Meet the athletes competing in the light heavyweight, heavyweight and super heavyweight divisions at the 2016 Olympic Trials for Men’s Boxing, December 7-12. There are 22 athletes boxing in the three largest weight classes at the Olympic Trials in Reno, Nev. The super heavyweight division is the smallest in the tournament with six boxers due to Cam F. Awesome (Lenexa, Kansas) and Brandon Glanton (Atlanta, Ga.) qualifying in both the heavyweight and super heavyweight divisions and choosing to compete at heavyweight.
At the 2012 Olympic Games, Marcus Browne (Staten Island, N.Y.) competed in the light heavyweight division, Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.) boxed in the heavyweight division and Dominic Breazeale (Alhambra, Calif.) represented the United States at super heavyweight.
The United States’ last gold medal in men’s boxing was in the light heavyweight division. Two-time world champion Andre Ward (Oakland, Calif.) took gold in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, and he will be on hand in Reno to support the boxers hoping to duplicate his feat. Current heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) won the most recent American medal in the heavyweight division, claiming bronze in 2008. Former heavyweight world champion Riddick Bowe (Brooklyn, N.Y.) is the last American boxer to medal in the super heavyweight class, taking a silver medal in the 1988 Olympic Games.
2016 Olympic Trials Light Heavyweight, Heavyweight and Super Heavyweight Athlete Rosters
Light heavyweight/178 lbs
1. Steven Nelson, Omaha, Neb. (WSB and World Championship Team Trial)
2. Edward Ortiz, San Antonio, Texas (USA Boxing National Championships)
3. Miguel Teo, Framingham, Mass. (Olympic Trials Qualifier I)
4. Richard Vansiclen, Seattle, Wash. (Olympic Trials Qualifier I)
5. Jonathan Esquivel, Anaheim, Calif. (Olympic Trials Qualifier II)
6. Elvis Figueroa, New Haven, Conn. (Olympic Trials Qualifier II)
7. Joseph George, Houston, Texas (Olympic Trials Qualifier III)
8. Eric Moon, Marietta, Ga. (Olympic Trials Qualifier III)
Heavyweight/201 lbs
1. Joshua Temple, St. Louis, Mo. (WSB and World Championship Team Trial)
2. Patrick Ferguson, Spokane, Wash. (USA Boxing National Championships)
3. Cam F. Awesome, Lenexa, Kansas (Olympic Trials Qualifier I)*
4. Derae Crane, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Olympic Trials Qualifier I)
5. Adrian Taylor, Mesquite, Texas (Olympic Trials Qualifier II)
6. Hakim Lopez, Lithonia, Ga. (Olympic Trials Qualifier II)
7. Brandon Glanton, Atlanta, Ga. (Olympic Trials Qualifier III)*
8. Sardius Simmons, Flint, Mich. (Olympic Trials Qualifier III)
Super heavyweight/201+ lbs
1. Darmani Rock, Philadelphia, Pa. (USA Boxing National Championships)
2. Marlo Moore, Hayward, Calif. (Olympic Trials Qualifier I)
3. Alante Green, Cleveland, Ohio (Olympic Trials Qualifier II)
4. Manase Raikadroka, Inglewood, Calif. (Olympic Trials Qualifier II)
5. Brandon Lynch, Albany, N.Y. (Olympic Trials Qualifier III)
6. Nkosi Solomon, Brooklyn, N.Y. (Olympic Trials Qualifier III)
* Qualified at both heavyweight and super heavyweight
The tournament next to the athletes’ names denotes the tournament in which they qualified for the 2016 Olympic Trials for Men’s Boxing.
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