(MAR 12) COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The
USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team concluded day three of the 2026 World
Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok, Thailand, and did so in tremendous fashion with
five wins from its five competitors on Tuesday’s schedule. Team USA captured its
second undefeated day of the tournament, bringing the roster’s overall record to
9-1 across the first three days of competition.
Starting things off for the United States on Tuesday was Ruby Lopez (women’s 51
kg | Napa, Calif.) against South Korea’s Jiwon Hong. The California native
earned her first international and tournament win after claiming each judge’s
card, earning a unanimous decision with five 30-27 scorecards. Lopez advances to
the Round of 16 to face India’s Chandrika Bhoreshi Pujari.
After Lopez, Guadalupe Ruiz (women’s 54 kg | Anaheim, Calif.) and Refugio Veloz
(men’s 50 kg | Atwater, Calif.) each secured their second wins of the
tournament. Ruiz earned a unanimous decision victory over Colombia’s Evelin
Trejos, and Veloz secured his second victory of the tournament with an RSC in
round one over Botswana’s Lefa Sanzo Dithebe. Ruiz set the tone early in her
bout, earning 10-8 scores from three judges before securing four 10-8 scores in
the third round, bringing three 30-25 scores, one 30-26 score, and one 30-27
score. She advances to the quarterfinals of her division to face Egypt’s Hajer
Wahba.
Veloz made quick work of his Botswana opponent and closed the show in the
opening 23 seconds of the bout. From the opening bell, he chased down Dithebe
and connected on a flurry of punches that forced the referee to announce the
stoppage. Veloz advances to the Round of 16 in his bracket and will meet
Ukraine’s Mykhailo Syorenko in his next bout.
The last American to step in the ring on Tuesday was Ciana Nonhphala (women’s 48
kg | Providence, R.I.), who defeated the Philippines’ Shairylle Pores in the
Round of 32 matchup. The Rhode Island native won every judge’s card in the first
and third rounds, securing her first international and tournament victory and
the United States’ third unanimous decision of the day. Nonhphala advances to
the Round of 16, where she will face Azerbaijan’s Gular Huseynova.
Also earning a win on Tuesday was Kaylee Aguilar (women’s 60 kg | Houston,
Texas), who won via walkover against Senegal’s Ndèye Fatou Ndao. Aguilar
advances to the Round of 16 to face Uzbekistan’s Rushanabonu Isoeva.
Team USA will have four boxers step into the ring on Wednesday, beginning with
Christian Paez (men’s 55 kg | San Antonio, Texas), who will face Ecuador’s Erick
Aucatoma. Asante Lamar (Men’s 70 kg | Cincinnati, Ohio) will face Bangladesh’s
Tripura Jani, followed by Refugio Veloz versus Ukraine’s Mykhailo Sydorenko.
Asaan Jenkins (Men’s 65 kg | Washington, D.C.) will close the day for Team USA
against Georgia’s Luka Chikhikvadze.
The USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team is led by National Development Coach
Edward Fonteneaux (Fayetteville, N.C.). Fonteneaux will be assisted throughout
the tournament by High Performance Pool coaches, including Holly Gregson (Idaho
Falls, Idaho), Jason Hamilton (Spanaway, Wash.), Yessenia Montalvo (Bloomfield,
N.J.), and Ronald Wright (Columbus, Ga.).
Tuesday, March 10 | Results:
Women’s 51 kg: Ruby Lopez vs. Jiwon Hong, KOR | W 5-0 Women’s
54 kg: Guadalupe Ruiz vs. Evelin Trejos, COL | W 5-0 Men’s
50kg: Refugio Veloz vs. Lefa Sanzo Dithebe, BOT | W RSC (R1) Women’s
48 kg Ciana Nonhphala vs. Shairylle Pores, PHI |
W 5-0 Women’s 60 kg Kaylee Aguilar vs. Ndèye Fatou Ndao, SEN | W (Walkover)
Wednesday, March 11 | Schedule:
Men’s 55 kg: Christian Paez vs. Erick Aucatoma, ECU • Session 1 | Ring B | Bout
6 | Blue Corner | Approximately 1:15 a.m. ET
Men’s 70 kg: Asante Lamar vs. Noyon Tripura Jani, BAN • Session 1 | Ring B |
Bout 9 | Blue Corner | Approximately 2:00 a.m. ET
Men’s 50 kg: Refugio Veloz vs. Mykhailo Sydorenko, UKR • Session 2 | Ring A |
Bout 4 | Blue Corner | Approximately 6:45 a.m.
ET Men’s 65 kg: Asaan Jenkins vs. Luka Chikhikvadze, GEO • Session 2 | Ring A |
Bout 15 | Red Corner | Approximately 9:30 a.m. ET
WBAN / IWBHF
WBAN Instagram
WBAN Facebook
WBAN / IWBHF
WEBSITES
www.womensboxing.org
www.wbanmember.com
www.floridaboxing.com
www.iwbhf.com
WBAN's
Group Facebook