Tokyo Olympics 2020 (2021): Team USA Boxing
The long wait is almost over!
The Tokyo Games were scheduled for 2020, but the pandemic led to postponing the Olympiad until 2021. The Olympic Qualifying Tournament for the Americas in Buenos Aires which was also to be held in 2020, was postponed until 2021, and ultimately had to be cancelled due to travel restrictions and the fact that not all athletes would be able to participate.
Tokyo (Japan) will host the Games of the XXXII Olympiad between the 23rd of July and the 8th of August, 2021.
During April 2021, Japan saw a surge of new COVID-19 infections, and there were protests demanding that the Olympic Games be cancelled or postponed again.
But, now we are just a few weeks away from the Tokyo Olympics, and so far it looks like the biggest amateur sports event is finally going to happen.
Team USA is to be represented by nine boxers at the upcoming Summer Olympic Games. Initially, Team USA was allocated six spots through the boxing quota. This was determined through a point system based on previous international championship performances of the boxers competing for a spot. Later, three more spots were awarded to fighters who turned professional, but were allowed to participate in the Olympics: Keyshawn Davis (just had his third pro fight), Troy Isley (1-0 as a professional boxer), and Duke Ragan (4-0 professionally). They were invited to join the team and represent the United States at these upcoming Summer Olympics.
Undoubtedly, all Team USA Boxers are training hard for their big moment and are eager to showcase their skills in the ring.
Team USA, Boxing
KEYSHAWN DAVIS
Instagram: @businesskeyshawn
Weight Class: Lightweight
Classification: 63 kg
DOB: 2/28/1999
Hometown: Norfolk, Virginia
Team/Club: Team Norfolk Boxing Club
Coach(es): Tyler Trask
World Championship Experience
- 2019 Elite World Championships - 2nd
Other Career Highlights
- 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing - 1st
- 2019 Pan American Games - 2nd
- 2019 Pan American Games Qualifier - 2nd
- 2018 Strandja Tournament - 1st
- 2018 Chemistry Cup - 2nd
- 2018 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2017 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2017 Eastern Elite Qualifier - 1st
- 2017 Youth Open - 1st
- 2017 National Golden Gloves - 1st
- 2014 National PAL - 1st
- 2013 National PAL - 1st
Professional Record: 3-0-0
"A native of Norfolk, Virginia, Davis qualified by merit of his silver medals at the 2019 Pan American Games and world championships. He is 3-0 as a professional boxer, and will look to be the first U.S. medalist in the men’s 63 kg. class since 1988." — Chrös McDougall (Source: TeamUSA.org).
RASHIDA ELLIS
Instagram: @shidamida
Weight Class: Lightweight
Classification: 60 kg
DOB: 6/4/1995
Hometown: Lynn, Massachusetts
Team/Club: Private Jewels Fitness
Coach(es): Ronald Ellis
World Championship Experience
- 2019 Elite Women's World Championships - 3rd
Other Career Highlights
- 2020 Boxam International Tournament - 3rd
- 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing - 1st
- 2019 Pan American Games - 3rd
- 2019 Pan American Games Qualifier - 1st
- 2018 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2017 Elite National Championships - 2nd
- 2017 National Golden Gloves - 2nd
- 2016 Elite National Championships- 3rd
- 2016 National Golden Gloves - 1st
- 2015 Elite National Championships - 3rd
- 2014 Elite National Championships - 3rd
- 2013 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2013 Youth Open - 1st
- 2012 Elite National Championships - 3rd
- 2012 National PAL -1st
- 2011 Youth Open - 1st
- 2010 Youth Open - 1st
"The 25-year-old from Lynn, Massachusetts, won a bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships and will be making her Olympic debut." — Steve Drumwright (Source: TeamUSA.org).
VIRGINIA FUCHS
Instagram: @ginnyfuchsusa
Weight Class: Flyweight
Classification: 51 kg
DOB: 3/9/1988
Hometown: Houston, Texas
College: LSU
Team/Club: Baby Bull Boxing Academy
Coach(es): Derwin Richards
World Championship Experience
- 2018 Elite Women's World Championships - 3rd
Other Career Highlights
- 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing - 1st
- 2020 Strandja Tournament - 1st
- 2019 Olympic Test Event - 1st
- 2019 Pan American Games - 2nd
- 2019 Pan American Games Qualifier - 1st
- 2018 Boxam Tournament - 1st
- 2018 Strandja Tournament - 3rd
- 2017 Elite Continental Championships - 1st
- 2017 Strandja Tournament - 1st
- 2017 Felixs Stamm Tournament - 1st
- 2017 Belkan Tournament - 1st
- 2016 AIBA American Olympic Qualification Event - 3rd
- 2016 US Olympic Team Captain
- 2015 Olympic Test Event - 1st
- 2015 Strandja Tournament - 3rd
- 2013 Cheo Aponte Women's Tournament - 1st
- 2013 Olympic Women's Cup - 1st
- 2018 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2017 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2016 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing - 1st
- 2015 National Golden Gloves - 1st
- 2015 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2014 Elite National Championships - 2nd
- 2014 National PAL - 2nd
- 2014 National Golden Gloves - 3rd
- 2013 Elite National Championships - 2nd
- 2013 National PAL - 3rd
- 2012 National PAL - 2nd
- 2010 National Golden Gloves - 2nd
“I have been waiting for this moment for a very long time. I am so excited I can finally call myself an Olympian,” she told USA Boxing. “With all this world has been through and having to postpone the Olympics a whole year, I am proud to say I am one of the participants in what will be known as the most recognized Olympics in history.” (Source: TeamUSA.org).
NAOMI GRAHAM
Instagram: @naomi.graham1
Weight Class: Middleweight
Classification: 75 kg
DOB: 5/15/1989
Hometown: Fayetteville, North Carolina
Team/Club: Army World Class Athlete Program
Coach(es): Charles Leverette
World Championship Experience
- 2019 Elite Women's World Championships
- 2018 Elite Women's World Championships - 3rd
- 2016 Elite World Championships - 5th
Other Career Highlights
- 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing - 1st
- 2020 Boxam International Tournament - 1st
- 2020 Strandja Tournament - 1st
- 2019 Pan American Games - 1st
- 2019 Pan American Games Qualifier - 3rd
- 2019 Strandja Tournament - 1st
- 2019 Boxam Tournament - 1st
- 2018 Felixs Stamm Tournament - 3rd
- 2018 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2017 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2017 Western Elite Qualifier - 1st
- 2017 National Golden Gloves - 2nd
- 2016 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2016 National PAL - 1st
- 2015 Elite National Championships - 3rd
- 2015 National PAL - 1st
- 2014 National PAL - 1st
"The Fayetteville, North Carolina, resident ranks No. 1 among America’s middleweights and eighth in the world." — Steve Drumwright (Source: TeamUSA.org).
TROY ISLEY
Instagram: @boxboytroy1
Weight Class: Middleweight
Classification: 75 kg
DOB: 9/5/1988
Hometown: Alexandria, Virginia
Team/Club: Alexandria Boxing Club
Coach(es): Kay Koroma and Dennis Porter
World Championship Experience
- 2017 Elite World Championships - 3rd
Other Career Highlights
- 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing - 3rd
- 2019 Pan American Games - 3rd
- 2019 Pan American Games Qualifier - 1st
- 2019 Strandja Tournament - 3rd
- 2018 Strandja Tournament - 2nd
- 2017 Chemistry Cup - 3rd
- 2018 Elite National Championships - 2nd
- 2017 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2016 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2016 National Golden Gloves - 2nd
- 2014 National Junior Olympics - 1st
- 2013 National PAL - 1st
- 2012 National PAL - 1st
Professional Record: 1-0-0
"Isley, who is from Alexandria, Virginia, won a bronze medal at the 2017 world championships, then added another one two years later at the Pan Am Games. Now 1-0 as a professional, he is looking to become Team USA's first men’s 75 kg. Olympic medalist since 2004." — Chrös McDougall (Source: TeamUSA.org).
DELANTE JOHNSON
Instagram: @tigerjohnson216
Weight Class: Welterweight
Classification: 69 kg
DOB: 8/13/1998
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Team/Club: MLK Boxing
Coach(es): Clint Martin, Renard Safo and Dante Benjamin
World Championship Experience
- 2019 Elite World Championships
- 2017 Elite World Championships
- 2016 Youth World Championships - 1st
Other Career Highlights
- 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing - 1st
- 2019 Pan American Games - 3rd
- 2019 Pan American Games Qualifier - 1st
- 2019 Strandja Tournament - 3rd
- 2018 Strandja Tournament - 3rd
- 2017 Elite Continental Championships - 2nd
- 2017 Chemistry Cup - 2nd
- 2019 Last Chance Qualifier - 1st
- 2017 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2017 Eastern Elite Qualifier - 1st
- 2016 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2016 Youth Open - 2nd
- 2015 Youth National Championships - 1st
- 2014 National Junior Olympics - 1st
- 2012 National PAL - 3rd
"A Clevelander through and through, the 22-year-old Johnson makes it four Olympics in a row for a boxer from Ohio’s second largest city. He follows Raynell Williams in 2008, Terrell Gausha in 2012 and Charles Conwell in 2016." — Steve Drumwright (Source: TeamUSA.org).
O'SHAE JONES
Instagram: @oshae.jones
Weight Class: Welterweight
Classification: 69 kg
DOB: 1/3/1998
Hometown: Toledo, Ohio
Team/Club: Soul City Boxing Gym
Coach(es): Otha Jones, Roshawn Jones
World Championship Experience
- 2019 Elite Women's World Championships
- 2018 Elite Women's World Championships
Other Career Highlights
- 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing - 1st
- 2020 Boxam International Tournament - 1st
- 2020 Strandja Tournament - 1st
- 2019 Pan American Games - 1st
- 2019 Pan American Games Qualifier - 2nd
- 2019 Standja Tournament - 3rd
- 2018 Boxam Tournament - 3rd
- 2018 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2017 Continental Championships - 2nd
- 2017 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2017 Eastern Elite Qualifier - 1st
- 2016 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2016 Youth Open - 1st
- 2014 National PAL - 1st
"Jones is already in the record book as the first Pan American Games welterweight gold medalist, winning a unanimous decision in 2019. Boxing is a family affair for Jones, who is coached by her dad, Otha, and one of her two brothers, Roshown. Both of her brothers have been professional boxers." — Steve Drumwright (Source: TeamUSA.org).
DUKE RAGAN
Instagram: @1duke.ragan
Weight Class: Bantamweight
Classification: 57 kg
DOB: 09/18/1997
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Team/Club: Cincy Golden Gloves
Coach(es): Derek Ragan
USA Boxing National Tournaments
- 2018 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2017 Elite National Championships - 3rd
- 2016 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2016 National Golden Gloves - 1st
International Results
- 2019 Pan American Games - 2nd
- 2019 Pan American Qualifier - 3rd
- 2018 Presidents Cup - 2nd
- 2017 World Championships - 2nd
- 2017 Continental Championships - 3rd
- 2017 Chemistry Cup - 1st
Professional Record: 4-0-0
"[Ragan] is 4-0 as a professional and won silver medals at the 2017 world championships and 2019 Pan American Games. The last U.S. boxer to medal in the men’s 57 kg. class was in 2000." — Chrös McDougall (Source: TeamUSA.org).
RICHARD TORREZ, JR.
Instagram: @theerichardtorrez
Weight Class: Super heavyweight
Classification: 91+ kg
DOB: 6/1/1999
Hometown: Tulare, California
Team/Club: Tulare Athletic Boxing Club
Coach(es): Richard Torrez, Sr.
World Championship Experience
- 2019 Elite World Championships - 5th
- 2016 Youth World Championships - 3rd
- 2015 Junior World Championships - 5th
Other Career Highlights
- 2020 Boxam Tournament - 1st
- 2019 Pan American Games - 3rd
- 2019 Pan American Games Qualifier - 3rd
- 2019 Strandja Tournament - 1st
- 2018 Chemistry Cup - 1st
- 2018 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2017 Bradenburg Cup
- 2017 Elite National Championships - 1st
- 2017 National Golden Gloves - 1st
- 2015 Youth National Championships - 1st
- 2015 Youth Open - 1st
- 2014 Junior National Championships - 1st
- 2013 Junior National Championships - 1st
"Torez ranks No. 1 among America’s super heavyweights and 11th in the world. He will be the first U.S. boxer to compete in the men’s super heavyweight division at the Olympic since the 2012 London Games." — Steve Drumwright (Source: TeamUSA.org).
How Can I Watch the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics?
Unfortunately, foreign spectators will not be allowed at the Tokyo Olympic Games, so traveling to watch the games live in Tokyo is not an option.
The good news is that watching the games remotely will be easier than ever. In the United States, the NBC Network has secured the rights to broadcast the Olympics, and is going to cover the event live. U.S. spectators will be able to catch the Tokyo Games on TV, cable and through live streaming. Here is an article listing many of the ways to watch the Olympics.
The wait is almost over, the members of Team USA have been selected, and there are big hopes for medals in the 2020 Summer Olympiad (as it is still officially being called). The nine boxers representing the USA will undoubtedly face their biggest rivals from around the world. No matter the outcome, there are no losers at the Olympics. Just being selected for this exclusive club is a monumental life achievement for all of these young men and women that they can be forever proud of.
Check It Out!
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The Author: Nikolay Tsenkov is a dad, husband, entrepreneur, and boxing aficionado. He started training late, when he was 26 years old. One of his biggest regrets in life is that he never competed. For several years he has trained alongside national and European champions and professional boxers. He is an avid student of boxing, but enjoys all sorts of martial arts.