Cuba, absent from the AIBA World Championships Chicago 2007, announced that the 2005 World Champion Yordenis Ugás (60 kg) will head his team in the 1st AIBA American Olympic Qualification Tournament from March 12-18 in the Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago. 

The Cuban squad will also feature Pan-American stars Idel Torriente (57), Emilio Correa (75), Osmay Acosta (91) and Robert Alfonso (+ 91), the world championship runner-up of three years ago Andry Laffita (51), youth world champion Rosniel Iglesias (64) and the former possessors of that crown Yankiel Lion (54) and Carlos Banteur (69). 

The only new additions to the team is y complete it the new one Julio César la Cruz (81), who surprised many by dominating the national championship in January, and the number two in that tournament, Iran Pérez (48), who will make his debut. 

Correa, Osmay, Robert, Iglesias, Banteur and La Cruz were crowned recently at the Independence Cup, in the Dominican Republic. 

Venezuela, who have been training 17 boxers in Havana, selected the Pan-American runner-up José Payares (+ 91), Edgar Muñoz (91), Luis González (81) and Ángel Rodríguez Rodriguez (57), all of whom participated in Chicago, where Hector Chamomile (54) and Alfonso Blanco (75) claimed qualificagtion spots.  The other Venezuelens participating in Trinidad and Tobago are Eduard Bermúdez (48 kg), Franger Hernández (51), Jesús Cuadro (60), Jonhny Sánchez (64) and Omar Moreno (69).

Mexico, who have one qualified boxer from Chicago in Arturo Santos Reyes (57), included in their preparation a stop against United States, in San Diego, where they won 8-3.  Later their athletes concentrated on Tijuana, and now 20 of them are training in a mountain 130 kilometres of the capital city, as reported agencies of press.  Starring for Mexico are Marco Antonio Peribán (75), Odilón Zaleta (48), Braulio Ávila (51), Óscar Valdés (54), Francisco Vargas (60), Jesse Vargas (64), Óscar Molina (69), Joshua Garza (81), Javier Torres (91) and Andrés Ruiz (+91).

Meanwhile, the United States, who will visit Russia for a box-off on February 24 and 29, have already qualified Raushee Warren (51) and Demetrius Andrade (69).

The 1st AIBA American Olympic Qualification Tournament should see athletes from more than 20 nations chasing 23 spots for Beijing:  Two in the divisions of 48, 51, 54, 57, 60, 69, 75 and 91 kilograms, three in 64 and 81 and one in +91 kilograms.

The same number will be defined in the second qualifier of the continent, from April23-30 in Guatemala, but with different distribution by category.