The official AIBA Elite Men’s World Championships tournament draw took place this afternoon at the Ezdan Hotel in Doha, Qatar. All of the competitors had to make their assigned weight at the general weigh-in earlier on Monday to secure their place in the event. More than 240 boxers were entered in to the tournament draw, which dictated the journey to a world title and Olympic berth for all of the athletes from across the globe.
The 10-day tournament will open competition on Tuesday at the beautiful Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena in Doha. Three American boxers will compete on the first day of action with middleweight Anthony Campbell (Covington, Tenn.) and heavyweight Joshua Temple (St. Louis, Mo.) boxing in the afternoon session and light flyweight Nico Hernandez (Wichita, Kansas) taking the ring on Tuesday evening in Doha. Campbell will kick off competition for his American team in a preliminary contest with Italy’s Salvatore Cavallaro in the eighth bout of the early session in ring one. Temple will close afternoon action in a heavyweight match-up with Pakistan’s Mehmood Hussan in the final bout of the opening session in ring two.
Hernandez will be the only American boxer competing in Tuesday’s evening competition. The AMBC Qualifier bronze medalist will face Ireland’s Brendan Irvine in the first bout of the late session in ring two. Tuesday’s afternoon action will begin at 2 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET) and the evening session will commence at 7 p.m. (noon ET).
Steven Nelson (Omaha, Neb.) will box in his first bout on Wednesday evening as he takes on Morocco’s Hassan Saada in light heavyweight competition.
Preliminary action will continue through Friday, October 9 before a full day of quarterfinal competition on Saturday, October 10. Semifinal bouts will be contested at 7 p.m. on Sunday, October 11 and Monday, October 12 before an off day for all of the tournament competitors on Tuesday, October 13. The championship bouts and third place matches will take place on Wednesday, October 14 and Thursday, October 15 at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena.
The American team arrived in Doha on Friday, October 2 after a full day of traveling from the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
All of the tournament participants took part in the opening ceremony on Monday at the event venue, beginning with a parade of nations. Campbell and Temple served as flag bearers at the opening ceremony, proudly entering the arena with the American flag held high.
Twenty-three athletes will secure Olympic berths based upon their finish at the event. The two finalists in the light flyweight, flyweight and light heavyweight divisions, top three finishers in the bantamweight through middleweight classes and heavyweight and super heavyweight champions will all qualify spots in the 2016 Olympic Games.
Unlike previous years, all of the tournament competitors had to qualify spots in the world championships through continental qualifying events across the globe. For a preview of the event and the state of the art arena, featuring USA Boxing’s own Nico Hernandez, click here.
Coaches Andrews Soto (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Kay Koroma (Burke, Va.) are leading the United States team in Qatar.
The first World Boxing Championships were held in Havana, Cuba in 1974 and a total number of 274 boxers from 45 countries entered the competition where 11 World Champions were crowned while Cuba and Soviet Union won eight medals respectively.
For more information about the 2015 Elite Men’s World Championships, go to www.aiba.org.
United States Team Opening Bouts
108 lbs: Nico Hernandez, Wichita, Kansas/USA vs. Brendan Irvine, IRL (Tuesday evening)
165 lbs: Anthony Campbell, Covington, Tenn./USA vs. Salvatore Cavallaro, ITA (Tuesday afternoon)
178 lbs: Steven Nelson, Omaha, Neb./USA vs. Hassan Saada, MRC (Wednesday evening)
201 lbs: Joshua Temple, St. Louis, Mo./USA vs. Mehmood Hussan (Tuesday afternoon)
