Jeyvier Cintron-Darwin Perez

Jeyvier Cintron, Puerto Rico's rising star 17-year-old, started his competition with a victory over Dominican Republic's Darwin Perez in the first competition day of the AMBC's Youth Continental Championships in Portoviejo in Ecuador. The event was opened by AMBC President and AIBA Vice-President Mr. Ing. Domingo Solano.

Bronze medallist, Jeyvier Cintron, at the last edition of the AMBC's Junior Continental Championships was involved with the national elite squad despite of his young age. The Flyweight (52kg) boxer performed well enough in the Independence Cup which was his debut among the elite boxers in February. Following this first success the Puerto Rican head coach has decided to add him to the young travelling team of the AIBA American Olympic Qualifiers.

Cintron exceeded the previous expectations at the qualification event and won the competition in Rio de Janeiro where he defeated the host nation's veteran continental champion Juliao Miranda Neto as well. The 17-year-old Puerto Rican won two bouts in the London 2012 Olympics. And only the current AIBA World Champion Misha Aloian was able to stop him in the quarter-final stage of the Games.

The Puerto Rican teenager could not stop his training sessions after the London Olympics and travelled for the gold to Portoviejo. He had a tough opponent in his opening contest. Dominican Republic's Darwin Perez who won the Golden Belt Youth Tournament in the same city last year.

Segundo Padilla from Pichincha, National Youth Champion 17-year-old, performed the Ecuadorians only victory in the opening day and beat Argentina's international level newcomer Cristian Choque. The final verdict of their Flyweight (52kg) contest was 17:5 to the host nation's pride.

Huascar Ramirez, Dominican Republic's new weapon, Pan American Junior Champion and AIBA Junior World Championships quarter-finalist also made his first winning step in Portoviejo. The 17-year-old Lightweight (60kg) boxer had an unexpected loss at the Dominican Youth National Championships but proved his great skills and eliminated Puerto Rico's hope Dereck Cuevas by impressive 24:15 in the continental event.

Brazil's first victory was secured by Pan American Junior Championships silver medallist 17-year-old Jonathan Soares who triumphed over Argentina's Sebastian Chaves by 17:9. His teammate Julio Cesar Cardoso could not continue Brazil's winning streak and was defeated by Puerto Rico's Luis Sanchez by 19:11 at the Welterweight (69kg)class.

Joan Santos, Dominican Republic's two-time Youth National Champion, who has had plenty of early victories in his career, made one of the best performances in the opening day where he stopped Ecuador's current AMBC's Junior Continental Champion Raul Anangono.

In the last fight of the first session Puerto Rico's Olympic Cup bronze medallist Fabian Lopez won over Ecuador's Christian Quinonez by 15:8. 

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