The female boxing competition at the 16th edition of the Panamerican Games saw Mexico's National Olympiad winner Erika Cruz send shockwaves through the Olympic Lightweight category as the young local hope completely dominated Brazil's 30-year-old multiple Panamerican Champion Adriana Araujo to win by an impressive 16:6.
The second day of competition also witnessed Puerto Rico's rising star Kiria Tapia do battle against the strong US boxer and AIBA World Championships bronze medallist Queen Underwood. Tapia boxed in what was her best ever performance and caused a huge upset as she eliminated the American star with the judges giving her the win with the scores tied.
Argentina's AIBA World Championships quarter-finalist Celeste Peralta moved down two weight classes to fight in the Lightweight division this year. Her decision to do so was vindicated as she secured at least a bronze medal in Guadalajara after defeating Colombia's South American Games bronze medallist Jennifer Caceres 22:13.
In the men's draw, Guatemala's Beijing Olympian Eddie Valenzuela had the experience to beat Nicaragua's Marvin Solano in their Flyweight division contest, with the 29-year-old Valenzuela emphatically taking the bout 22:10.
Strong WSB athlete and Mexican athlete Elias Emigdio was replaced by Panamerican Games bronze medallist Braulio Avila just before the start of the event, but this decision by the Mexican camp paid dividends with the 25-year-old local fighter strolling to victory. Avila thus becoming the first Mexican boxer to win in Guadalajara this year after he was too strong for Colombia's South American Games winner Oscar Negrete.
Brazil's Beijing Olympian Robinelson De Jesus Vieira came up against one of the Bantamweight favourites, Puerto Rico's 18-year-old sensation Felix Verdejo who has come on leaps and bounds since fighting the current Cuba's AIBA World Champion Lazaro Alvarez some months ago. The Brazilian boxer was however magnificent against the favourite as he eliminated his top rival by large margin of points 13:3, making his mark in the category.
Cuba's 22-year-old Panamerican Champion Yasnier Toledo secured a valuable silver medal at the AIBA World Championships in Baku two weeks ago. He travelled to Guadalajara as the favourite of the lightweight division and as expected he quickly dispatched Nicaragua's Julio Laguna. The referee stopped the one-sided contest in the first round of the bout.
23-year-old Beijing Olympian Robson Conceicao of Brazil almost defeated Ukraine's two-time AIBA World Champion Vasyl Lomachenko in Baku and the experience gained there was invaluable. At the Panamerican Games he eliminated AIBA Youth World Championships quarter-finalist 20-year-old Wellington Arias of the Dominican Republic by 18:11 and booked a deserved place at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Brazil's two-time Olympian Myke Carvalho was seeded second at the AIBA World Championships but failed in his second preliminary contest. The Brazilian put the defeat of Baku behind him as he triumphed in Guadalajara over 18-year-old Independence Cup winner Raul Sanchez of the Dominican Republic.
Cuba's Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist Carlos Banteur has struggled to find consistent form these last few years but seems to have rediscovered the winning formula in Mexico. The Cuban No.1 Welterweight defeated Argentina's 21-year-old Stars Tournament silver medallist Alberto Palmeta by a resounding 15:5.
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