National Teams from the United States and Puerto Rico will convene in the boxing Mecca of Philadelphia for an Olympic-style boxing dual on April 26 at the Liacouras Center. This major event will feature top boxers from both teams as each prepare for the Olympic Games.
The competition will showcase many of the athletes who will be vying for gold in Beijing in August. The United States and Puerto Rico battled prior to the Olympic Games in 2004 as well, and many of the same faces could be on hand for the April 26 match-up. 2007 World Champion and two-time Olympian Rau'shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio) could face a rematch with 2008 Puerto Rican Olympian and Pan American Games gold medalist McWilliams Arroyo. The two squared off at the light flyweight division in their earlier battle, but both have moved up to the flyweight division for the 2008 Olympic Games.
"The U.S. National Team has had a strong rivalry with Puerto Rico for years. This event will preview many of the top contenders in Beijing, and promises to be a night of outstanding competition," said USA Boxing CEO Jim Millman."
The United States is enjoying a resurgence in amateur boxing, and is currently ranked second in the world based upon their finish at the 2007 World Championships in Chicago, Ill. Puerto Rico and the United States haven't faced off in head-to-head dual action since May of 2004 as the two nations battled prior to the 2004 Olympic Games.
USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States' member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
See the competition LIVE Sat., April 26th, on www.GoFightLive.tv, starting at 7 PM EDT!
