USA – 4-1

Jahmal Harvey is looking to be a generational-type fighter as he is only getting better and better as he goes deeper into the tournament, and now has secured a medal, but realistically gold or silver are the only ones that probably get him interested. Harvey will now face Samuel Kistohurry of France who gave Olympic silver medalist Duke Ragan a tough fight in the first round of the Olympics in 2020.

Omari Jones gets to the medal rounds as he defeated a very tough and tricky Wanderson de Oliveira of Brazil. Jones clearly is in the hardest bracket as his next bout will be against Lasha Guruli of Georgia, who beat Kevin Brown of Cuba today. Jones is a good outside fighter, but his true strength is his ability to punch with his opponent and land meaningful shots in between their punches.

Rahim Gonzales, light heavyweight, Gonzales is now in the medal rounds and is one of the most complete fighters at this event from Team USA. My only fear is….he is fighting a fighter, Vladimir Mironchikov, who is from Serbia, in a tournament in Serbia. Anyone who knows anything knows, Gonzales needs to separate himself in this bout to win this clearly. Gonzales should be in the finals based on his skillset and his match-up.

Roscoe Hill, flyweight – He fights like he grew up watching Floyd Mayweather, slick and good with the pull-counter. Hill might be one of the fighters you should follow now as he reminds me a lot of another Texas fighter who fought at the lower weights, Michael Angeletti. Next up for Hill is Russia’s Akhtem Zakirov.

Obed Bartee-El is too professional for amateur boxing as he fought a great fight, but the keyword is he fought, he didn’t throw excessive volume, and that was not rewarded on this given day.

Other notables

Minimumweight

Sakhil Alakhverdovi, GEO – The only fighter left who has a Wikipedia page, is Alakhverdovi, who is the most experienced fighter left as well. Having competed at a higher weight at the Olympics in 2020, Alakhverdovi looks to be the man to beat in this division. His semi-final bout will be against Wuttichai Yurachai.

Yauheni Karmilchyk, BLR – Having a stoppage win at miniumweight is not common, and albeit, now he is in tough facing Temirtas Zhussupov of KAZ, who is one of the dreaded professional amateurs. Karmilchyk offers a lot to like with a pro-style that begins with him throwing meaningful punches.

Flyweight

Saken Bibossinov, KAZ – The odds on favorite to win the tournament and even more so, just a heck of a boxer. He faces Thanarat Saengphet next.

Bantamweight

Akash Kumar, IND – Kumar is a very solid boxer, and is one of the stand-out of the Indian team, who has yet to lose on any of the judges scorecards. Kumar feels like the guy to beat moving forward as his path to victory seems to be replicated against seemingly every foe. Kumar will next face Makhmud Sabyrkhan of KAZ.

Billal Bennama, FRA – Bennama is a solid boxer, as I stated before he doesn’t have anyone trait that jumps off the page beyond he has a tall frame and knows how to use his body well. Bennama is a winner and knows how to give people fits, he faces Tomoya Tsuboi, of Japan in the next round, a good fighter, who is having quite a tournament.

Lightweight

Danial Shahbakhsh, IRI – Shahbakhsh is a really friggin tough and physical fighter. He wins based on work rate, activity and what most people don’t see, he has tricks on how to not get hit flush. Shahbakhsh is now in the medal rounds and will face a fighter with a similar style in himself in Abdumalik Khalokov of UZB in the semi-finals.

Sofiane Oumiha, FRA – Oumiha is really good, has been in the amateur system forever, competing in the 2016 Olympics. Oumiha’s talent and experience is second-to-none he next faces one of my favorites from this tournament Alexy de la Cruz of the Dominican Republic next.

Alexy de la Cruz, DMR – de la Cruz screams of being a good professional boxer. The composure, poise, and way he picks shots is different than others in this tournament in a mold of an Anselmo Moreno, if everything were to pan out right for him as a pro, his semi-final bout against Oumiha be a great assessment tool.

Light Welterweight

Andy Cruz, CUB – Probably the best amateur in the world, yet my cup of tea in terms of a professional prospect, Cruz knows how to win in the amateurs and looks seemingly unbeatable up until this point. A master of distance and movement. He will next face Somchay Wongsuwan.

Reese Lynch, SCO – Lynch impressed me a ton beating Sanatali Toltayev of KAZ, as he fought the perfect fight. Lynch is a very interesting pro prospect to keep your eyes on and looks to be one of the people poised to make a run for Team GB in 2024 Olympics. His next bout is against Kerem Özmen of Turkey.

Hovhannes Bachkov, ARM – Already pro, like a lot of people in these contests, Bachkov is a banger who is all-out action, and willing to trade with anyone at any time. He will make good fights in the future and with the backing of MTK Global will be in the right position in the sport. Bachkov lost a close decision but should be a name that stands out on this list in a few years.

Welterweight

Lasha Guruli, GEO – One of the deepest divisions in the final stages, Guruli is a mauler who out-willed the Cuban Kevin Brown. Guruli used a lot of energy to get past Brown so let’s see how he does against one of the best America has to offer in Omari Jones.

Ablaikhan Zhussupov, KAZ – Solid at everything, a life-long amateur competing at the 2016 Olympic Games, Zhussupov is one that is not to be taken lightly, his semi-final bracket creates an interesting match as Sewon Okazawa fought at the 2020 Olympics.

Sewon Okazawa, JPN – Frustrating yet physical is the word I would describe Okazawa. Okazawa fights a fight that benefits him and is fine making the fight his own. Zhussupov will have to set a tone early as Okazawa fights like an Avant-Grade jazz musician playing an offbeat. Once he sets in, it will be hard to break his timing.

Light Middleweight

Sarkhan Aliyev, AZE – Tricky, tested, and tough. Elusive and knows how to fight in spurts, I am not sure I see anyone being able to outpoint Aliyev as he is in a solid grove right now. His next opponent is the slugger from Ukraine, Yurii Zakharieiev.

Vadim Musaev, RUS – A solid boxer who can put pressure on as well. We should see a finals clash between Aliyev versus Musaev. He next faces Alban Beqiri of ALB.

Middleweight

Salvatore Cavallaro, ITA – A really good distance fighter, and will see Cavallaro v. Hernandez producing more than likely the gold medal winner. Cavallaro is a fighter coming off a hard grueling fight in the quarterfinals, let’s see if that took something out of him, but Cavallaro is very solid.

Yoenlis Hernández, CUBA – Your prototypical no-thrills Cuban boxer is exactly what Hernandez is. Distance control, movement, matching punches thrown by his opponent, and just being awkward. Currently, Hernandez is the class of the division and that shows as not one judge in all four of his previous bouts has scored a contest against him.

Light Heavyweight

Savelii Sadoma, RUS – Sadoma has a stoppage win and has been dominant at this tournament. He is probably the betting favorite to get gold right now, and his 5-0 win in the quarterfinals did nothing to change people’s minds. Next up is Aliaksei Alfiorau of BLR for him.

Cruiserweight

Victor Schelstraete, BEL – One of the most impressive fighters in the tournament, with amazing stoppage wins that made the highlight reel and brillant boxing ability displayed, Schelstraete is looking like a very interesting world-level pro boxing prospect. He faces a very experienced Keno Machado of Brazil in the semi-finals.

Herich Ruiz, CUB – Ruiz looks to be the best Cuban competing in this tournament not named Andy Cruz. Ruiz can walk you down and box, and the big talking point for most is how uninterested some Cuban fighters are at engaging their opponents. Ruiz looks like the goods, but he has to beat a very good Alfonso, to be called the goods.

Loren Alfonso, AZE – A really solid boxer who in the Olympics just ran into a more well-schooled Cuban boxer than himself. Alfonso defected from Cuba to represent AZE, but now seemingly in each tournament has his former country in the way of his gold medal hopes. His bout with Herich Ruiz should be a good one.

Heavyweight

Enmanuel Reyes, SPA – Simply put, Reyes is the gold standard of the division if you’re looking at a fighter who can transition to the pros. His win over Jamar Talley of the U.S. was impressive, and now the question is, will his power beat Julio César La Cruz, who has had trouble with sluggers like Khalil Coe who KO’ed Cruz. Next up for Reyes is Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine, as this will step-up an evitable bout between himself, and Julio Cesar La Cruz in the finals.

Julio César La Cruz, CUB – The best pure amateur in the division, who has a lot of defensive flaws, in which he relies on his reflexs to get by. He has cruised in the tournament so far, and faces a solid Uzbek fighter in Madiyar Saydrakhimov next.

Super Heavyweight

Mahammad Abdullayev, AZE – No one jumps off the page in super heavyweight to me, but if you had to favor someone it would be Mahammad Abdullayev. He is the most effective at what he does. He faces Davit Chaloyan of Armenia in the next round.