snapping Vargas’ head back. Vargas kept coming, trying to make Stevenson uncomfortable but he wasn’t successful. Stevenson claimed a unanimous decision victory to move on to the quarterfinal round and a bout with Uruguay’s Mathias Bagnado on Tuesday evening.
“He wanted to trade with me so I beat him at his game. My plan was to trade with him a little bit, box when I wanted and hit him with clean shots,” Stevenson said. “I feel good. I’m ready for whoever’s next.”
Awesome’s opening round bout featured a match-up with the Bahamas’ Davon Hamilton in the heavyweight division. Clearly the more experienced boxer, Awesome wasted no time getting to work in his tournament debut. He showcased increased power at his new heavyweight division, pressing the action and hurting Hamilton on numerous occasions. Awesome’s onslaught gave Hamilton standing eight counts in each of the three rounds. He continued to pour it on in the final round and after the third eight count of the bout, the referee called a halt to the bout, giving Awesome the TKO victory. Awesome will be back in action on Tuesday afternoon in a quarterfinal bout with Canada’s Samir El Mais.
“It went the way I planned. I’ve been working on a lot of things with our new coach Billy (Walsh) with jabbing to the body and stuff like that. He took a lot of good shots and he got three eight counts. He was hurt a few times,” Awesome said. “I am very proud of myself. He’s not a very experienced fighter so it was an easier fight than I’m going to have later in the tournament. It was good to get used to throwing some punches because I haven’t fought since January and I’m usually a more active fighter.”
Conwell had to wait until late in the evening session to take the ring for his middleweight match-up with Alejandro Mora of Uruguay. After a slower paced first round, Conwell picked up his output as the bout wore on. The youngest member of Team USA, Conwell showed no signs of youth in the bout, pounding away with heavy shots to Mora’s body and head. A powerful overhand right in the third round led to a standing eight count for Mora as Conwell closed the bout in impressive fashion. His efforts earned the 18-year-old a unanimous decision victory and a berth in the quarterfinal round. He will join his other two victorious teammates in Wednesday’s action where he will face Johan Jose Gonzalez Mendez of Venezuela.
“I thought I did okay. I worked a lot on my defense. I could have let my hands go more but I still came out with an eight count in the last round and a unanimous decision,” Conwell said. “My defense and timing were working for me today. All the jitters are gone now, I’m ready to continue doing great in this tournament and getting the gold.”
Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields (Flint, Mich.) will make her Americas Qualifier debut on Monday along with female flyweight Virginia Fuchs (Kemah, Texas). They will face Panama’s Atheyna Byion and Mexico’s Sulem Urbina respectively. Lightweight Mikaela Mayer (Los Angeles, Calif.) will be back for her second bout of the tournament, battling Canada’s Caroline Veyre.
Welterweight Paul Kroll (Philadelphia, Pa.) will take on Hopkin Ebanks of the Cayman Islands in the afternoon session and Pan American Games flyweight champion Antonio Vargas (Kissimmee, Fla.) will face the Dominican Republic’s Leonel De Los Santos in evening competition.
U.S. Results
123 lbs: Shakur Stevenson, Newark, N.J./USA dec. Luis David Vargas, COL, 3-0
165 lbs: Charles Conwell, Cleveland Heights, Ohio/USA dec. Alejandro Mora, 3-0
201 lbs: Cam F. Awesome, Lenexa, Kansas/USA won on TKO over Davon Hamilton, BAH, TKO-3
