USA Boxing brings home six medals from 2020 Strandja Tournament

Photo by
Brian Taylor, USA Boxing
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Used with permission

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

SOFIA, BULGARIA (January 25, 2020) Houston's Virginia  Fuchs led the contingent of medal winners for the United States at the 2020 Strandja Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria, with USA Boxing bringing home three gold, two silver and one bronze medal.

In the first match of the finals, Fuchs faced off against fellow American Christina Cruz (Hell's Kitchen, New York) in the women's flyweight division, pulling out a 4-1 decision for the gold medal. Fuchs and Cruz fought in the finals of the U.S.A. Olympic Trials in Lake Charles, Louisiana, with Fuchs coming away with a unanimous decision.

 

Welterweight Osha Jones (Toledo, Ohio) picked up another gold medal for the United States after downing France's Emilie Sonvio with unanimous decision.Naomi Graham (Fayetteville, North Carolina), who was the2019 Standja Tournament champion  closed out the day by taking her second straight Strandja title with her 3-2 decision against Davina Michel of France.

Andrea Medina (San Diego, Calif.) fell short in her first international championship bout, 4-1, to Ukraine’s Iuliia Tsyplakova in the second bout of the final day of competition. picking up the silver medal

The sixth and final medal for Team USA, a bronze, was won by flyweight Anthony Herrera (Los Angeles, California). The tournament marked Herrera’s first international tournament and international medal.

The American delegation began the tournament with 24 boxers competing in the 71st edition of the Strandja Tournament to conclude the selection process to determine the 13 boxers who will represent Team USA at the upcoming Olympic Qualification tournaments. 

Texan Virgina Fuchs wins U.S. Olympic Boxing Trials in 112-pound division

Virginia Fuchs speaks with
ring announcer Jeremiah Gallegos
after her victory.
Photo by
Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA (December 15, 2019) After four years of waiting, Texan Virginia Fuchs is one step closer to her Olympic dream in winning the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing. Facing off against Christina Cruz (New York, New York) in the finals, the native of Kemah, Texas took the unanimous decision in the 112-pound weight class. 

Earlier in the week, Fuchs downed Stephanie Chavez (Orange, California) on Monday, December 9 and Heaven Garcia (El Monte, California) on Friday, December 13 in unanimos decisions. Between these two bouts, she squared off against Cruz on Wednesday, December 11, and also took a unanimous decision.

Both Fuchs and Cruz will advance to the final stage of the selection process, which will take place January 2-26, 2020 at the U.S Olympic and Paralymic Training Center (USOPC) in Colorado Springs, Colorado and at the Strandja Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria. USA Boxing will annoucement the final 13 boxers that will represent Team USA at the International Qualification Tournaments following the conclusion of these events. The first opportunity for the 13 American boxers to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo will take place in Buenos Aires, Argentina in April, with the second and final opportunity taking place in Paris, France in May.

Final Boxers Set for Finale of 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing

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Copyright 2019, All Rights Reserved

From USA Boxing Press Release

LAKE CHARLES, LOUISIANA (December 14, 2019) Stakes were high Saturday as the boxers faced elimination in the last round of the challenger’s bracket. The winners advanced to the finals while the losers will have to try again in the next Olympic trials. Here’s who confirmed their place in the finals.

In the women’s 165 lbs. division, Morelle McCane (Cleveland, Ohio) used a patient approach to get a 4-1 decision win over Alexis Gomez (South San Francisco, Calif.) and advance to the finals. She waited for Gomez to make a mistake and struck when the opportunity was best. With the win, she earns another shot at Naomi Graham (Fayetteville, N.C.). The two were scheduled to fight yesterday but McCane missed the bout because of a scheduling mix-up.

“I fought my fight,” McCane said. “I took control of the ring. I’m fired up and ready to go. Boxing is adding to yourself every day. I’m just building. No let up.”  

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Lupe Gutierrez (Sacramento, Calif.) proved to be too much for Isamary Aquino (Universal City, Texas) as she handed her both of her losses in the women’s 125 lbs. division of these trials. Gutierrez won the rematch by 4-1 decision. She advances to the finals for another rematch, this time against Andrea Medina (San Diego, Calif.). Medina beat Gutierrez last night in a close 3-2 decision. Gutierrez will need to beat Medina twice to secure a spot in the Olympics.

“I’m feeling great,” Gutierrez said. “I know I took that loss but I’m ready to get the win back. I’m ready for it."

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It’s unusual to have unanimous decisions in high-stakes bouts like these, but that’s exactly how Joseph Hicks (Grand Rapids, Mic.) beat Troy Isley (Alexandra, Va.) to advance to the finals. This sets up a rematch with Javier Martinez (Milwaukee, Wisc.), who beat Hicks by unanimous decision in the second round.

“Today was the best I’ve felt in a long, long time,” Hicks said. “Troy is a really good kid and a really great fighter. As for Javier, I figured some things out about him. He’s another great fighter, but I have some things figured out.”

Jeremiah Milton (Tulsa, Okla.) of the men’s 201+ lbs. division followed the trend Hicks set by defeating Luis Alvarado (Kenosha, Wisc.) by unanimous decision. It was a rematch of the second round, a 4-1 decision win by Milton. Milton will have to take this strong performance into tomorrow’s bout with Antonio Mireles (Des Moines, Iowa), who’s dominated this tournament and won every bout by unanimous decision.

“What I noticed about this tournament is that you have to hit more gears,” Milton said. “Every day you have to bring another gear. It’s Olympic trials. Everyone is trying to get to that spot. You have to make those adjustments on the fly. I knew I’d get here because I dedicated myself.”  

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In the women’s 132 lbs. division, Amelia Moore (Alexandria, Va.) avenged a 3-2 second-round loss to Kimberly Carlson (Chicago, Ill.) with a 4-1 decision victory to advance to the finals. There, she’ll have to get past top-seed Rashida Ellis (Lynn, Mass.).

“I had a clear mind,” Moore said. “That’s been pretty much the mantra over the last few days since Wednesday. I listened to my corner with a clear mind and was calm. We made the adjustments we needed to make and came back and got the ‘W’ back. That was really important to me.”

It’s been a light tournament so far for Anthony Herrera (Los Angeles, Calif.). He won two of his fights by walkover and had his first fight only yesterday. That extra rest might have been the difference in a tight 3-2 decision win over Roscoe Hill (Spring, Texas) to advance to the final. There, he’ll meet Abraham Perez (Albuquerque, N.M.) for a rematch. On Friday, Perez won in a 3-2 decision. Tomorrow should be another close one.

“As compared to yesterday, I think I shook off a little bit of ring rust,” Herrera said. “I had two walkovers, which was a shocker because that doesn’t usually happen in tournaments like these. I’m feeling better today, I’m feeling strong. I stuck to the game plan and tomorrow, I’ll be ready.”

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Christina Cruz (Hell’s Kitchen, N.Y.) earned herself another shot at the top seed in the women’s 112 lbs. division, Virginia Fuchs (Houston, Texas), with a 4-1 decision victory over Heaven Garcia (Los Angeles, Calif.). Cruz and Fuchs met back in the second round, a unanimous decision in favor of Fuchs. Cruz is looking forward to another shot at a familiar foe.

“Very excited,” Cruz said. “I get to button up what I didn’t do in the last fight so I’m very excited to fix those little things and hopefully get the win.”

Regardless of who won in the men’s 178 lbs. division, there was sure to be a tough road to the championship. Awaiting in the finals is Rahim Gonzales (Las Vegas, Nev.), who had defeated both competitors in Saturday’s bout by unanimous decision. In the end, it was Atif Oberlton (Philadelphia, Pa.) who defeated Orville Crooks (Brooklyn, N.Y.) by a 3-2 decision to confirm the rematch.

“I’m working hard and listening to my corner,” Oberlton said. “I don’t second guess them. When they tell me to do something, I do it. It’s all about staying smart and being myself.”

In the men’s 125 lbs. division, David Navarro (Los Angeles, Calif.) completed his comeback from a surprising first-round loss by defeating Rashiem Jefferson (Philadelphia, Pa.) by a 4-1 decision to advance to the final. Waiting for Navarro is Bruce Carrington (Brooklyn, N.Y.), the eight-seed that has stormed through the trials.

“My first loss really opened my eyes,” Navarro said. “I just wasn’t ready for it. Now, I’m getting ready and I’m ready for the next round. I’ve been dreaming of this ever since I was a kid and it’s happening.”  

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Jamar Talley (Camden, N.J.) got himself back into the winner’s bracket with a 3-1 decision win over Brandon Moore (Lakeland, Fla.) in the men’s 201 lbs. division. This sets up a rematch with Darius Fulghum (Rosharon, Texas). Yesterday, Fulghum got the best of Talley in a close 3-2 decision. Talley thinks he know what it will take to get the win tomorrow.

“To get it done, I gotta do what I did yesterday, but a hundred times more because yesterday wasn’t as good as it was supposed to be where I would have won,” Talley said.

The men’s 152 lbs. division top seed Freudis Rojas (Las Vegas, Nev.) took another step in his journey back to the top after a first-round loss with close a 3-2 decision win over Kelvin Davis (Norfolk, Va.). The win sets up a powerhouse matchup with Delante “Tiger” Johnson (Cleveland, Ohio) in the finals. Johnson has dominated the weight class thus far in the tournament but has yet to face the top-seeded Rojas.

“My battle isn’t over,” Rojas said. “I’m here to show that, even though I lost on the first day, I’m still in this tournament. I’m going to make the biggest comeback. I have a game plan, I’ll come out with the win that day.

Briana Che (Madison, Wisc.), the eight seed in the women’s 152 lbs. division, kept her winning streak alive with a 4-1 decision victory over Danyelle Wolf (San Diego, Calif.). The win sets up a rematch with Oshae Jones (Toledo, Ohio). Back in the first round, Jones beat Che by unanimous decision.

“I always say that sometimes you have to get knocked down and fall forward,” Che said. “That’s my motto. I picked myself up and reevaluated. I can only beat myself. My toughest opponent is myself. I just have to make the right decisions.”

In the men’s 138 lbs. division, Ernesto Mercado (Pomona, Calif.) earned a trip to the finals with a 4-1 victory over Charlie Sheehy (Brisbane, Calif.). Mercado is on a four-bout winning streak after losing in the first round. He’ll hope to carry that momentum into a matchup with top seeded Keyshawn Davis (Norfolk, Va.).

“The first day, I fell short,” Mercado said. “I learned from it. We’ve been picking it up day by day. I feel like tomorrow’s going to be a way better day for me.

Tomorrow’s finals will take place at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino at 3 p.m. CST. Sunday isn’t the absolute end of the trials, however. If a boxer experiences their first loss in the finals, there would be a rematch the following day at noon.

GEORGE “MONK” FOREMAN III RECORDS EIGHTH-STRAIGHT KNOCKOUT IN FRONT OF HOME CROWD

MARSHALL, TEXAS (June 17, 2010) Four days following another successful installment of the “Rumble in Humble” Pro-Am Boxing Extravaganza, Joe Dumas Productions & Associates (Foreman Group) took its show on the road for the start of the George Foreman Heavyweight Title Series in Foreman’s hometown of Marshall, Texas this past Tuesday.

The headliner in Tuesday’s event at the Marshall Convention Center featured Foreman’s son, George “Monk” Foreman III, making his state of Texas debut as a professional along with nine other pro fighters from the states of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Virginia. Foreman III (8-0, 8 KO), a 6-5, 238-pound heavyweight who hails from Humble, Texas, took on Texarkana, Texas native Bobby Pickett (0-3) in his eighth professional fight.

With his dad, former heavyweight champion George Foreman looking on along with a sizable contingent of family members, “Monk” took care of business from the opening bell and used his visible size advantage to frustrate Pickett with two knockdowns towards the latter end of the first round. Pickett managed to make it to the final bell but failed to begin round two as the fight was stopped at the 10-second mark.

As a result, Foreman’s undefeated record remained intact in addition to posting his eighth consecutive knockout.

“My plan for this fight was to go out and work on what we’ve been working on in the gym which is perfecting my jab and protecting my body by not letting him hit me.”
With the task of carrying and upholding the family name, Foreman III admitted there was some pressure to perform well before the fight began but put it aside once the opening bell rang.

“When you fight in front of your home crowd, you get a lot of butterflies in your stomach but I followed my dad’s advice and I ate them,” Foreman III said. “But as long as I can remember, we’ve always had a home in Marshall and this is where I train so I knew whatever happened tonight I would have to live with it.”

A Culver (Ind.) Military Academy graduate who attended Pepperdine University before transferring and earning a business and sports management degree from Rice University in Houston, Foreman III wants to continue honing his skills and become a household name in the region.

“I’m going to keep working on perfecting my jab, developing my fighting style and fighting in the region of Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana,” he said.

With the support and familiarity of the city of Marshall leading up to the fight, Monk’s manager and father, former two-time heavyweight champion George Foreman, said the city will play a big part in his son’s future plans.

“I was born in Marshall, grew up in Houston but as soon as I could, I bought a place in Marshall,” he said. “It’s important for Monk to have a home base and find a place he’s comfortable with and I think it may be Marshall. We’ll continue to bring in better opponents to push him and wouldn’t it be nice if he’s a No. 1 contender and ABC’s Wide World of Sports or HBO can come on down to Marshall to feature him.”

TEN OLYMPIANS CROWNED AT U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM BOXING TRIALS

From USA Boxing Press Release

(HOUSTON,TX, August 25, 2007) Ten U.S. Olympians were crowned on Saturday night at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Boxing at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas. Two bouts will be contested on Sunday at 2 p.m. in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions to determine the remaining two spots.

Light flyweight Luis Yanez (Duncanville, Texas) met Malcolm Franklin (Rialto, Calif.) for the second time this tournament. Yanez, 2007 Pan American Games gold medalist, got off to an early start, and was up 9-2 at the end of the first. Yanez did not let up in the second building a commanding 20-4 lead. Franklin received two eight counts in that round and Yanez scored 11 points. Up by 19 at the end of the third, Yanez went on to win a spot on the 2008 Olympic Team by a score of 35-11. “It took a lot of hard work and dedication, the 11 years really paid off. Its one of the best memories of my life, especially because my family and friends are here,” Yanez said. “In the second round, he was hurt, I was trying to stop him but also protect myself and my lead.”

Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio) faced Qa’id Muhammad (Atlantic City, N.J.) in the flyweight division with an Olympic berth on the line. Warren took a commanding lead in the first round and was up 15-1 going into the second. Warren made quick work of Muhammad, building a 20-point advantage to stop Muhammad at the 1:11 mark of the the second round. With this victory, Warren is now a member of the U.S. Olympic Team. An Olympian in the 2004 Summer Games, Warren is the first boxer in 30 years to compete in two Olympic Games. “This is the sport I love, Qa’id is a good kid, I never look down on anybody, anything can happen in the ring,” Warren said. “I’m going to get that gold medal and put it around my mom’s neck.”

Bantamweights Roberto Marroquin (Dallas, Texas) and Gary Russell, Jr. (Capitol Heights, Md.) competed in a bantamweight rematch of the first day of the tournament. In that bout, Marroquin was victorious. However, Russell came out looking for revenge and wasted no time, dropping Marroquin to the canvas with a hook. At the end of the round, Russell was up 9-2. Each boxer scored four points in the second round, making the score 13-6 in favor of Russell. Russell maintained his seven point lead going into the fourth round and went on to defeat Molina 25-13. As a result, Molina and Russell will face off again tomorrow. Sunday’s bout will determine who makes the Olympic Team. “All my hard work paid off, I knew it wouldn’t be easy,” Russell said. I have to stay focused and humble. I never had a dream to become a professional or world champion, I had a dream to become an Olympian.”

It was a battle between the Williams in the featherweight division when Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio) and hometown boxer Hylon Williams (Houston, Texas) faced each other in the hopes of keeping their Olympic dreams alive. R. Williams came out strong, scoring six points in the first to H. Williams’ two. R. Williams preserved his lead in the second round, but H. Williams began to chip away. Down four going into the fourth, H. Williams would not go down easily. In a remarkable comeback, H. Williams defeated R. Williams, 20-16. The two will box each other again tomorrow to determine who earns a spot on the Olympic Team. “I just put pressure on him and boxed smart, this time I was down going into the fourth,” Williams said. “I had to rally to go back and get the W. It would be a dream come true if I was to win tomorrow.”

Sadam Ali (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Miguel Gonzalez (Celveland, Ohio) were paired in the lightweight bout of the night. It was a close second round with Ali earning a slight 4-3 edge over Gonzalez. The two were separated by only one again in the second round with Ali having an 8-4 lead. However, Ali pulled away in the third, scoring 10 points and holding Gonzalez to only two. Ali went on to defeat Gonzalez 22-10 and earn a spot on the Olympic Team. “I had a hard bracket from the start, I did what I had to do to win, this is what I worked hard for. This is what counted,” Ali said. “It felt good seeing the score after the third round, I can adapt to any style. I do whatever I have to do to win.”

Light welterweights Javier Molina (Commerce, Calif.) and Danny Garcia (Philadelphia, Pa.) battled it out in the ring tonight. Molina started off strong and jumped out to a 9-1 lead after the first. Molina preserved his lead in the second, landing some big punches, making the score 15-4. Although Garcia scored five points in the third, it was overshadowed by the eight points Molina earned. He went on to defeat Garcia 26-12 and was named an Olympian. “I came out big in the last three rounds. In the final round, I just tried to maintain my lead,” Molina said. “I kept on moving to stay up, he’s a strong kid so I didn’t want to box him. Ever since I started boxing, I waited for this moment.”

Winners’ bracket champion Demetrius Andrade (Providence, R.I.) and challengers’ bracket champion Keith Thurman (St. Petersburg, Fla.) competed in the welterweight division. Both boxers got off to a slow start, with Andrade, a member of the 2007 U.S. Pan American Team, earning a slim 1-0 lead. Andrade increased his lead to four by the end of the second and five by the end of the third. Andrade left nothing to chance, with the fourth round being his best. He went on to defeat Thurman 21-13 and also earned a spot on the Olympic Team. “We have boxed so many times, it comes down to who’s smarter,” Andrade said. “I’ve been boxing since I was six and I found out about the Olympics when I was eight and I just wanted to get there. It takes focus, discipline, and the will to win.”

Middleweights Shawn Estrada (Downey, Calif.) and Daniel Jacobs (Brooklyn, N.Y.) battled it out for a spot on the Olympic Team. Estrada held Jacobs scoreless in the first and held a 6-0 lead. Allowing only one point against, Estrada increased his lead to 9-1 at the end of the second and led 15-6 going into the fourth. Estrada went on to win 24-14 and will box in the 2008 Olympics. “I tried to focus myself on getting the win. I had the will, courage and desire to win,” Estrada. “I had a hard bracket but I took it day-by-day.”

Christopher Downs (Fort Carson, Colo.) faced Yathomas Riley (San Diego, Calif.) in the light heavyweight division. Up 5-1 going into the second round, Downs connected on his punches in the second and led 12-2 by the end of round two. Although he scored only three points in the third round, Downs maintained his lead, and had an 11 point cushion going into the final round. Downs went on to defeat Riley 21-11 and earn a spot on the 2008 Olympic Team. “It’s always a good win for the oldest guy in USA Boxing. I feel like I need to thank all my teammates for pushing me,” Downs said. “It was extremely tough bracket and all eight competitors earned their way here. It’s good to see that we (the Army team) can ambassadors inside and outside the ring.”

Heavyweights Deontay Wilder (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) and Quantis Graves (Cut Off, La.) met for the second time this competition. After becoming acclimated to each other, Wilder took a 2-0 lead at the end of the first. Wilder held Graves scoreless in the second as well and increased his lead to six. Graves was able to score six points in the third, but it was not enough to take the lead. Wilder won the bout by a score of 12-9 and to earn a spot on the 2008 Olympic Team. “It’s a very overwhelming feeling, I dedicate it all to my little girl. My plan was to go out there and have fun, I knew I was stronger.”

Wilder made the team in only his 21st bout, and reflected on his progress. “This Deontay would have stopped last year’s Deontay,” Wilder said.

Super heavyweights Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.) and Kimdo Bethel (Albany, N.Y.) met in the final bout of the evening. Hunter was up by two by the end of the first and held Bethel to one point in the second. He maintained his lead and was winning 10-6 going into the final round. Hunter defeated Bethel 14-7 and was named an Olympian. “I’m still not believing its true, I learned dedication from my father. I work hard, I have two of the best trainers,” Hunter said. “I work on my conditioning and my physical strength, which helped me in this bout.

The two bouts will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday with the winner earning the title of U.S. Olympian.

Texas Boxers Advance at Olympic Trials

Photo caption: Houston's Hylon Williams (red) punches at Rico Ramos in his 125-pound class bout at the U.S. Boxing Olympic Trials in Houston. (photo by Kristine Kelly-TexSport Publications)

By Robert H. Kelly

(HOUSTON, TX, August 21, 2007) On the first day at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, fans saw six out of seven Texas boxers win their bouts advance to the winner bracket in the 2008 USA Boxing Olympic Trials. A lone Texas boxer went into the consolation round as day one concluded in the seven day trials.

During the afternoon session, all five Texas boxers advanced with Luis Tanez (Duncanville, Texas) defeated Malcolm Franklin, from Rialto California 27-12 in the 106-pound weight class.

In the 119-pound class, Roberto Marroquin of Dallas won a close decision 18-17 over Gary Russell, Jr. (Capital Heights, MD). Los Fresnos’ Sergio Perales also took a close decision 15-14 over California’s David Clark.

Dallas’ Charles Hatley, competing in the 152-pound division, defeated Anthony Campbell 24-15 to advance.

In the most lopsided bout of the session, Jerry Belmontes, from Corpus Christi destroyed Columbus, Ohio’s Antton Slaugher 22-1

The evening session saw Houston native Hylon Williams stop Troy Wohosky 30-8 to round out the winner’s bracket.

In the lone Texas defeat of their day, Juan Leija, from Alvin saw a tough match against Rau’shee Warren when the referee stopped the match 1 minute 6 seconds in the second round.

Day 2 saw Williams, Yanez, Marroquin and Belmontes win their second bouts, with Hatley being stopped 1:22 in the third round by Demetrius Andrate.

The best bout of the day was the come from behind win by Leija over John Franklin of the UA Army, 33-20. Leija was helped by the tremendous fan support at ringside. Clad in yellow t-shirts reading “Team Leija,” family, friends, and teammates from his boxing club in Alvin yelled, screamed, and went crazy every time he threw a punch.

When the result was announced, Franklin, who was visibly upset, stormed from the ring, hurling obscenities and ranting about how he was wronged.

Leija, who is a student at Santa Fe High School, show his joy by jumping up and hugging his coach and manager. He will now advance, along with all of the day 2 winners, to the semi-finals in Wednesday.

Action continues on Wednesday with bouts at 12 noon and 6:00 pm.

Houston to Host the 2008 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team Trials

From USA Boxing Press Release

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (June 25, 2007) The U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Boxing will travel south for the 2008 edition as Houston, Texas and the George R. Brown Convention Center will play host to the event. Eighty-eight of the nation’s top amateur boxers will vie for 11 coveted Olympic berths at the Olympic Trials, August 20-26, 2007.

Eight boxers will compete in each of the 11 weight divisions at the double elimination tournament, which will determine the U.S. Olympic Team for Boxing. The 88 U.S. Olympic Team Trials competitors earned berths in the event by advancing to quarterfinal action at the 2007 U.S. Championships.

"We are thrilled to be hosting this very prestigious event in Houston, and know that the USA Boxing’s athletes will find our city to be very exciting. Houston is definitely a sports city. We offer state-of-the-art facilities, great accommodations, and our sports fans are amongst the best in the country. This should be a wonderful experience for spectators and athletes alike," stated Janis Schmees, Executive Director of the Harris County - Houston Sports Authority.

Houston boasts outstanding experience in putting on major Olympic-style boxing events having hosted the AIBA Senior World Championships in 1999.

"We are delighted that this year's Olympic Trials will take place in Houston,” said USA Boxing Chief Executive Officer Jim Millman. “One of our current objectives at USA Boxing is to increase exposure of the sport to fans in more major markets nationwide, and Houston certainly meets that goal."

“The USOC is committed to working in partnership with USA Boxing and the Harris County - Houston Sports Authority to provide a world-class Olympic Trials event that will be the first step towards our common goal of competitive excellence in Beijing," said Steve Roush, the USOC's Chief of Sport Performance.

2008 Olympic Team Trials action will kick off with first round action on August 20, and conclude with final round competition on August 25 and a second day of final round action, if necessary, on August 26. The victors of the winners’ bracket and the challengers’ bracket will meet in the final two days of action. The winners’ bracket victors will need to win one of the final round bouts to earn a berth on the U.S. Olympic Team.