Mexico's 18-year-old Joselito Velasquez is really making a name for himself in his homeland. Firstly claiming gold at the Mexican Youth Olympiad and being awarded the best boxer trophy. Then selected for the national elite team and given the opportunity to represent the Central American country at the 16th AIBA World Boxing Championships and then excelling at the Panamerican Games. The Light Flyweight was simply irresistible in front of his home crowd as he expertly defeated Cuba's 19-year-old AIBA World Championships quarter-finalist Yosvany Veitia 20:12 in the final. Velasquez secured the first Mexican boxing gold at these Games and following Carlos Cuadras' gold medal at the last edition, Mexico's future continues to look bright.
Cuba's 20-year-old Lazaro Alvarez was outstanding during the AIBA World Championships in Baku and confirmed his status as one of his country's leading lights after taking the gold in Guadalajara against Mexico's top boxer, AIBA World Championships bronze medallist and former AIBA Youth World Champion Oscar Valdez. The Bantamweight final was a spectacular contest and it was Alvarez who edged it out to take victory, beating Valdez 19:15.
Cuba's 23-year-old former AIBA World Champion and Beijing Olympic Games bronze medallist Roniel Iglesias eliminated his main rival, current AIBA World Champion Everton Lopes of Brazil in the semi-finals. Following on from that great victory he faced Bahamas' Central American and Caribbean Games winner Valentino Knowles for the Light Welterweight gold medal. Iglesias was once again in top form as he secured his first ever Panamerican Games title.
Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist, 26-year-old Emilio Correa from Cuba, who lost unexpectedly at the AIBA World Championships in Baku and now needs to achieve Olympic Qualification at the Panamerican Olympic Qualification Tournament next year, provided himself with a timely moral boost in Mexico. Correa showed great spirit and skill to triumph over Ecuador's 24-year-old Panamerican Champion Jaime Cortez 18:6, ensuring a successful defence of the title he had won at the last edition of the Games in Rio in 2007.
Another Cuban, 19-year-old Youth Olympic Games winner and current AIBA Youth World Champion Leinier Perot was given a chance by the national head coach to be part of the Panamerican Games squad. He repaid the faith shown in him by storming to victory in the Heavyweight final by dominating Ecuador's Panamerican Champion Julio Castillo 16:10. Perot becoming in the process the fourth Cuban to collect a gold medal in day's finals.
In the Panamrican Games women's event, Canada's three-time AIBA World Champion Mary Spencer, the overwhelming favourite to take the title following the surprising defeated of Brazilian Roselli Feitosa by Dominican Republic's Yenebier Guillen, did not have it all her own way in the Middleweight final. Mary Spencer was made to work hard but in the end demonstrated her power and determination as she claimed the first ever women's boxing gold at the Panamrican Games, winning the contest 15:11.
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