(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – Female middleweight Franchon Crews (Baltimore, Md.) notched the first win for her United States’ squad on Monday at the second Pan American Games qualifier in Quito, Ecuador. Crews took the ring in the final bout of the evening session and closed the show in impressive fashion, recording a dominating 22-0 victory over Kimberly Gittens of Barbados.
Crews’ victory ended a three-bout losing streak for Team USA, with light flyweight Michael Benedosso (Fort Carson, Colo.), light welterweight Pedro Sosa (Bronx, N.Y.), and middleweight Damarius Russell (Camp Lejeune, N.C.) all dropping their opening bouts.
First round action began on Sunday with two U.S. boxers taking the ring in opening round competition. Sosa and Russell were the only U.S. athletes to compete in the first day of boxing in Ecuador, but both American boxers fell just short in Sunday’s action.
Sosa took on Colombia’s Faider Hernandez in his light welterweight opener and dropped a 14-9 decision, eliminating him from the tournament. Russell kept his bout with the Dominican Republic’s Rafael Fernandez close, but couldn’t pull out the win, losing a 16-14 decision.
Benedosso faced off with Cuba’s Yosvany Veitia in Monday’s afternoon session and lost a 20-4 decision to his Cuban foe.
Male light heavyweight Jeffrey Spencer (Fort Carson, Colo.) will compete in his first bout of the event on Tuesday as he faces Canada’s Jonathan Savard. Female flyweight Christina Cruz (New York, N.Y.) and Crews will take the ring on Tuesday evening, battling Jemyma Betrian and Blanca Burgos of Venezuela respectively.
Female lightweight Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.) will be the final U.S. boxer to compete, taking on an opponent to be determined in semifinal action on Wednesday. Lightweight Tommy Roque (Camp Lejeune, N.C.) withdrew from the event last week due to an injury sustained in training.
The top three male competitors in each of the 10 men’s weight divisions will earn a berth in the 2011 Pan American Games while the female boxers will need to move on to the championship bout to clinch a spot in the October event.
Monday’s U.S. Results
108 lbs/male: Yosvany Veitia, CUB, dec. Michael Benedosso, Fort Carson, Colo./USA, 20-4
165 lbs/female: Franchon Crews, Baltimore, Md./USA dec. Kimberly Gittens, BAR, 22-0
Sunday’s U.S. Results
141 lbs/male: Faider Hernandez, COL, dec. Pedro Sosa, Bronx, N.Y./USA, 14-9165 lbs/male: Rafael Fernandez (DOM), dec. Damarius Russell, Camp Lejeune, N.C./USA, 16-14