Well, it wasn’t the start for Team USA Boxing that they had hoped for, but regardless it is a start to amateur boxing as we head towards the 2021 Olympics as the first day of the Boxam 2020 in Spain, offered some rough results.

52 kg fighter Abraham Perez of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was the lone winner for the United States boxing team on day one, as he defeated Roger Smith Rivera/PER, SD. Perez, an awkward and dominant boxer, put on a performance that showed promise as Perez looks to be the caliber of fighter to medal in the first tournament back since the closure to the amateur competition because of COVID-19.

The biggest shock came in the 69 kg division as Hugo Micallef/MON defeated Delante “Tiger” Johnson, of Cleveland, Ohio. The bout which I scored for Johnson was a sombering sign for fans of U.S.A. Boxing, as Johnson is one the best pure talents on the team, and despite the fact I scored the bout for Johnson it doesn’t take away from the fact that the bout was plagued with inactivity on both sides, especially in the second round, as Johnson clearly won the third round. It is a shock and a typical trend in recent Olympic years that some of our most talented fighters haven’t fared the best in international competition, though I think the decision was a bit off base, as it appeared Johnson did in fact win the bout.

79 kg Joseph Hicks of Grand Rapid, Michigan, lost to Entrena Miguel Cuadrado/ESP, in a chippy affair in which both fighters were warned and punches began to fly in the clinches as though it were a pro fight. The bout should serve as a learning experience for Hicks, who has limited international experience and saw a different style than he was accustom to stateside in the fighter from Spain, Cuadrado.

The final bout of the day for Team USA didn’t in fact happen as 57 kg Fernandez Antonio Barrul/ESP defeated Bruce Carrington of Brooklyn, New York, via a walkover. No official reason was given for the walkover, but something my readers should consider is that internationally the weight you have to make is 125.4lbs as opposed to 126 lbs, which is an interesting fact.

Results from Day Two will be posted tomorrow