Elite U.S. Boxers to Travel to Europe for International Training and Dual Competition

(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – A squad of the United States’ top male boxers will travel across the ocean to Europe for a unique training and competition opportunity, August 24-September 12. The European Challenge will give the athletes the opportunity to both train and compete against elite squads from foreign nations. 

The team will depart for Sheffield, England on August 24 where they will take part in a joint training camp with Great Britain through September 1. Upon completion of the British leg of the tour, they will travel to Assisi, Italy for a second training camp with the Italian National Team. The two nations will square off in the first of two dual competitions on September 8 in Rome in honor of the 50^th anniversary of the 1960 Olympic Games. The second dual competition will take place on September 11 in Assisi and will include a commemorative ceremony of the tragic attacks on the United States in 2001. 

The European Challenge squad includes nine of the recently crowned national champions as well as flyweight runner-up and 2009 light flyweight gold medalist Miguel Cartagena (Philadelphia, Pa.). The nine boxers joining Cartagena in Europe will be light flyweight Louie Byrd (Denver, Colo.), featherweight Joseph Diaz (South El Monte, Calif.), lightweight Jose Ramirez (Avenal, Calif.), light welterweight Pedro Sosa (Bronx, N.Y.), welterweight Errol Spence (Desoto, Texas), middleweight Luis Arias (Milwaukee, Wis.), light heavyweight Jeffrey Spencer (Fort Carson, Colo.), heavyweight Steve Geffrard (Boca Raton, Fla.), and super heavyweight Lenroy Thompson (Lenexa, Kansas). 

The team will be led by coaches Al Simpson, Gene Vivero, and Anthony Chase with Joe Sanchez (Darien, Ill.) and Kevin Franklin working as the AIBA officials for the event. Dr. Tony Al-Amin and Dr. Martha Dodson will work as the team physicians for the event. 

The European Challenge will be the first international event for the newly crowned 2010 USA Boxing National Team. 

U.S. Team Bios

Louie Byrd
Hometown:  Denver, Colorado
Birth date:  September 19, 1990
Weight Class: Light flyweight/108 pounds
Height:  5-2
Coach's Name:  Jeff Byrd
Club Name:  Back Yard Brawlers
Began Boxing:  2001
Three-time National Champion

Miguel Cartagena
Hometown: Philadelphia, Pa.
Birth date: July 5, 1992
Weight Class:  Flyweight/114 pounds
Height:  5-4
Coach's Name:  Javier Varela
Club Name:  Philly Ramblers
2010 USA Boxing National Championships Flyweight Silver Medalist
2009 Light Flyweight National Champion

Joseph Diaz
Hometown: South El Monte, Calif.
Birth date: November 23, 1992
Weight Class: Featherweight/123 pounds
Height: 5-5
Coach’s Name: Joseph Diaz, Sr.
Club Name: Teamsters Boxing
2010 Featherweight National Champion

Jose Ramirez
Hometown: Avenal, Calif.
Birth date: August 12, 1992
Weight Class: Lightweight/132 pounds
2010 Lightweight National Champion

Pedro Sosa
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
Birth date: May 30, 1992
Weight Class: Light welterweight/141 pounds
Height: 5-8
Coach’s Name: Marcos Suarez
Club Name: Cops and Kids
2010 Light Welterweight National Champion

Errol Spence
Hometown: Desoto, Texas
Birth Date: March 3, 1990
Weight Class: Welterweight/152 pounds
Height: 5-9
Coach’s Name: Gene Vivero
Club Name: Vivero’s Boxing Club
Three-time National Champion

Luis Arias
Hometown: Milwaukee, Wis.
Birth Date: June 12, 1990
Weight Class: Middleweight/165 pounds
Height: 5-11
Coach’s Name: Israel Acosta
Club Name: UCC Boxing
Student at Marquette University
2010 Middleweight National Champion
2008 Youth World Championships Bronze Medalist

Jeffrey Spencer
Hometown: Gary, Ind./Fort Carson, Colo.
Birth Date: April 15, 1982
Weight Class: Light heavyweight/178 pounds
Height: 6-1
Coach’s name: Basheer Abdullah
Club Name: Army’s World Class Athlete Program
2010 Light Heavyweight National Champion

Steve Geffrard
Hometown: Boca Raton, Fla.
Birth Date: August 28, 1990
Weight Class: Heavyweight/201 pounds
2010 Heavyweight National Champion