(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – Featherweight Kevin Rivers (Landover, Md.) enjoyed the sole victory of a difficult weekend for Team USA at the 2009 World Championships in Milan, Italy. Rivers recorded a 9-5 decision over Sweden’s Bashir Hassan on Sunday morning at the Mediolanum Forum. The victory advances Rivers on to a third round match-up with 2007 Bantamweight World Champion Sergey Vodopiyanov of Russia. Five U.S. boxers suffered preliminary losses over the weekend as light flyweight Miguel Cartagena (Philadelphia, Pa.) dropped a 19-7 decision to Jose Kelvin de la Nieve Linares of Spain and bantamweight Jesus Magdaleno (Las Vegas, Nev.) was defeated by Germany’s Denis Makarov by an 11-8 margin on Saturday..
Three U.S. boxers took the ring for the first time at the event on Sunday, but welterweight Errol Spence (Desoto, Texas), light heavyweight Robert Brant (St. Paul, Minn.) and heavyweight Jordan Shimmell (Hudsonville, Mich.) all lost their debuts. Spence and Brant both faced Cuban boxers in their openers with Spence losing an 11-1 decision to Carlos Banteur Suarez and Brant dropping a 17-8 bout to Jose Larduet Gomez. Shimmell was the final U.S. boxer to compete on Sunday but he couldn’t end the streak, losing a 10-3 bout to France’s John M’bumba.
Two U.S. competitors remain in the tournament and both will return to action on Tuesday with Rivers facing Vodopiyanov and light welterweight Frankie Gomez (Broadway, Calif.) battling Uzbekistan’s Sanjarbek Rahmanov.
For the most up-to-date results and information as well as complete brackets for all 11 weight divisions, go to www.aiba.org.
Weekend U.S. Results
106 lbs: Jose Kelvin de la Nieve Linares, ESP, dec. Miguel Cartagena, Philadadelphia, Pa/USA., 19-7
119 lbs: Denis Makarov, GER, dec. Jesus Magdaleno, Las Vegas, Nev./USA, 12-9
125 lbs: Kevin Rivers, Landover, Md./USA dec. Bashir Hassan, SWE, 9-5
152 lbs: Carlos Banteur Suarez, CUB, dec. Errol Spence, Desoto, Texas/USA, 11-1
178 lbs: Jose Larduet Gomez, CUB, dec. Robert Brant, St. Paul, Minn./USA, 17-8
201 lbs: John M’bumba, FRA, dec. Jordan Shimmell, Hudsonville, Mich./USA, 10-3
Tuesday’s Schedule
125 lbs: Kevin Rivers, Landover, Md./USA vs. Sergey Vodopiyanov, RUS, (9:30 a.m. EST)
141 lbs: Frankie Gomez, Broadway, Calif./USA vs. Sarjarbek Rahmanov, UZB (2:30 p.m. EST)
Frankie Gomez Notches His Second Victory at the 2009 World Boxing Championships in Milan
(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – Light welterweight Frankie Gomez (Broadway, Calif.) continued his winning ways at the 2009 World Championships In Milan, Italy on Friday, winning a 16-6 decision over Levan Gvamichava of Georgia.
After falling behind by a slim 3-2 margin after the opening round, Gomez grabbed control of the bout in the second, scoring nine points to take an 11-5 lead into the final stanza. He refused to relinquish his lead over the last three minutes and went on to win the 16-6 final decision. “My opponent was tough and strong, but he faded in the third round because of the body shots that I landed in the first and second rounds,” Gomez said. “It is a great feeling and blessing to be here, but it takes hard work and dedication to get to this level. I am here to win it all, I worked too hard to come here and lose.”
The victory advances Gomez on to third round action where he will face Uzbekistan’s Sanjarbek Rahmanov for a spot in the quarterfinals on Tuesday, September 8th. He was the lone U.S. boxer competing in Friday’s action, but enjoyed strong support from his teammates in the stands as he notched his second straight victory of the tournament and the third consecutive win for his U.S. team following Thursday victories by light flyweight Miguel Cartagena (Philadelphia, Pa.) and featherweight Kevin Rivers (Landover, Md.).
Two U.S. boxers will take the ring in Saturday’s action as Cartagena faces Spain’s Jose Kelvin De La Nieve Linares and bantamweight Jesus Magadaleno (Las Vegas, Nev.) battles Germany’s Denis Makarov. Both U.S. bouts will be contested in the early session at 11:30 a.m. Milan time (5:30 a.m. EST)
For the most up-to-date results and information as well as full draw sheets for all 11 weight divisions, go to http://www.worldboxingmilano.org/page.aspx?id=307&idp=109.
Friday’s U.S. Results
141 lbs: Frankie Gomez, Broadway, Calif./USA dec. Levan Gvamichava, GEO, 16-6
Saturday’s U.S. Schedule
106 lbs: Miguel Cartagena, Philadelphia, Pa./USA vs Jose Kelvin de la Nieve Linares, ESP (early session)
119 lbs: Jesus Magdaleno, Las Vegas, Nev./USA vs. Denis Makarov, GER (early session)
U.S. Quotes
Miguel Cartagena: “I am proud to be on the National Team and how we are growing as a team; this is one of the best teams that I have ever been a part of. Going into my first bout, I was anxious and nervous, and I had to prove to myself that I deserve to be here and I had to win. We are making progress by working on the little things that add up and will eventually lead to success.”
Kevin Rivers: “I am honored and very proud to represent the U.S. and feel that it is a big step toward bigger things. I was mentally and physically prepared to win. Hard work pays off.”
The United States Goes Undefeated on Day Three of the 2009 World Championships
(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – The United States enjoyed a successful third day at the 2009 World Boxing Championships in Milan, Italy with both light flyweight Miguel Cartagena (Philadelphia, Pa.) and featherweight Kevin Rivers (Landover, Md.) recording first round victories at the Mediolanum Forum.
Rivers faced off with Australia’s Ibrahim Bell in his first bout of the tournament and he pulled out a 22-19 victory over Bell to move on in the tournament. “My goal is the gold medal,” Rivers said. “Bell was a tough opponent; I expected a hard match and I got what I expected. I want to go all the way.”
Cartagena battled Japan’s Taro Hayashida in his World Championships debut and he put forth a commanding performance to win a 23-9 decision and move on to second round action.
Light welterweight Frankie Gomez (Broadway, Calif.) will return to action on Friday in his second bout, taking on Georgia’s Levan Gvamichava at 3:30 p.m. Milan time (9:30 a.m. EST)
For the most up-to-date results and information as well as full draw sheets for all 11 weight divisions, go to www.aiba.org.
Thursday’s U.S. Results
106 lbs: Miguel Cartagena, Philadelphia, Pa./USA dec. Taro Hayashida, JPN, 23-9
125 lbs: Kevin Rivers, Landover, Md./USA dec. Ibrahim Bell, AUS, 22-19
Team USA Quotes
Louie Byrd: “I feel proud to represent my country in the sport that I love. I have learned that on the international level, I need to tweak my style and throw more straight punches. I was more nervous than usual and the surroundings were hectic as it seemed that every man was out for himself.”
Duran Caferro: “I know there are a lot of people at home that are proud of me, and I kept that in my mind every time I trained. Training hard is not enough to win on this level, we must learn the international system to be more successful.”
Terrell Gausha : “I feel blessed to represent my country in the World Championships. My experience here was different, trying to focus on new things that I was advised to do to compete internationally.”
Frankie Gomez: “I feel proud representing my country and hope to represent in the 2012 Olympic Games. The kid I boxed was tough in the first two rounds then I noticed he got winded and I stepped it up.”
Jesus Magdaleno: “I feel great and it is a big honor and dream to represent the USA. I am happy to be on the team. “My adrenaline was pumping and I was really excited. The bout was great as I was able to use my speed and strength to win. I plan to stay disciplined and focused in order to win Gold.
USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). It is responsible for the selection and management of the United States Olympic Boxing Team, and for the governance and oversight of USA Boxing’s national organization of 38,000 members, 1,400 individual boxing clubs, and 1,600 sanctioned events annually.