Panamerican Youth Boxing Talent Continues to Shine in Bangkok

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Athletes representing the Pan American region delivered a series of strong performances today at the 2026 World Boxing U19 Futures Cup. Competitors from the United States, Mexico, Canada, and the Dominican Republic showcased the depth of talent across the Americas as they vied for advancement in this prestigious U19 international tournament.

March 12 Recap: Technical Brilliance

The Quarterfinal and preliminary rounds saw several key victories for the region:

• Mexico: Jonathan Bibriesca advanced in the Men's 55kg division with a 4:1 split decision victory over Abdyrasul Arslanov (TKM).

• United States: Brijhana Epperson secured a hard-fought 3:2 split decision win over China’s Mengxue Wu in the Women's 57kg. Asaan Jenkins dominated his Men's 65kg bout against Suren Katvalyan of Armenia with a unanimous decision. In a tight contest, Marley McNealy edged out Maftuna Yangieva (UZB) with a 3:2 decision in the Women's 70kg. Asante Lamar advanced to the next round with a clinical unanimous decision over Japan’s Kenshiro Moko.

Tough Challenges: Several athletes from our region faced elite opposition today. Kaylee Aguilar (USA) fell by unanimous decision to Uzbekistan’s Rushanabonu Isoeva. James Gentile (USA), Hadi Almashhadi (USA), and Caleb Stewart Reid (USA) also exited the tournament following competitive bouts against top-seeded opponents. Atena Juarez (MEX), Michael Reyes (DOM), Melissa Carrion (ECU), and Ciana Nonhphala (USA) also saw their campaigns end in the Quarterfinal stage. Shirtly Granada (COL) fell short in a spirited effort against her Dutch opponent, and Mehreen Khakh (CAN) lost a tough battle to her opponent from Morocco. Jan Cumba (PUR) saw his journey end against Azerbaijan in a 65kg bout. Caleb Stewart Reid (USA) was unable to advance against Kazakhstan at 90+ kg.

Preview: March 13 - The Road to the Medals

The next sessions feature a heavy rotation of Pan American contenders looking to secure podium finishes.

Session 11 (11:00 AM Local):

Starts at 11:00 AM ICT (Bangkok) (March 13: 1:00 AM BRT | March 12: 12:00 AM AST | 11:00 PM EST | 10:00 PM CST | 9:00 PM MST | 8:00 PM PST)

· Ring A: Sofia Ramirez (MEX) opens the session at 54kg against Germany. Later, Jonathan Bibriesca (MEX) faces Uzbekistan, and Asante Lamar (USA) takes on Kazakhstan in a highly anticipated 70kg Quarterfinal.

· Ring B: Guadalupe Ruiz (USA) competes at 54kg. Christian Paez (USA) makes his appearance in a 55kg Quarterfinal clash against Spain. Norman Simmons (PAN) takes on Uzbekistan in a 90kg battle.

Session 12 (5:00 PM Local):

Starts at 5:00 PM ICT (Bangkok) (March 13: 7:00 AM BRT | 6:00 AM AST | 5:00 AM EST | 4:00 AM CST | 3:00 AM MST | 2:00 AM PST)

• Ring A: Brijhana Epperson (USA) returns to face France at 57kg, while Lauryn Elmore (USA) meets Kazakhstan at 65kg.

• Ring B: Josue Zepeda (MEX) faces a local boxer from Thailand at 60kg. Asaan Jenkins (USA) returns for a 65kg Quarterfinal against Morocco.

Follow the Action: Fans can watch the live stream of today's sessions on the Thailand Boxing Association YouTube Channel.

Results, Bout Sheets, and Updated Brackets can be found on the website of our sponsor, Xempower.

About Panamerican Boxing Confederation (PBC):

Panamerican Boxing Confederation is the governing body for amateur and Olympic-style boxing in the Americas, dedicated to the development, governance, and promotion of the sport across its member National Federations.

Media contact: communication@panamericanboxing.org