(NOV 25) COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. – Two USA Boxing squads missed out on the joys of the Thanksgiving holiday yesterday, choosing to represent the United States in the ring at the Olympic Test Event and World Cup of Petroleum Countries instead of digging into turkey and all the fixings.

Five U.S. boxers enjoyed successful opening contests at the two key international events in Europe on Thursday and Friday. In London, male heavyweight Joseph Williams (Queens, N.Y.) won the lone victory of the opening two days at the Olympic Test Event. Williams defeated home nation boxer Simon Vallily of Great Britain in their first round match-up on Thursday. He will face Kamran Mehdiyev of Azerbaijan in Saturday’s semifinal action for a berth in the finals.

At the World Cup of Petroleum Countries in Surgut, Russia, 2012 Olympian Errol Spence (Desoto, Texsa) won a convincing 25-5 decision over Ramal Amanov of Azerbaijan in their welterweight showdown. Male lightweight Toka Kahn Clary (Providence, R.I.) won the second U.S. victory of the opening day, with a 9-5 decision over Igor Osipov of Moldova in their Thursday match-up.

Female flyweight Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas) enjoyed a successful opening bout as well, taking a 21-16 victory over Nandintsetseg Myagmardulam of Mongolia in Friday’s opening session. Male heavyweight Jordan Shimmell (Hudsonville, Mich.) claimed a victory of his own in the later session of action, winning a 10-8 bout over Russia’s Nurmagomdeov.

Male light welterweight Jamel Herring (Coram, N.Y.) and female lightweight Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.) both dropped opening round contests in London to home nation foes. In Surgut, female middleweight Tika Hemingway (Pittsburgh, Pa.) and male middleweight Antoine Douglas (Burke, Va.) both lost their first round match-ups on Friday while male flyweight Shawn Simpson (Chicago, Ill.) fell to a home nation opponent in Friday’s competition.

USA Boxing National Coach Joe Zanders (Long Beach, Calif.) and Gloria Peek (Norfolk, Va.) are leading the athletes into action in London. Ken Porter (Akron, Ohio), Ed Rivas (Abilene, Texas) and Everette Elliston (Denver Colo.) are coaching the team at the World Cup of Petroleum Countries with Bruce Kawano (Pearl City, Hawaii) serving as the Technical Advisor, and Ken Buffington (Marshalltown, Iowa) joining the squad as Team Manager.

U.S. Results
Olympic Test Event, London, England

Friday, November 25

132 lbs/female: Natasha Jones, GBR, dec. Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash./USA, 23-15

Thursday, November 24

141 lbs/male: Josh Taylor, GBR dec. Jamel Herring, Coram, N.Y./USA, 9-7 


201 lbs/male: Joseph Williams, Queens, N.Y./USA dec, Simon Valilly, GBR, 15-11

World Cup of Petroleum Countries, Surgut, Russia

Friday, November 25


112 lbs/female: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas/USA dec. Nandintsetseg Myagmardulam, MON, 21-16


114 lbs/male: Semen Stepanov, RUS, dec. Shawn Simpson, Chicago, Ill./USA, 17-6


141 lbs/male: Islam Mamaev, Russia, dec. George Rincon, Carrollton, Texas/USA,14-10


201 lbs/male: Jordan Shimmell, Hudsonville, Mich./USA dec. Nurmagomedov, RUS, 10-8




Thursday, November 24


165 lbs/female: Elena Vystropova, AZE dec. Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa./USA, 7-4


132 lbs/male: Toka Kahn Clary, Providence, R.I./USA dec. Igor Osipov (Moldova), 9-5


152 lbs/male: Errol Spence, Desoto, Texas/USA dec Ramal Amanov, AZE, 25-5


165 lbs/male: Viktor Kotyuzchanskiy dec. Antoine Douglas, Burke, Va./USA