(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – Four American boxers claimed international victories north of the border at the Battle of the Frontiers: USA vs. Canada Duel in Montreal on Thursday night. Flyweight Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas), bantamweight Christina Cruz (New York, N.Y.), lightweight Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.), and heavyweight Krystal Dixon (New Rochelle, N.Y.) all defeated their Canadian foes in the duel competition.
Esparza received the Outstanding American Boxer of the event award for her unanimous decision victory over Canada’s Amanda Galle in flyweight competition. The decision marked Esparza’s second win over Canada in 2014 following a victory over now light flyweight Taveena Kum in their March meeting.
In the bantamweight division, Cruz took a 2-1 victory over Team Canada’s Vicky Pelletier to claim the second straight victory for her United States team. The Olympic Training Center resident earned her second win of the year over Pelletier with Thursday’s decision.
Underwood continued the Olympic Training Center winning streak in the Thursday’s lightweight bout. She won a unanimous decision over Odile Letellier in the fifth bout of the duel. Like Cruz and Esparza, Thursday’s win marked her second of the year over the Canadian squad.
Dixon claimed her big win in the final bout of the night in Montreal. The American heavyweight took a 2-1 win over Vanessa Joanisse in her international debut to close the show in victorious fashion for Team USA. As Canada didn’t have a heavyweight in the March duel, Thursday marked Dixon’s first bout with Canada.
In other action, light flyweight Alex Love (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and welterweight Danyelle Wolf (San Diego, Calif.) each dropped split decision to Canada’s Kum and Myriam Da Silva respectively. Featherweight Kristin Carlson (Carol Stream, Ill.) and light welterweight Destiny Chearino (Warwick, R.I) fell by 3-0 decisions to Canada’s Sabrina Aubin and Sara Kali in their duel match-ups.
Three-time world champion and 2012 Canadian Olympian Mary Spencer and multi-time U.S. champion and international medalist Franchon Crews (Baltimore, Md.) met for the second time in six months on Thursday night. With the home ring advantage on her side, Spencer avenged her March loss with a 2-1 decision over Crews.
Coaches Daniel Soto (Kissimmee, Fla.) and Juan Estrada (San Diego, Calif.) led the United States squad with Dr. John Drye (Plains, Mont.) and AIBA official Debbie Holmes (Garland, Texas) completing the American staff.
USA vs. Canada Duel Results
106 lbs: Taveena Kum, Canada, dec. Alex Love, Colorado Springs, Colo./USA, 2-1
112 lbs: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas/USA dec. Amanda Galle, Canada, 3-0
119 lbs: Christina Cruz, New York, N.Y./USA dec. Vicky Pelletier, Canada, 2-1
125 lbs: Sabrina Aubin, Canada, dec. Kristin Carlson, Carol Stream, Ill./USA, 3-0
132 lbs: Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash./USA dec. Odile Letellier, Canada, 3-0
141 lbs: Sara Kali, Canada dec. Destiny Chearino, Warwick, R.I./USA, 3-0
152 lbs: Myriam Da Silva, Canada dec. Danyelle Wolf, San Diego, Calif./USA, 2-1
165 lbs: Mary Spencer, Canada, dec. Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md./USA, 2-1
178+ lbs: Krystal Dixon, New Rochelle, N.Y./USA, dec. Vanessa Joanisse, Canada, 2-1
