AIBA: The Top Stars compete in the PanAmerican Games Qualifier

Held in Managua, The PanAmerican Games Qualifier is the one of the highlights of April. Rio 2016 Olympic Games and AIBA World Championships medalists could become the top stars of the tournament that ends on April 11.

The 18th PanAmerican Games will take place in the Lima, Peru at the end of July and at the beginning of August. The record number of 32 nations sent their athletes to the Qualifier from each region of the continent. It is significant that 24 countries sent women competitors to Managua.

Women’s Qualifier

Colombia’s Ingrit Valencia developed step by step in recent years, reaching her career highlight at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games where she claimed bronze medal. The Colombian flyweight (51kg) boxer lost only one bout last year and she is coming to the Qualifier with confidence.

Her main rival could be the American Virginia Fuchs who won the bronze medal at the New Delhi 2018 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and claimed medals at the Strandja Memorial Tournament and Feliks Stamm Memorial.

Brazil’s Iasmin Ferreira has a natural talent, she started to participate on the international level on April 2017. But since then she has already won more than a half dozen gold medals. The two-time AMBC American Women’s Champion is a key boxer at the lightweight (60kg).

Panama’s history was written by Atheyna Bylon in 2014 when she became the country’s first ever boxer to claim gold medal in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. She won that historical title at the welterweight (69kg) and following a few years absence returned to this division that perfectly matches her style.

Colombia’s first ever medal in the history of the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, a silver, was taken by Jessica Caicedo in New Delhi last November. She also will be among the favourites in the women competition in 81 kg.

Men’s Qualifier

The Cuban boxing team will attend the Qualifier with their best possible line-ups. Yosbany Veitia (52kg), Lazaro Alvarez (60kg), Andy Cruz (64kg), Roniel Iglesias (69kg), Arlen Lopez (75kg), Julio Cesar La Cruz (81kg) and Erislandy Savon (91kg) will take part in the competition.

Colombia’s 2016 Olympic Games silver medallist Yuberjen Martinez could also be a star in the men’s light flyweight (49kg) in Managua. He earned Colombia’s first ever medal in the AIBA World Boxing Championships which was a bronze in Hamburg two years ago. Since then the experienced Colombian has remained unbeaten.

Venezuela’s Yoel Finol took the bronze medal in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games which was the country’s first medal in boxing since 1984. Finol moved up to the bantamweight (56kg) and following his wins over Cuba’s two-time Olympic Champion Robeisy Ramirez in the WSB, he is ready to get another title.

United States has a developing team and their No.1 in Managua could be a super heavyweight (+91kg) young Richard Torrez Jr. who won all of his bouts since November 2016 when he claimed bronze at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. Torrez won the prestigious Strandja Memorial Tournament and the Chemistry Cup therefore his expectations are high in Managua.