(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – USA Boxing’s European Tour squad has traveled to Ukraine for the second leg of their international competition overseas. The mixed squad of elite male and female athletes competed in the World Cup of Petroleum Countries in Surgut, Russia, November 24-27 before heading to the next stop on their journey.
The United States and Ukraine will face off in two dual competitions with Team USA facing two different squads from the host nation. The first competition will take place tomorrow in Chernivtsi, Ukraine following two days of joint training sessions. Team USA will travel to Ivano-Frankisvsk on December 2 prior to the second dual match, which will take place on Sunday.
The U.S. squad competing in Ukraine will be: male flyweight Shawn Simpson (Chicago, Ill.), female flyweight Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas), male lightweight Toka Kahn Clary (Providence, R.I.), female light N’yteeyah Sherman (Barberton, Ohio), male light welterweight George Rincon (Carrollton, Texas), male welterweight Errol Spence (Desoto, Texas), male middleweight Antoine Douglas (Burke, Va.), female middleweight Tika Hemingway (Pittsburgh, Pa.), male heavyweight Jordan Shimmell (Hudsonville, Mich.), and male super heavyweight Laron Mitchell (San Francisco, Calif.).
Coaches Ken Porter (Akron, Ohio), Ed Rivas (Abilene, Texas) and Everette Elliston (Denver Colo.) will once again guide the U.S. squad at the USA vs. Ukraine Dual with Bruce Kawano (Pearl City, Hawaii) serving as the Technical Advisor, and Ken Buffington (Marshalltown, Iowa) joining the delegation as Team Manager. The team will return to the United States on Monday following the two dual competitions.
Ukraine’s men’s team was the top finisher at the 2011 AIBA World Championships, qualifying six athletes for the 2012 Olympic Games at the event. The full bout sheets for the dual events can be found below.
USA vs. Ukraine Dual I, Chernovtsi, Ukraine – December 1
MALE
114 lbs: Shawn Simpson, Chicago, Ill./USA vs. Denis Yaschuk, Ukraine
132 lbs: Toka Kahn Clary, Providence, R.I./USA vs. Gjunduz Guseinov, Ukraine
141 lbs: George Rincon, Carrollton, Texas/USA vs. Oleg Nekljudov, Ukraine
152 lbs: Errol Spence, Desoto, Texas/USA vs. Denis Lazarev, Ukraine
165 lbs: Antoine Douglas, Burke, Va./USA vs. Dmitrii Mitrofanov, Ukraine
201 lbs: Jordan Shimmell, Hudsonville, Mich./USA vs. Sergei Melnik, Ukraine
201+ lbs: Laron Michell, San Francisco, Calif./USA vs. Roman Kapitonenko, Ukraine
FEMALE
112 lbs: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas/USA vs. Tetiana Kob, Ukraine
132 lbs: N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio/USA vs. Aleksandra Sidorenko, Ukraine
165 lbs: Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa./USA vs. Mariia Badylina, Ukraine
USA vs. Ukraine Dual II, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine – December 4
MALE
114 lbs: Shawn Simpson, Chicago, Ill./USA vs. Oleksandr Shepeliuk, Ukraine
132 lbs: Toka Kahn Clary, Providence, R.I./USA vs. Volodymyr Matviychuk, Ukraine
141 lbs: George Rincon, Carrollton, Texas/USA vs. Volodymyr Martseniuk, Ukraine
152 lbs: Errol Spence, Desoto, Texas/USA vs. Denis Lazariev, Ukraine
165 lbs: Antoine Douglas, Burke, Va./USA vs. Arsen Rizun, Ukraine
201 lbs: Jordan Shimmell, Hudsonville, Mich./USA vs. Vitaliy Merinov, Ukraine
201+ lbs: Laron Mitchell, San Francisco, Calif./USA vs. Denis Poyatsyka, Ukraine
FEMALE
112 lbs: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas/USA vs. Anna Rohovych, Ukraine
132 lbs: N’yteeyah Sherman, Barberton, Ohio/USA vs. Yana Sydor, Ukraine
165 lbs: Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa./USA vs. Iryna Komar, Ukraine
