J’can boxers fail in Pan Am Games bid
JAMAICA’S three-man boxing team of light heavyweight Jovan Young, middleweight Reece Shagourie and light welterweight Oraine Walters, failed to qualify for the Pan American Games at the second qualifying event that was held in Quito, Ecuador from April 30 to May 7.
The third qualifier is scheduled for July, at a venue to be decided.
To qualify in boxing for the Pan American Games, which will be held in Guadalajara, Mexico from October 14 to 30, boxers have to participate in regional qualifying events. Jamaica is a member of the Americas region to which 104 places for men and 21 places for women have been allotted.
In Quito, 30 places for men and six for women were available, but no English-speaking Caribbean territory made the cut. Trinidad and Barbados came close, but their fourth place finish in the welterweight and heavyweight weight classes just fell short.
Young, a Jamaican who lives in England, drew Colombian Monroy Jeison, who was the pre-fight favourite for the gold medal in the first round and was outscored in the first two rounds. He came back strong in the third and scored a knock-down, but his opponent had already piled up too many points and won 31-13.
Shagourie, who also lives in England, was holding his own in his bout against Mario Bernal of El Salvador, but suffered a nasty cut over his left eye in the first round from an accidental clash of heads and the bout was stopped.
The third boxer, 20-year-old Walters from the Job Walters Gym in Anchovy, St James, gave a courageous display, but lost on points to Cesar Diaz Caro from Peru 15-5.