Do or die time for Estada, Downs and Hunter

Press Release: Two U.S. boxers will kick off competition on Friday at the final Americas Qualifier in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Middleweight Shawn Estrada (E. Los Angeles, Calif.) and light heavyweight Christopher Downs (Fort Carson, Colo.) will both take the ring in afternoon competition at the Domo-Deportiva Zona in Guatemala City. Estrada will face a familiar foe when he battles a Trinidadian foe in first round competition while Downs will take on an Ecuadorian opponent in his opening bout of the tournament.

Super heavyweight Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.) will be the final U.S. boxer to compete when he faces a Canadian foe in Sunday’s action. The second Americas Qualifier is the final opportunity for all three U.S. boxers to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Downs will need to finish in the top three to earn a spot in Beijing while Estrada and Hunter must advance to the final round.

Over 130 boxers from 27 countries are scheduled to compete in the second Americas Qualifier with Nicaragua leading the way in athletes competing at 10 boxers. Competition will run from April 25-30 with 23 Olympic spots up for grabs in 10 weight classes in Guatemala. The trio of U.S. boxers are hoping to join their eight qualified teammates: light flyweight Luis Yanez (Duncanville, Texas), flyweight Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio), bantamweight Gary Russell, Jr. (Capitol Heights, Md.), featherweight Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio), lightweight Sadam Ali (Brooklyn, N.Y.), light welterweight Javier Molina (Commerce, Calif.), welterweight Demetrius Andrade (Providence, R.I.), and heavyweight Deontay Wilder (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)