Queen Underwood Receives a Berth in the 2012 Olympic Games‏

Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.) received the call she had been dreaming about for over a month on Monday morning, and the voice on the other line delivered the message she’d been hoping for. The 28-year-old lightweight immediately fell into tears upon learning that she would be nominated to compete in the inaugural Olympic Games for women’s boxing in London. Underwood received the call from USA Boxing Executive Director Anthony Bartkowski at approximately 10 a.m. PT and was too emotional to speak after receiving the news.

After regaining her composure, Underwood attempted to put her feelings into words through the tears. “I’m just so happy right now. I’ve been waiting for this second chance and it means a lot to be able to go to the Olympics,” Underwood said. “All I heard was welcome to the Olympic Team and I just couldn’t control my emotions. I am just happy and thrilled that they chose me. This is just awesome.”

As the IOC’s Tripartite Commission did not have a suitable NOC for the lightweight slot, they returned to the berth to AIBA, the international federation for Olympic-style boxing. Per the Olympic Selection Guidelines approved the IOC Executive Board, the berth was to go to the next place finisher at the 2012 Women’s World Championships, which was Underwood. The American boxer lost a one-point decision to Norway’s Ingrid Egner in preliminary round action at the World Championships last month, falling just short of qualifying at that event. She required a first place finish in the Americas at the 2012 World Championships to earn her berth at the 2012 Olympic Games in the lone international qualifying tournament.

“We are thrilled for Queen and believe that she absolutely deserved to be in London,” said USA Boxing Executive Director Anthony Bartkowski. “She has been an outstanding representative for the sport since her first national championship win in 2007 and the team feels complete now that she will be joining Marlen and Claressa in London.”

Underwood’s selection by AIBA means that the United States will be represented in all three women’s weight divisions in the first-ever Olympic Games for Women’s Boxing. Flyweight Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas) and middleweight Claressa Shields (Flint, Mich.) both qualified for the Olympic Games based upon their finish at the 2012 World Championships. Only 12 boxers in each of the three women’s weight divisions will be competing in London.

All nominations to the 2012 Olympic Team are subject to approval by the USOC Board of Directors.

Additional Underwood Quotes

“I now have the chance to write my own story and my winning the gold medal is now going to be the headline. That’s what I owe to everybody and to myself. I can’t wait to get in the ring, I really can’t. It is going to be way different this time.”

“This past three weeks almost destroyed me mentally. All this pressure, everything since China (where the World Championships were held) has been so hard.”

“This is God’s gift to me, the chance to pursue what I’ve always dreamed about. It’s obviously a dream come true and it wasn’t even in my control. I’ve worked hard to get here. I’m just so happy right now.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

The 2012 Women’s World Championships Draw is Completed in Qinhuangdao, China

The Women’s World Championships official event draw was held today in Qinhuangdao, China and the three potential Olympians from the United States and six fellow World Championship team members know the road that lies ahead for each of them in the key international tournament.

An altered Olympic qualification process focused on continental quotas was announced at the event’s technical meeting on Thursday, and the United States’ three Olympic hopefuls will now have a slightly different road than initially thought to advance to London. While eight boxers from each Olympic weight class will still earn berths in China, the selections will be based on how they finish in comparison with the other boxers from their continent. FlyweightMarlen Esparza (Houston, Texas) and middleweight Claressa Shields (Flint, Mich.) will need to place in the top two from the Americas while lightweightQueen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.) requires a first place finish in the continent. Due to this wrinkle in the qualification process, it could be the end of the tournament before the full list of 2012 Olympic Games competitors is announced.

Underwood and Shields will open action tomorrow with Esparza taking the ring for the first time on Sunday due to a first round bye. Underwood will take onDayana Sanchez of Argentina while Shields battles India’s Pooja Rani in first round action on Saturday. Esparza will face the winner of a first round contest between Argentina’s Pamela Benavidez and Zohra El Zahraoui of Mauritius in her first bout on Sunday.

In non-Olympic weight class action, welterweight Raquel Miller (San Francisco, Calif.) will kick off the competition for Team USA in a bout with New Zealand’s Daena Stephenson today. Bantamweight Christina Cruz (New York, N.Y.) will join the Olympic trio in competition on Sunday as she battlesNicole Michel of Switzerland. Featherweight Tiara Brown (Lehigh Acres, Fla.) and light heavyweight Franchon Crews (Baltimore, Md.) will open competition on Monday. Brown will await the winner of a bout between Serbia’s Ranic Bojana and India’s Mandakini Kangabam while Crews will take on France’s Sabrina Delarue. Light welterweight Mikaela Mayer (Los Angeles, Calif.) will be the final U.S. boxer to take the ring as she takes on the winner of the bout between New Zealand’s Laura Matthews and Spain’s Judit Barbosa Sotelo on May 15.

Preliminary action will be contested in two sessions daily at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time from today through Tuesday. Quarterfinal competition will take place on Wednesday prior to Thursday’s off day. Friday will feature semifinal rounds action with the event concluding on Saturday, May 19 with final round competition.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

The First-ever U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Women’s Boxing Champions are Crowned

History was made on Saturday night as the first-ever U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Women’s Boxing crowned three champions at the Northern Quest Resort in Airway Heights, Wash. The trio of talented women is now just one step away from berths in the inaugural Olympic Games for women’s boxing.

The winners bracket champions made a clean sweep on Saturday all clinching their spots without going to a second day of final round competition. Flyweight Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas) became the first Olympic Trials champion in the opening bout of the night with familiar foe Tyrieshia Douglas (Baltimore, Md.). It was the third match-up between the two, following two showdowns in the USA Boxing National Championships finals. Esparza took her third straight victory over Douglas in the contest, winning a convincing 32-17 victory to win the first title of the night. After building a 14-10 lead at the midway point in the bout, Esparza blew it up open in the third, scoring 12 points to take a commanding 26-14 into the final two minutes.

In lightweight action, crowd favorite Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.) faced Mikaela Mayer (Los Angeles, Calif.) for the second time at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Once again, it was Underwood coming out victorious. Underwood built up a 12-8 lead after two round of boxing, but Mayer was able to pull to within three in in the third stanza. With the sounds of the crowd chanting her name in her ears, Underwood held on to her edge in a tied fourth round to win a 22-19 final decision and become the first lightweight champion at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Women’s Boxing.

Teenage sensation Claressa Shields (Flint, Mich.) continued her amazing run through the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in her rematch with fellow middleweight Tika Hemingway (Pittsburgh, Pa.). She once again got off to a quick start in the bout, racking up 13 points to 9 for Hemingway in the opening two rounds. She continued to build on her lead in the third to claim at 19-13 advantage with one round remaining. Hemingway could not dent her deficit and Shields went on to win a 23-18 decision. The victory gave Shields the first-ever middleweight crown and completed the trio of boxers who will vie for spots in London. Yet Shields accomplishments didn’t end there, she was also named Outstanding Boxer of the Tournament, only her second in the open division.

Esparza, Underwood and Shields will now prepare for the 2012 Women’s World Championships in China where they will need to place in the top eight to qualify for the London Olympics. In addition to the eight boxers in each weight class that will qualify in China, a tripartite commission will select an additional four in each of the three weight divisions that will advance to London.

U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Women’s Boxing Finals Results

112 lbs: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas dec. Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md., 32-17

132 lbs: Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash., dec. Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif., 22-19

165 lbs: Claressa Shields, Flint, Mich., dec. Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa. 23-18

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.

The Final Trio of London Hopefuls Claim U.S. Olympic Team Trials Final Round Berths in Spokane‏

The U.S. Olympic Team Trials Championship bouts are now set following three challengers bracket final round contests at Northern Quest Resort. All six competitors in Friday’s action were battling to stay alive in the first-ever Olympic Trials, and the intensity of the action reflected the night’s high stakes.

Flyweight Tyrieshia Douglas (Baltimore, Md.) was competing in her fifth bout in as many days but didn’t show any signs of fatigue in her contest with Christina Cruz (New York, N.Y.). Douglas held a slim two-point advantage going into the final round, and she didn’t leave anything to chance over the final two minutes. The two-time USA Boxing National Championships silver medalist scored 11 points in the final round to claim a 22-14 victory and move on to Saturday’s championship contest with six-time national champion Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas).

Two tall and skilled lightweights faced off in the second contest of the evening with 2011 National Golden Gloves champion Mikaela Mayer (Los Angeles, Calif.) challenging 2011 USA Boxing National Championships bronze medalist N’yteeyah Sherman (Barberton, Ohio). The momentum swung throughout the bout with Sherman taking a 7-5 lead after the opening two minutes. Yet Mayer pulled the bout to a 13-13 tie at the midway point of the contest. Mayer grabbed the lead in the third round, holding a 20-17 advantage with one round of action remaining. Sherman, an accounting major at Kent State University, nearly managed to pull the bout to a tie score over the final two minutes but Mayer held on to a one-point lead. She went on to win a 26-25 final decision and move on to a rematch of Tuesday’s action with Queen Underwood in Saturday’s finals.

Middleweight Tika Hemingway (Pittsburgh, Pa.) won the final spot in the championship round with a convincing 21-6 victory over Raquel Miller (San Francisco, Calif.) in their challengers bracket contest. Hemingway took the early lead and built it out slowly, closing the show with nine points in the final round to win a 21-6 decision. She will face 16-year-old Claressa Shields (Flint, Mich.) in a rematch of Thursday’s action on Saturday night.

The evening opened with three junior female bouts, featuring contests ranging from the 10 and 11 year-old division to the 15 and 16-year-old class. The participants traveled from as far as Alberta, Canada to take part in the event.

Saturday’s championship round action will begin at 8 p.m. PT and should the winners bracket titlist emerge victorious, they will be the first-ever U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Women’s Boxing champion. If a challengers bracket champion wins on Saturday, the weight class will go to a second winner-takes-all bout on Sunday.

Saturday’s championship bouts can be viewed via live stream at http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=fa5a8f09-8696-4cf8-8833-f9f42c58631b.html.

Friday’s Challengers Bracket Finals Results

112 lbs/challengers bracket: Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md., dec. Christina Cruz, 22-14

132 lbs/challengers bracket: Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif., dec. N'yteeyah Sherman, 26-24

165 lbs/challengers bracket: Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa., dec. Raquel Miller, San Francisco, Calif., 21-6

Saturday’s Championship Round Bout Sheet

112 lbs: Marlen Esparza, Houston, Texas vs. Tyrieshia Douglas, Baltimore, Md.
132 lbs: Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash., vs. Mikaela Mayer, Los Angeles, Calif.
165 lbs: Claressa Shields, Flint, Mich., vs. Tika Hemingway, Pittsburgh, Pa.

♔EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess♔, See you at the Fights and Thank You for your time.EL Boxing Empress Online @ Twitter http://www.twitter.com/Keishamorrisey ©®™ 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 All photos other than specified by "EL Boxing Empress & MMA Princess" Keisha Morrisey, for ♔Empire Morrisey Photo-Studios♔, KCKMT for Bloodline Boxing Communications Entertainment and ★Starlite★ Boxing's Sweetscience Magnews-Online Publication all rights reserved.