The brackets are set, and Team USA now knows their potential path to stand atop the medal podium in Guayaquil, Ecuador at the 2022 AMBC Elite Championships, as competition begins tomorrow.
2021 Elite Men’s World Champion Jahmal Harvey (Oxon Hill, Md.) will be the first American to take to the ring, as he will face Mexico’s Miguel Fernando Vega Barreras in the day’s first session. Barreras competed at the 2021 World Championships, where he advanced to the quarterfinals. This will be Harvey’s first bout since his gold medal performance in Serbia last year.
Harvey’s World Championship teammate, Jonathan Mansour (San Deigo, Calif.), will also take to the ring during the day’s opening session. The lightweight will step into the ring against Manuel Febus of Puerto Rico.
2022 USA Boxing Elite National Champion Emilio Garcia (Laredo, Texas) will make his elite international debut during the days second session against Jose Manuel Viafara Fori of Colombia. Fori represented Colombia at the 2019 and 2021 Elite Men’s World Championships.
Joining Garcia in the evening session will be three-time World Champion Jajaira Gonzalez (Glendora, Calif.), who will be returning to international competition for the first time since 2018. Gonzalez will go head-to-head against Beatriz Palavecino Viviana of Argentina.
Welterweight Arika Skoog (Boston, Mass.) will also be making her international debut tomorrow. Skoog will take to the ring during the day’s second session of boxing against Stephanie Pineiro Aquino of Puerto Rico, the 2017 AMBC Elite Championships silver medalist.
2022 USA Boxing Elite National Champion Morelle McCane (Cleveland, Ohio) will close out the day’s competition with her bout with Dominican Republic’s Maria Moronta Hernandez. Hernandez competed at the 2020 Olympic Games, where she finished fifth.
Competition will begin at 3:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. EST, and can be followed along by clicking here, as well as on USA Boxing’s social media platforms. Additional tournament information, including brackets and bout sheets will be updated throughout the tournament here.
Team USA is being guided by USA Boxing Head Coach Billy Walsh (Colorado Springs, Colo.), National Developmental Coach Chad Wigle (Colorado Springs, Colo.), National Strength and Conditioning Coach Jose Polanco (Colorado Springs, Colo.), as well as assistant coaches Christine Lopez (Rowlett, Texas) and Timothy Nolan (Rochester, N.Y.).
This year’s AMBC Championships has brought close to 200 boxers from 25 different countries to compete for gold. These championships also mark the first-time prize money will be awarded to the medalists.
Day 1 Schedule
Session 1 – 3:00 p.m. EST start
57 kg: Jahmal Harvey, Oxon Hill, Md./USA, vs. Miguel Fernando Vega Barreras/MEX (Bout 4)
60 kg: Jonathan Mansour, San Diego, Calif./USA, vs. Manuel Febus/PUR (Bout 8)
Session 2 – 7:00 p.m. EST start
63 kg: Jajaira Gonzalez, Glendora, Calif./USA, vs. Beatriz Palavecino Viviana/ARG (Bout 8)
63.5 kg: Emilio Garcia, Laredo, Texas/USA, vs. Jose Manuel Viafara Fori/COL (Bout 3)
66 kg: Arika Skoog, Boston, Mass./USA, vs. Stephanie Pineiro Aquino/PUR (Bout 12)
70 kg: Morelle McCane, Cleveland, Ohio/USA, vs. Maria Moronta Hernandez/DOM (Bout 13)