Team USA began their first international tournament of 2019, the Strandja Tournament, by going 5-3 on day one of competition.
The first session of the tournament saw three Americans pick up impressive wins over their opponents. Lightweights Rashida Ellis (Lynn, Mass.) and Amelia Moore (Alexandria, Va.) picked up Team USA’s first wins of the days over Aneta Rygielska of Poland and Crisstina Cosma of Romania, respectively. The third victory came from welterweight Oshae Jone’s (Toledo, Ohio) unanimous decision win over Azerbaijan’s Maryam Jabrayilova.
2016 Youth World Champion Delante Johnson (Cleveland, Ohio) began the second session of the day with an unanimous decision win against Elnur Suleymanov of Azerbaijan, while light heavyweight Khalil Coe (Jersey City, N.J.) grabbed Team USA’s final win of the day by taking all five judges cards over Poland’s Piotr Szczukowski.
Isamary Aquino (Universal City, Texas), Sharahaya Moreu (Albuquerque, N.M.) and Freudis Rojas Jr. (Las Vegas, Nev.) fell short of advancing to the next round of competition after intense and close bouts. Full results from today’s sessions can be seen below.
The American delegation, which includes 25 boxers, is one of the largest teams USA Boxing has sent to an international competition. This year marks the 70th edition of the Strandja Tournament, with a total of 296 boxers from over 30 different countries taking part in the tournament.
A full schedule for tomorrow’s bouts, which will be full day for Team USA, with 10 boxers, including Ellis and Moore, stepping into the ring can be seen below. Follow all of USA Boxing’s results by clicking here.
Day 1 Results
57 kg: Ramila Ali/SOM, dec. over Isamary Aquino, Universal City, Texas/USA, 4-1
60 kg: Ameila Moore, Alexandria, Va./USA, dec. over Crisstina Cosma/ROU, 5-0
60 kg: Rashida Ellis, Lynn, Mass./USA, dec. over Aneta Rygielska/POL, 4-1
69 kg: Oshae Jones, Toledo, Ohio/USA, dec. over Maryam Jabrayilova/AZE, 5-0
69 kg: Beatriz Soares/BRA, dec. over Sharahaya Moreu, Albuquerque, N.M./USA, 5-0
69 kg: Delante Johnson, Cleveland, Ohio/USA, dec. over. Elnur Suleymanov/AZE, 5-0
69 kg: Ablaikhan Zhussupov/KAZ, dec. over Freudis Rojas Jr., Las Vegas, Nev./USA, 4-1
81 kg: Khalil Coe, Jersey City, N.J./USA, dec. over Piotr Szczukowski/POL, 5-0
Day 2 Schedule
51 kg: Heaven Garcia, El Monte, Calif./USA, vs. Sandra Drabik/POL
52 kg: Abraham Perez, Albuquerque, N.M., vs. Gaurav Solanki/IND
56 kg: David Navarro, Los Angeles, Calif./USA, vs. Dorian Mospinek/POL
60 kg: Rashida Ellis, Lynn, Mass./USA, vs. Ella Boot/AUS
60 kg: Amelia Moore, Alexandria, Va./USA, vs. Rebecca Nicole/ITA
64 kg: Keyshawn Davis, Norfolk, Va./USA vs. Elvin Isayev/AZE
64 kg: Dalis Kaleiopu, Waianae, Hawaii/USA, vs. Hadi Srour/NOR
75 kg: Troy Isley, Alexandria, Va./USA, vs. Tarik Allali/MAR
75 kg: Javier Martinez, Milwaukee, Wisc./USA, vs. Angel Roque/SUI
75 kg: Naomi Graham, Colorado Springs, Colo./USA, vs. Flavia Figueiredo/BRA
