Team USA Learns Its Path To Gold For U19 World Championships

Team USA will have twelve boxers competing at the 2024 World Boxing U19 Championships. These twelve boxers learned their paths to gold, including their first-round opponents during Friday tournament draw. 

The 2024 World Boxing U19 Championships boxing tournament has 20 weight divisions, 10 men’s and 10 women’s. Competition in Pueblo, Colo. will begin on Saturday, October 26 before concluding on Saturday, November 2, at the Pueblo Convention Center.

Getting it all started for Team USA is Joscelyn Olayo-Munoz( La Cruces, N.M.) and Shamiracle Hardaway (Lagrange, Ga.). Olayo-Munoz will box Chanchal Chaudary out of India in the 48 kg weight class tomorrow afternoon around 5:30 ET. Hardaway will match up with Penelope Grochau from Germany in the 60 kg weight class. Hardaway was on the Youth High-Performance Team last year and earned bronze at the 2023 International Invitational in Germany. If both boxers win their opening bouts, they will advance to the medal round.

Sunday, October 27, Team USA will see their first male boxer in Emmanuel Chance (East Orange, N.J.)  Chance is boxing in the 55 kg weight class and received a bye and will get the winner of Juan Jin from South Korea and Kelvy da Trindade from Brazil. Chance won silver at the 2023 Youth Inernational Invitational in Germany.

Also competing Sunday is Laila Zakirova (Staten Island, N.Y.). Zakirova is boxing in the 51 kg weight class and is boxing Xian Baguhin out of the Philippines.

Team USA will see six boxers make their 2024 World Boxing U19 Championships debuts. Lorenzo Patricio (Waianae, Hawaii) will represent Team USA in the 50 kg weight class and received a first round bye and will box the winner of Seiya Nakayam out of Japan and Beau Piggott out of Australia. Violet Lopez (Milwaukee, Wis.)  also with a first round bye and will box Caitlyn Wise out of England in the 54 kg weight class. In the 70 kg weight class Malachi Ross (Grandview, Mo.)  earned a bye and is going up against the winner of Festim Nimani from Germany and Sumit Sumit from India. For Team USA in the 75 kg weight class, Joseph Awinongya (Jouliet, Ill.) will go up against Connor Anerson from Australia. Elijah Lugo (Marietta, Ga.) will represent USA in the 80 kg weight class and will go head-to-head with Cristian Sarsilli out of Italy. In the heavyweight class of 90 kg, Rishon Sims (Harrisburg, Pa.) will go up against Eris Andi Lushtaku out of Germany. Sims was on the Youth High-Performance Team last year and won gold at the 2023 International Invitational in Germany.

Mesiah Nimo (Dallas, Texas) is the lone boxer going on Tuesday October 29 and he will box in the 65 kg weight class and was given a bye and will box the victor of Simon Stojka from Czech Republic and Assylkhan Kosherbay from Kazakhstan.

Nevaeh Williams received a bye and will go head to head with the winner of Aaliyah Hoppema from the Netherlands or Renee Doole out of New Zealand. Due to the bye Williams is already in the medal round and will receive at least a bronze medal.

Ticket pricing for the 2024 World Boxing U19 Championships begins at $10 for a single-day pass or $50 for an all-week pass. Fans can also purchase tickets exclusively for Saturday's finals at the price of $25.

 USA Boxing will be led by National Development coach Chad Wigle (Colorado Springs, Colo.). Assisting Wigle will be three assistant coaches in Danilo Garcia (Oakland, Calif.), Edward Fonteneaux (Fayetteville, N.C.), and Blanca Gutierrez (Pacifica, Calif.).