Team USA led by Genaro Gamez victorious at 2014 Independence Cup
Genaro Gamez, with the help of some friends, like his pop, Luis Gamez, came away with the victory at the 2014 Independence Cup in Santiago, Dominican Republic.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
On Monday, three American boxers opened the 2014 international competition with victories at the Independence Cup in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Male lightweight Genaro “El Conde” Gamez of San Diego, CA, female lightweight Queen Underwood of Seattle, Washington, and male light welterweight Abraham Nova of Albany, N.Y. all earned preliminary victories in the international event to advance.
Gamez opened the Independence Cup in the same manner he ended the 2014 USA Amateur Boxing National Championships, with a first round TKO victory. The American lightweight stopped Mexico’s Daniel Flores Albavera in the first round of their bout to give his U.S. team their first victory of the tournament. Then, on Tuesday, Gamez won a 2-1 decision over Edinson Garcia of the host nation Dominican Republic to move on to Thursday’s semifinals.
As of this writing, Gamez was set to face Luis Salazar of the Dominican Republic in Thursday’s lightweight semifinal action.
Tuesday, in Queen Underwood’s first female lightweight bout, she registered a unanimous decision victory over Mexico’s Reyna Viridiana. Next up, she’ll face the Dominican Republic’s Jasiel Cena Milkih.
2012 Olympian Queen Underwood of Seattle, Washington.
Also on Tuesday, an American boxer of Dominican descent, Abraham Nova won a first round victory over Puerto Rico’s Hector Ortiz. Ortiz had won a TKO victory in his preliminary contest.
Also on Tuesday, bantamweight Jarico O’Quinn of Detroit, Michigan dropped a 2-1 decision to the Dominican Republic’s Alfredo Santiago and the Dominican Republic’s Leonel de los Santos defeated light flyweight Leroy Davila of New Brunswick, N. J. by split decision. Light heavyweight Julius Butler of St. Louis, Mo. lost by a 3-0 decision to Ecuador’s Carlos Gongora.
On Wednesday, Team USA rebounded and swept all four of the squad’s quarterfinal bouts. The squad’s two heavyweights, Sardius Simmons of Flint, Michigan and Cam F. Awesome of Lenexa, Kansas opened the competition with convincing TKO victories in their preliminary round contests.
Also, the 2012 Olympian Queen Underwood earned her second straight unanimous decision of the tournament and light welterweight Abraham Nova of Albany, N.Y. advanced in a walkover in his quarterfinal match.
Enrique Cedeno of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Jason Crutchfield of Flint, Michigan and Luis Gamez, Genaro Gamez’s dad are the Team USA coaches leading the squad on to victory. Dr. Robin Goodfellow from Albion, Michigan serves as the Team Physician.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Team USA continues their dominating performance at the 2014 Independence Cup in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Five U.S. boxers will box for gold in the finals tomorrow, Friday, February 14, 2014. Congratulations go to boxers Queen Underwood, Genaro Gamez, Abraham Nova, Sardius Simmons, and Cam F. Awesome. Good luck tomorrow! Buena suerte mañana!
Genaro Gamez shows us his Gold Medal from the Independence Cup.
Friday, February 14, 2014
Lightweights Genaro Gamez (San Diego, CA) and Queen Underwood (Seattle, Wash.), light welterweight Abraham Nova (Albany, N. Y.), and super heavyweight Cam F. Awesome (Lenexa, Kansas) all won gold medals while heavyweight Sardius Simmons (Flint, Mich.) took the lone silver medal.
On Friday, Underwood improved her record to 4-0 on the week with a championship round victory over Aline Santana of Brazil in the lone U.S. women’s bout of the night. The 2012 Olympian moved up two spots on the medal podium from her bronze medal performance at the 2013 event, defeating her previous year’s conqueror Kiria Tapia in the semifinal round.
Both Gamez and Nova were making their international competition debuts. Gamez, known for his hand speed and tremendous punching power, defeated Mexico’s Lindolfo Delgado Garza in the finals to earn his first gold medal for Team USA.
Nova took on a host nation boxer for the second straight night in the light welterweight championship bout when he faced Jackson Martinez of the Dominican Republic in Friday’s competition.
Unlike three of his medal-winning teammates, international competition is nothing new to veteran super heavyweight Awesome. Awesome defeated Santiago’s Jonathan Gonzalez in the finals to claim yet another international gold medal for the U.S.
Many believe Simmons drew the toughest final round opponent when he had to battle the 2012 Olympian Julio Castillo of Ecuador. Castillo’s experience proved too much for Simmons. Despite the loss, Simmons comes away with the silver medal.
The five medal performance, not only provided valuable experience for the USA Team, it earned them the team trophy. If we were to compare it to last year performance at the 2013 Independence Cup, the USA medal count was two gold, three silver and one bronze. This year, four American boxers took home gold with one international newcomer winning silver in his global debut.
Coaches Enrique Cedeno (Milwaukee, Wis.), Jason Crutchfield (Flint, Mich.) and Luis Gamez(San Diego, Calif.) led squad in Santiago with Dr. Robin Goodfellow (Albion, Mich.) serving as the Team Physician at her second straight Independence Cup.
Results from Friday’s competition:
132 lbs/female: Queen Underwood, Seattle, Wash./USA dec. Aline Santana, BRA, 3-0
132 lbs/male: Genaro Gamez, San Diego, Calif./USA dec. Lindolfo Delgado Garza, MEX, 3-0
141 lbs/male: Abraham Nova, Albany, N.Y./USA dec. Jackson Martinez, DOM, 3-0
201 lbs/male: Julio Castillo, ECU, dec. Sardius Simmons, Flint, Mich./USA, 3-0
201+ lbs/male: Cam F. Awesome, Lenexa, Kansas dec. Jonathan Gonzalez, SGO, 3-0
