(SEPT 22) (COLORADO SPRINGS,
COLO.) – Team USA will return to international boxing action on
October 1 in “Empires Collide”, a dual match with China, on
October 1, at Capitale in New York, N.Y. The 13-bout event will
feature all the Olympic boxing weight classes, with 10 men’s
matches and three women’s contests in a potential preview of the
competitors who will box in the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
2009 Light flyweight National Champion Miguel Cartagena
(Philadelphia, Pa.) will return to international action less
than a month after his bout at the USA vs. Italy Dual in Rome on
September 8. Cartagena claimed a silver medal at the recent USA
Boxing National Championships in his new flyweight division.
2010 USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist Alex
Martin (Crest Hill, Ill.) joined Cartagena in Italy and will
look for his second win in international dual action, when he
vies for a welterweight win in the Big Apple.
Five more USA Boxing National Championships men’s silver
medalists will take on China in New York as well with
bantamweight Ricky Rodriguez (Greeley, Colo.), lightweight Eric
Flores (Ingle, Calif.), middleweight Jesse Hart (Philadelphia,
Pa.), and super heavyweight Danny Kelly all competing in Empires
Collide. Youth Olympic Games heavyweight representative Joshua
Temple (St. Louis, Mo.) will look to build on the international
experience he gained at the inaugural event in Singapore in his
USA vs. China bout. 2010 USA Boxing National Championships
bronze medalists Santos Vasquez (Reno, Nev.) and Marquice Weston
(Tacoma, Wash.) will round out the men’s squad, competing at the
light flyweight and light heavyweight divisions respectively.
On the women’s side, two former USA Boxing National Champions
and a 2010 USA Boxing National Championships flyweight silver
medalist will represent the United States in the three new
Olympic weight divisions. 2009 National Champions, lightweight
Patricia Manuel (Commerce, Calif.) and middleweight Alyssa
DeFazio (Phoenix, Ariz.) will look to extend their success to
the international playing field with victories in New York.
Manuel and DeFazio will take on China’s top women, fresh off
their silver medals at the 2010 Women’s World Championships.
Manuel will battle Cheng Dong while DeFazio faces 2008 World
Champion Jinzi Li. 2010 flyweight silver medalist Tyrieshia
Douglas (Baltimore, Md.) will face a stern test in her bout as
well, as she challenges two-time World Champion Cancan Ren of
China.
The U.S. coaches for “Empires Collide” will be New York’s own
Joe Higgins, Don Givens (Linden, N.J.), and Gloria Peek
(Norfolk, Va.). Mike Rosario (New York, N.Y.) and David
Lllaurado (New York, N.Y.) will serve as the AIBA officials with
Angel Franklin (McDonough, Ga.) working as the computer
technician for the dual event. Dr. Armando Sanchez (Milwaukee,
Wis.) will join the squad as Team Physician.
The Chinese team displaying their talents in New York, boasts
two Olympic medalists. 2008 Olympic gold medalist Zou Chiming
will showcase the skills and awkward style that led him to
Olympic gold on home soil in Beijing with super heavyweight
Olympic silver medalist Zhilei Zhang joining Shiming in action..
Flyweight Chao Li, bantamweight Jiawei Zhang, lightweight Qing
Hu, light welterweight Bilige Huricha, welterweight Qiong
Maimaitit, middleweight Jianting Zhang, light heavyweight
Fanlong Meng, and heavyweight Maimaiti Zaifula will compete the
men’s team of Chinese athletes. Two legendary American coaches,
Hall of Famer Lou Duva and 1996 U.S. Olympic Head Coach Al
Mitchell, have been working with the Chinese team and they will
partner up in the corner at the event.
The United States team will convene in Bushkill, Pa., on
September 24 for a short preparatory training camp before
heading to New York City on Thursday, September 30.
Tickets for "Empires Collide" are priced at $120 for Ringside,
$70 for Reserved and $25 for standing room/general admission.
The Reserved and Ringside seats include two complimentary
beverages. They may be ordered by calling 973-291-4529 or by
email at tickets@empirescollide.com. For more information, fans
can go to EmpiresCollide.com. Special VIP and sponsor packages
are also available.
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).
###
Julie Goldsticker
President, Goldsticker Public Relations
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