Press Release: The top amateur boxers from both the United States and Mexico are preparing for the Battle Across the Border, an international Olympic-style boxing dual between the United States and Mexico. The teams will face off in the first event of 2008 at the San Diego Sports Arena at 7 p.m. on Friday, January 18. Due to injuries to light welterweight Javier Molina (Commerce, Calif.) and Shawn Estrada (E. Los Angeles, Calif.), light welterweight Andre Sherard (Milwaukee, Wis.) and middleweight Shawn Porter (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) will compete in the event.

Porter boasts a strong international resume, competing in the 2007 Pan American Games, 2006 Junior World Championships as well as numerous international duals. Sherard enjoys international experience of his own, boxing in both the Cadet World Championships and the 2006 Junior World Championships with Porter.

The two teams will get acclimated to San Diego on Tuesday before taking part in a Champions luncheon on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m. at the Hall of Champions with the legendary Erik Morales joining the Mexican team as their honorary captain. Both teams will host open training sessions on Thursday afternoon at the Community Youth Athletic Center in National City.
In addition to the two new additions, 2008 light flyweight Olympian Luis Yanez (Duncanville, Texas) as well as hometown boxer and 2007 U.S. Championships bantamweight silver medalist David Clark (San Diego, Calif.) will highlight the U.S. team. 2007 U.S. Championships runner-up Daniel Lozano (Bowling, Green, Fla.), competing at the flyweight division; 2006 National PAL featherweight champion Rico Ramos (Los Angeles, Calif.); Olympic Trials lightweight runner-up Miguel Gonzalez (Cleveland, Ohio); the United States Olympic Education Center’s welterweight Greg Carter (Waterbury, Conn.); 2007 National Golden Gloves light heavyweight champion Siju Shabazz (Las Cruces, N.M.); 2006 U.S. Championships heavyweight bronze medalist David Carey (Anchorage, Alaska); and two-time super heavyweight national champion Mike Wilson (Central Point, Ore.) will round out the United States team.

The entire Mexican Olympic team will take the ring on Friday night, including: light flyweight Odilon Zaleta; flyweight Braulio Avila; bantamweight Oscar Valdez; featherweight Arturo Santos; lightweight Francisco Vargas; light welterweight Jessie Vargas; welterweight Oscar Molina; middleweight Marco Antonio Periban; light heavyweight Joshua Garza; heavyweight Javier Torres; and super heavyweight Andres Ruiz.

The U.S. team will be led by USA Boxing National Director of Coaching Dan Campbell (Colorado Springs, Colo.); USA Boxing Resident Coordinator Larry Nicholson (Colorado Springs, Colo.); and Mario L’Esperance (Vacaville, Calif.). Eppie Quintana (Velarde, N.M.) will serve as Team Manager with Joe Sanchez (Darien, Ill.) and Brent Venegas (Colma, Calif.) working as AIBA officials, and Linda de la Paz (Augusta, Ga.) participating as the computer technician. Dr. Armando Sanchez (Milwaukee, Wis.) will join the delegation as the Team Physician.

The 2008 Battle Across the Border will be the first USA vs. Mexico Dual since 2000. Former professional world champions Jermain Taylor (Little Rock, Ark.) and Jeff Lacy (St. Petersburg, Fla.) both competed in the earlier event prior to boxing in the 2000 Olympic Games.

Tickets range from $15 to $120 for ringside tickets and are available through Ticketmaster as well as the San Diego Sports Arena.