Press Release: The 2008 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team will compete in their first major international event, October 23-November 3, 2007 at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago. The 2007 AIBA World Championships hold extra importance for the newly crowned team as it will serve as the first international Olympic qualifier for the 2008 OIympic Games in Beijing, China. The 11-man squad has been in training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., since September 17 in preparation for the event.

The U.S. team hopes to utilize their home ring advantage to qualify Olympic berths with the final eight finishers in the light flyweight – light heavyweight (106 – 178 pounds) divisions earning spots and the top four winning slots in the heavyweight and super heavyweight (201 and 201+ pounds) classes. The 2007 event is the first World Championships event to serve as an international Olympic qualifier in boxing following the use of continental competitions in 2000 and 2004. The athletes will earn Olympic berths by name not by country at the World Championships. 

Flyweight (112 lbs) Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio) and bantamweight (119 lbs) Gary Russell, Jr. (Capitol Heights, Md.) both won bronze at the 2005 edition and are back for more hardware in 2007. Warren and Russell are the only two U.S. team members to have previously competed in the senior world championships, but several team members possess valuable international experience. Light flyweight (106 lbs) Luis Yanez (Duncanville, Texas) recently claimed gold at the 2007 Pan American Games. He was joined on the medal stand by welterweight (152 lbs) silver medalist Demetrius Andrade (Providence, R.I.) and light heavyweight (178 lbs) bronze medalist Christopher Downs (Fort Carson, Colo.). All three boxers will look to their Pan Am games experience when they take the ring in Chicago.

2006 Junior World Championships super heavyweight bronze medalist Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.) and fellow Junior World championships team member, lightweight (132 lbs) Sadam Ali (Brooklyn, N.Y.) will box in their first senior world championships event with an Olympic berth on the line. Middleweight (165 lbs) Shawn Estrada (Downey, Calif.) has represented the United States in several international competitions, but he will vie for his first World Championships title in Chicago. Featherweight (125 lbs) Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio); light welterweight (141 lbs) Javier Molina (Commerce, Calif.); and heavyweight Deontay Wilder (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) will all compete in their first major international event at the 2007 World Championships.

The United States team will be led by USA Boxing National Director of Coaching Dan Campbell (Colorado Springs, Colo.); Mike Stafford (Cincinnati, Ohio); and Willy Price (Peshtigo, Wis.). Joe Smith (Chattanooga, Tenn.) will serve as team manager with Jim McNally (Severna Park, Md.); Richard Neves (Pleasanton, Calif.) and Spencer Carpenter (West Branch, Mich.) working as the AIBA officials.

The U.S. team will depart the Olympic Training Center for Chicago on Thursday, October 18 to complete final preparations in the Windy City. The 2007 AIBA World Championships action will kick off on October 23 with preliminary round action, which will run through October 31. Quarterfinal competition will be contested on Thursday, November 1, semifinal round boxing will take place on Friday, November 2 and the event will close with championship boxing on Saturday, November 3.

The United States won two bronze medals at the last World Championships in 2005 in Mianyang, China. The U.S. team took home four gold medals at the last domestic World Championships in Houston, Texas in 1999.

United States Team:

LUIS YANEZ

Weight Class: Light flyweight

Hometown: Duncanville, Texas
Birthdate: October 25, 1988
Height: 5-3
Weight:  106 pounds
Reach: 26 1/4
Coach: Dennis Rodarte
Club: GTO
School: Palmer High School, Colorado Springs
Began boxing: 1997
Biggest Influence: My biggest influence is Hector Beltran because I grew up with him and he has helped me train since I was little.
Draw to boxing: My dad brought me to the gym
Greatest strength in the ring: My mind
Loves most about boxing: New experiences
Goals in and out of the ring: To be the best and have respect for others
2008 U.S. OLYMPIAN

2007 PAN AMERICAN GAMES GOLD MEDALIST

2007 NATIONAL CHAMPION

2007 NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPION
2006 NATIONAL CHAMPION
TWO-TIME JUNIOR OLYMPIC NATIONAL CHAMPION
2005 CADET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS SILVER MEDALIST    
2006 JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS BRONZE MEDALIST
2006 NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPION
2006 UNDER 19 NATIONAL CHAMPION

RAU’SHEE WARREN

Weight Class: Flyweight

Height: 5-4
Weight: 112 pounds
Reach: 26 3/4
Born: February 13, 1987, in Cincinnati, Ohio
Lives: Cincinnati, Ohio
Coach: Mike Stafford
Began Boxing: 1995
Career Highlight: Going to the 2004 Olympics
Biggest influence: My mother because she always pushes me to keep going forward and helps me stay on top of my game
Draw to boxing: My older brother boxed and I followed him to the gym
Greatest strength in the ring: Speed and power

2008 U.S. OLYMPIAN
2004 LIGHT FLYWEIGHT OLYMPIAN
FIRST U.S. OLYMPIAN TO RETURN TO AMATEUR BOXING SINCE 1992
YOUNGEST 2004 U.S. MALE OLYMPIAN IN ANY SPORT
2005 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS BRONZE MEDALIST
THREE-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPION

 

GARY RUSSELL, JR.

Weight Class: Bantamweight

Height: 5-5
Weight:  119 lbs
Born: June 5, 1988 in Washington D.C.
Lives: Capitol Heights, Md.
Coach: Gary Russell, Sr. and Robert Martin
Club: Enigma Boxing
Began boxing: 1995
Family Ties: Russell's three younger brothers also box and all four are trained by their father, Gary Russell, Sr.
Did you know: Russell was the youngest member of USA Boxing's 2005 Elite Team and won both the U.S. Championships and Golden Gloves at 16
Career Highlight: Winning a bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships
Biggest Influence: My family
Draw to boxing: I was always around boxing, my older brothers boxed and my father trained them.
Greatest strength in the ring: My versatility
Goals in and out of the ring: To dominate in the ring and to be viewed as an intelligent individual
2008 U.S. OLYMPIAN

2006 NATIONAL CHAMPION
2005 USA BOXING ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
2005 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS BRONZE MEDALIST
2005 U.S. CHAMPIONSHIPS GOLD MEDALIST
2005 NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPION

 

RAYNELL WILLIAMS

Weight Class: Featherweight

Hometown:  Cleveland, Ohio
Birthdate:  February 4, 1989
Height:  5-6
Weight: 125
Reach: 30
Coach’s name:  Clint Martin
Club name: S.A.B.A.
Began boxing:  2001
National Senior Titles:  Two-time National Silver Gloves Champion
Who has been your biggest influence and why: My friends and family
How did you get involved in boxing:  One day my dad asked me if I wanted to box and I said yes, then I loved it.
What is your greatest strength in the ring:  My greatest strength is my speed and boxing.
What do you love most about boxing:  Winning
What are your goals in and out of the ring:  To be the best person I can be
2008 U.S. OLYMPIAN

2007 NATIONAL CHAMPION

SADAM ALI

Weight Class: Lightweight

Hometown:  Brooklyn, New York
Birthdate:  September 26, 1988
Height:  5-8
Weight:  132 pounds
Coach’s name:  Victor Roundtree, Andre Rozier
School:  Palmer High School
Began boxing:  8-years-old
Career highlight:  Winning the National Golden Gloves two times in a row
Who has been your biggest influence and why:  Prince Naseem Hamed
What is your greatest strength in the ring:  Speed

2008 U.S. OLYMPIAN

2007 NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPION

2006 NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPION

JAVIER MOLINA

Weight Class: Light welterweight

Hometown: Commerce, California
Birthdate: January 2, 1990
Height:  5-9
Weight: 141 pounds
Reach: 30 3/4
Coach’s Name: Roberto Luna
Club Name: Commerce Boxing Club
School:  Palmer High School
Began Boxing: 1997
Career Highlight: Winning bronze in the Cadet World Championships
Who has been your biggest influence and why:  My biggest influence is my family and coach.  They believe in my and support me.
How did you get involved in boxing:  My dad and my older brother also boxed, so my dad got me into it.
What is your greatest strength in the ring:  My greatest strength is my mentality and my ability to counterpunch.
What are your goals in and out of the ring:  My goal is to win a gold medal in the Olympics and to graduate from college and get my degree.
What is something interesting about you that most people don’t know: I have all honors classes and a 3.8 grade point average.

2008 U.S. OLYMPIAN

2007 NATIONAL CHAMPION

DEMETRIUS ANDRADE

Weight Class: Welterweight

Height: 6-1
Weight:  152 lbs
Born: February 26, 1988

Lives: Providence, R.I.
Coach: Paul Andrade
Children: daughter Autumn Andrade, 1-year-old
Began boxing: 1994
Career Highlight: The 2005 U.S. Championships, Silver Gloves, Dual Meets and Junior Olympic International Invitational
Biggest Influence: My dad because he taught me everything I know in my lifetime
Draw to boxing: My dad
Greatest strength in the ring: My jab
Goals in and out of the ring: To be the greatest boxer I can and give back to my fans
2008 U.S. OLYMPIAN

2007 PAN AMERICAN GAMES TEAM MEMBER
2007 NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPION
2006 NATIONAL CHAMPION
2006 NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPION
2005 NATIONAL CHAMPION

SHAWN ESTRADA

Weight Class: Middleweight

Weight: 165 pounds
Height: 6-0

Born: April 1, 1985
Lives: East Los Angeles, California
Coach: Rodrigo Mosquera
Club: Eddie Hevudit
Began boxing: 1997
Biggest Influence: My dad
Draw to boxing: My dad and uncle
Goals in and out of the ring: To be a champion so kids can look up to me

2008 U.S. OLYMPIAN

2006 U.S. CHAMPIONSHIPS BRONZE MEDALIST

2005 U.S. CHAMPIONSHIPS BRONZE MEDALIST

CHRISTOPHER DOWNS

Weight Class: Light heavyweight
Hometown: Knoxville, Tenn.
Birthdate: November 5, 1974
Height: 6-4
Weight:  178 pounds
Reach: 34
Coach’s name: Basheer Abdullah
Club name: World Class Athlete Program
Began boxing: 2003
Do you have any children:  Christen Downs, 9 years old; Cameron Downs, 7 years old
Occupation: U.S. Army
Career highlight: My first championships that I won—the PAL National Championship
Biggest Influence: My teammates because I get to see them grow and see how we grow together
Draw to boxing: I went to an Army boxing smoker and was hooked.
Greatest strength in the ring: My heart and will that make me want to win
Other sports played: Basketball, football, track and cross country
Love most about boxing: The head-to-head bouts at the top level
Goals in and out of the ring: To get as far as my skill will allow me to go and then some day, to open my own barber shop
Hobbies outside of boxing: Basketball and spending time with my children
What is something interesting about you that most people don’t know:  I love to scrapbook pictures of my two kids and I took some scrapbooking classes.
2008 U.S. OLYMPIAN

2007 PAN AMERICAN GAMES BRONZE MEDALIST
2007 NATIONAL CHAMPION

2006 NATIONAL CHAMPION

DEONTAY WILDER

Weight Class: Heavyweight

Hometown:  Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Birthdate:  October 22, 1985
Height:  6-7
Weight:  198 pounds
Reach: 34 1/2
Coach’s Name:  Jay Deas
Club Name:  Skyy Boxing
Began Boxing:  October 19, 2005
Occupation:  Budweiser driver and Red Lobster
Do you have any children:  Naieya Wilder, 2-years-old
Career highlight:  Winning National Golden Gloves
Who has been your biggest influence and why:  My little girl has been my biggest influence ever since she was born.  She influences me even more once I found out about her condition.  She serves as my motivation in life.
How did you get involved in boxing:  To make a long story short, I had a little girl, got out of college and got two jobs to support my child.  I started talking about boxing, word got out, I found a gym and it has been on ever since.
What is your greatest strength in the ring:  The strong right hand
Did you ever play any other sports:  Football, basketball, baseball and track
What do you love most about boxing:  Being able to fight different guys around the world and traveling
What are your goals in and out of the ring:  To be successful in life goals and to become the number one man
What are your hobbies outside of boxing:  playing football and basketball
2008 U.S. OLYMPIAN

2007 NATIONAL CHAMPION

2007 NATIONAL GOLDEN GLOVES CHAMPION

MICHAEL HUNTER
Weight Class: Super heavyweight
Height: 6-2
Born: July 10, 1988
Weight:  215 lbs
Reach: 34
Lives: Las Vegas, Nev.
Began Boxing: 2002
Coach: Michael Newson, Jr.
Career Highlight: Making it to the finals of the Golden Gloves with only five bouts
Biggest influence: My mom, she has played a big role in my boxing career. She keeps my head on straight. She is my transportation and she supports me.
Draw to boxing: My dad was a professional boxer and you know what they say like father like son
Greatest Strength in the ring: My mind and speed
Other sports played: Basketball and football
Loves most about boxing: You get to travel and it’s a new experience every time. I like meeting new people
Goals in and out of the ring: I would like to go to college and go the Olympics
2008 U.S. OLYMPIAN
2007 NATIONAL CHAMPION
2006 JUNIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS BRONZE MEDALIST