Article by Tibor Kincsis
Amelia Moore and Miguel Angel Veliz eliminated former champions in Guayaquil.
The first part of the semi-finals was on the schedule during the fifth competition day at the AMBC Continental Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador. United States’ Amelia Moore eliminated the defending champion at the women’s featherweight (57kg) category, but Chile’s Miguel Angel Veliz was the hero on Day 5 too.
Amelia Moore eliminated the defending champion in the women’s featherweight category.
The United States’ Amelia Moore joined the national team in 2018, and she impressed with her excellent technical skills at the annual AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. She was not able to make the real breakthrough yet, therefore she decided to re-start her international career in a new category. Moore went down two divisions to featherweight (57kg), and she is now taller and stronger than many of her rivals. The US boxer had a top rival on Day 5, Colombia’s Yeni Marcela Arias, who is a titleholder in the AMBC Continental Championships. Following their quarter-final, it is sure that the South American won’t be able to defend her throne, as Moore was better in the exchanges. She will now compete for a place in the finals with Puerto Rico’s Ashley Ann Lozada in the next competition day.
Chilean and Canadian triumphs at the super heavyweight.
Chile’s Miguel Angel Veliz is their most experienced male boxer who achieved several medals in the South American and Panamerican events, but he made his debut at the super heavyweight (+92kg) in Guayaquil. The Chilean boxer had a favourite opponent on Day 5, Ecuador’s former AMBC Continental Champion Ytalo Perea who returned from the professional world to earn his next Continental title. Veliz had the speed advantage in the quarter-final bout, and surprisingly he was able to eliminate the local hero. In the next contest in this weight class, Canada’s Jerome Feujio stopped Saint Lucia’s Regis Leran in the second round landing the decisive punches.
Guatemala’s second finalist is Aylin Dayana Jamez.
Guatemala’s smallest male boxer advanced to the final of the Continental Championships, and the country proved that their minimumweight (48kg) boxers are at the world-class level. Aylin Dayana Jamez felt that she was in top shape today and landed energetic shots against Colombia’s Adiela Maria Dora Fuentes in the first round. The Guatemalan girl had the advantage in terms of speed, technical skills, and fighting spirit, therefore Jamez advanced to the final and surely reached her career highlight. She will now meet for the gold medal with Argentina’s returning Aldana Florencia Lopez who had success over Canada’s Priyanka Dhillon in the second semi-final of the minimumweight (48kg).
Ingrit Valencia advanced to her next final.
Colombia’s Ingrit Valencia achieved the bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, and she won almost all of the main continental championships and multisport events in the recent years. The Colombian boxer decided to continue her career, and she is hungry for her next international success. Valencia had a young US opponent, Kayla Gomez, in the semi-finals of the flyweight (52kg) category, and she did not underestimate her rival in Guayaquil. The Colombian veteran overcame the US talent in the attacks and won the semi-final by unanimous decision. Valencia needs only one further step to earn next title after the 2016 edition of the AMBC Continental Championships.
The sixth competition day at the AMBC Continental Championships.
The second part of the semi-finals will be held on the sixth day of boxing at the AMBC Continental Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador. The bouts are live-streamed through the IBA YouTube channel as all of the previous sessions.
Background: Boxers who were born between 1982 and 2003 are eligible to compete in the AMBC Continental Championships. There are neutral referees and judges from Europe in the competition to ensure fair play in Guayaquil, which hosted its last AMBC event for the elite women boxers in 2009.
Altogether, 197 boxers are attending the AMBC Continental Championships from 25 countries. The number of the female boxers is a record number of 75, and the most popular category is featherweight (57kg) with the participation of 11 boxers. 122 male boxers are competing for the thirteen available male titles where the lightweight (60kg) and the light welterweight (63.5kg) are the most popular categories with 14-14 boxers on the board.
The participating nations in the AMBC Championships include Argentina, Aruba, Barbados, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Fair Chance Team, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Sint Maarten, Trinidad & Tobago, and the United States of America.
Images courtesy of Campeonato Continental Élite de Boxeo Masculino-Femenino Guayaquil 2022
