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The 2008 Olympic Trials concluded this weekend; with the top 11 boxers in each weight class just one international competition away from fulfilling their lifetime dream of representing America as an Olympic athlete.
All 11 Olympic Trials winners are slated to compete in the World Championships later this year in Chicago, and with a birth into the quarterfinals, they are assured a spot on the 2008 Olympic squad in Beijing, China.
The three Olympic Trials winners listed below will enter the 2008 games as the odd-on favorites to medal in China. Each carries a vast amount of experience on the international stage, and represents the best America has to offer in their individual weight class.
Rau’shee Warren ~ Flyweight (112 lbs/48 kg)
With his victory in the 2008 Olympic Trials, Rau’shee Warren stands poised to become the first U.S. boxer in 30 years to compete in back-to-back Olympic Games. While he entered the 2004 games in Athens as the youngest member from any country in competition, Warren will most likely be voted team captain of the 2008 Boxing squad, leading his team to Beijing, China.
Blessed with God-given skills and maturity beyond his years, Warren hopes to impart the valuable lessons learned in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
“When I was 17,” Warren admitted, “I was a child. I still had things to do. Now I’m 20, and I think I’ve grown into my body. I’m getting more power -- my body is now fully developed – and I’m able to get my mind right in the ring. I’m out of school so I can concentrate 100% on boxing.”
Post Athens, Warren has remained undefeated in the past three years, solidifying his reign at 112 lbs with a fluid, southpaw style. Warren’s foot and hand speed stand as his most potent attributes, and his slashing combination punching often forces opponents into a limited, defensive shell. With several more years of international experience under his belt, Warren stands as USA’s best prospect to medal in the 2008 games.
“My experience in 2004 will help me develop better as a man. As a child -- like I said before -- I was going to school, I had too much going on. Now, it’s just boxing. It looks like we will have a lot of young athletes on the team that are going through the same process that I went through, and I’m here to show them, this is what I had to do.”
An obvious pick for squad captain, Warren relishes his role as a leader, confident he can instill the discipline and team cohesion that will be necessary to excel on the worlds stage.
“I’ve been there,” he stated unequivocally. “I’m willing to show them what to do, and what not to do. What the judges like and what the judges don’t like. I’m happy we are a young team but we will need a lot of experience going into the 2008 games -- it’s going to be a lot of hard work. But I’m glad they are making the team early so we have time to get strong.”
Weight Class: Flyweight/112 lbs
Height: 5’ 4”
Weight: 112 lbs
Born: February 13, 1987, in Cincinnati, Ohio
Lives: Cincinnati, Ohio
School: Harmony High School
Coach: Mike Stafford
2004 Light Flyweight Olympian
First U.S. Olympian to return to amateur boxing since 1992
Youngest member of the 2004 Olympic team in any sport
2005 World Championships Bronze Medalist
Two-time U.S. National Champion
Luis Yanez: Junior Flyweight (106 lbs/48 kg)
Two-time junior flyweight national champion Luis Yanez has emerged from USA boxing as a veritable powerhouse at 106 lbs, winning every domestic event he has competed in since 2003.
A self-described technical southpaw with heavy hands, Yanez’s composure and ability to impose his will seem certain to translate into success in the 2008 games.
“USA boxing and the Olympics means a lot to me,” he admitted. “Before USA boxing, I never thought about the Olympics. But then they told me about Beijing, and that I could be an Olympian, so that was when I started working real hard, and I then I started winning every tournament out there. I haven’t lost a fight in 4 years.”
In the 2007 Pan Am games, 18-yrear-old Yanez was able to maintain his composure throughout the international competition, defeating highly regarded Cuban World Champion Yampier Hernandez on his way to claiming the gold.
“Of course I want to face the Cuban in the Gold medal round,” Yanez stated emphatically. “I know he is working twice as hard because he knows I can beat him now. He is in the gym working hard like me, but I’ve got his game down. I’m too positive, and I know I’m going to reach the finals. And the Cuban knows it, too.”
Weight Class: Junior Flyweight/106 lbs
Hometown: Duncanville, Texas
Birth Date: October 25, 1988
Height: 5’ 3”
Weight: 106 pounds
Coach: Dennis Rodarte
2007 National Golden Gloves Champion
2007 Pan American Games Team Member
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
Demetrius Andrade: Welterweight (152 lbs/69 kg)
2006 U.S. National and Golden Gloves champion Demetrius Andrade stands as the most physically imposing of the 2008 class, with a heavy-handed southpaw style that seems certain to wreak havoc in Beijing, China.
While Andrade may not be the most fleet-footed member of the 2008 squad, he makes up for this shortcoming with a solid jab coupled by a propensity to mix it up on the inside, unleashing short uppercuts and debilitating body shots which exact an extreme toll.
“USA boxing has been good too me,” Andrade confided. “They have sent me to different camps; traveling all over the world…it’s been a great experience. Representing America means everything to me. Not everybody in this world gets a chance to have this opportunity, you know. Most don’t even get to see what it looks like at this level. So I’m going try my hardest, I’m going to fight the best I can, and I’ll have my family and my coach, David Keith, in China to support me.”
Much like fellow team members Yanez and Warren, Andrade has an extensive international pedigree, competing in the 2005 World Cup as a 17 year old before earning the silver medal in the 2007 Pan Am Games.
“With my international experience, I know what I need to do with certain fighters,” Andrade explained. “I know how the scoring system works and what punches the judges will count.”
Weight Class: Middleweight/152 lbs
Height: 6’ 1”
Weight: 152 lbs
Born: February 26, 1988, in Providence, Rhode Island
Lives: Providence, Rhode Island
Coach: Paul Andrade
School: Cooley High School
Began Boxing: 1994
Career Highlight: The 2005 U.S. Championships, Silver Gloves, Dual Meets and Junior Olympic International Invitational
2007 Pan American Games Team Member
2007 National Golden Gloves Champion
2006 National Champion
2006 National Golden Gloves Champion
2005 National Champion
Gary Russell Junior Bantamweight (119 lbs/54 kg)
Weight Class: Bantamweight/119 lbs
Height: 5 ‘5”
Weight: 119 lbs
Born: June 5, 1988, in Washington D.C.
Lives: Capitol Heights, Maryland
Coach: Gary Russell, Sr. and Robert Martin
Club: Enigma Boxing
Began Boxing: 1995
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
2004 Junior Olympic Champion
Raynell Williams Junior Featherweight (125 lbs/57 kg)
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Birth Date: February 4, 1989
Height: 5-6
Weight: 125 lbs
Reach: 30
Coach: Clint Martion
Club Name: S.A.B.A
2007 U.S. Champion
Two-time National Silver Gloves Champion
Sadam Ali: Lightweight (132 lbs/60 kg)
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Birth Date: September 26, 1988
Height: 5-8
Weight: 132 lbs
Coach: Victor Roundtree, Andre Rozier
School: Canarise High School
Began Boxing: 8 years old
J.O. Nationals and World Champion
PAL National Champion
U-19 National Champion
Two-time Golden Glove National Champion
Two-time New York City Golden Glove Champion
Javier Molina: Light Welterweight (141 lbs/64 kg)
Hometown: Commerce, California
Birth Date: January 2, 1990
Height: 5’ 9”
Weight: 141 lbs
Coach: Roberto Luna
Club Name: Commerce Boxing Club
Began Boxing: 1997
National Senior Titles: Eastern Trials
Career Highlight: Winning bronze in the Cadet World Championships
2007 U.S. Champion
Shawn Estrada: Middleweight (165 lbs/75 kg)
Weight Class: Middleweight/165 lbs
Born: April 1, 1985
Lives: East Los Angeles, California
Coach: Rodrigo Mosquera
Club: Eddie Hevudit
School: East Los Angeles College
Began Boxing: 1997
2007 Pan Am Games Team Member
Christopher Downs: Light Heavyweight (178 lbs/81 kg)
Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee
Birth Date: November 5, 1974
Height: 6’ 4”
Weight: 178 pounds
Coach: Basheer Abdullah
Club Name: World Class Athlete Program
Began Boxing: 2003
2006, 2007 U.S. Championships
200-2007 Armed Forces Championships
2005 PAL Championships
Pan Am Box Offs Gold Medalist
Pan Am Qualifier II gold Medalist
2007 Pan American Games Team Member
2007 Pan American Qualifier Ii Gold Medalist
2006 National Champion
Deontay Wilder: Heavyweight (201 lbs/91 kg)
Weight Class: Heavyweight/201 lbs
Hometown: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Birth Date: October 22, 1985
Height: 6’ 7”
Coach’s Name: Jay Deas
Club Name: Skyy Boxing
School: Central High School
Began Boxing: October 19, 2005
2007 U.S. Champion
Michael Hunter: Super Heavyweight (201+ lbs/91+ kg)
Height: 6’ 2”
Born: July 10, 1988
Weight: 215 lbs
Lives: Las Vegas, Nevada
Began Boxing: 2002
Coach: Augie Sanchez
Career Highlight: Making it to the finals of the Golden Gloves with only five bouts
2006 Under 19 National Champion
2007 U.S. Champion
All 11 Olympic Trials winners are slated to compete in the World Championships later this year in Chicago, and with a birth into the quarterfinals, they are assured a spot on the 2008 Olympic squad in Beijing, China.
The three Olympic Trials winners listed below will enter the 2008 games as the odd-on favorites to medal in China. Each carries a vast amount of experience on the international stage, and represents the best America has to offer in their individual weight class.
Rau’shee Warren ~ Flyweight (112 lbs/48 kg)
With his victory in the 2008 Olympic Trials, Rau’shee Warren stands poised to become the first U.S. boxer in 30 years to compete in back-to-back Olympic Games. While he entered the 2004 games in Athens as the youngest member from any country in competition, Warren will most likely be voted team captain of the 2008 Boxing squad, leading his team to Beijing, China.
Blessed with God-given skills and maturity beyond his years, Warren hopes to impart the valuable lessons learned in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
“When I was 17,” Warren admitted, “I was a child. I still had things to do. Now I’m 20, and I think I’ve grown into my body. I’m getting more power -- my body is now fully developed – and I’m able to get my mind right in the ring. I’m out of school so I can concentrate 100% on boxing.”
Post Athens, Warren has remained undefeated in the past three years, solidifying his reign at 112 lbs with a fluid, southpaw style. Warren’s foot and hand speed stand as his most potent attributes, and his slashing combination punching often forces opponents into a limited, defensive shell. With several more years of international experience under his belt, Warren stands as USA’s best prospect to medal in the 2008 games.
“My experience in 2004 will help me develop better as a man. As a child -- like I said before -- I was going to school, I had too much going on. Now, it’s just boxing. It looks like we will have a lot of young athletes on the team that are going through the same process that I went through, and I’m here to show them, this is what I had to do.”
An obvious pick for squad captain, Warren relishes his role as a leader, confident he can instill the discipline and team cohesion that will be necessary to excel on the worlds stage.
“I’ve been there,” he stated unequivocally. “I’m willing to show them what to do, and what not to do. What the judges like and what the judges don’t like. I’m happy we are a young team but we will need a lot of experience going into the 2008 games -- it’s going to be a lot of hard work. But I’m glad they are making the team early so we have time to get strong.”
Weight Class: Flyweight/112 lbs
Height: 5’ 4”
Weight: 112 lbs
Born: February 13, 1987, in Cincinnati, Ohio
Lives: Cincinnati, Ohio
School: Harmony High School
Coach: Mike Stafford
2004 Light Flyweight Olympian
First U.S. Olympian to return to amateur boxing since 1992
Youngest member of the 2004 Olympic team in any sport
2005 World Championships Bronze Medalist
Two-time U.S. National Champion
Luis Yanez: Junior Flyweight (106 lbs/48 kg)
Two-time junior flyweight national champion Luis Yanez has emerged from USA boxing as a veritable powerhouse at 106 lbs, winning every domestic event he has competed in since 2003.
A self-described technical southpaw with heavy hands, Yanez’s composure and ability to impose his will seem certain to translate into success in the 2008 games.
“USA boxing and the Olympics means a lot to me,” he admitted. “Before USA boxing, I never thought about the Olympics. But then they told me about Beijing, and that I could be an Olympian, so that was when I started working real hard, and I then I started winning every tournament out there. I haven’t lost a fight in 4 years.”
In the 2007 Pan Am games, 18-yrear-old Yanez was able to maintain his composure throughout the international competition, defeating highly regarded Cuban World Champion Yampier Hernandez on his way to claiming the gold.
“Of course I want to face the Cuban in the Gold medal round,” Yanez stated emphatically. “I know he is working twice as hard because he knows I can beat him now. He is in the gym working hard like me, but I’ve got his game down. I’m too positive, and I know I’m going to reach the finals. And the Cuban knows it, too.”
Weight Class: Junior Flyweight/106 lbs
Hometown: Duncanville, Texas
Birth Date: October 25, 1988
Height: 5’ 3”
Weight: 106 pounds
Coach: Dennis Rodarte
2007 National Golden Gloves Champion
2007 Pan American Games Team Member
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
Demetrius Andrade: Welterweight (152 lbs/69 kg)
2006 U.S. National and Golden Gloves champion Demetrius Andrade stands as the most physically imposing of the 2008 class, with a heavy-handed southpaw style that seems certain to wreak havoc in Beijing, China.
While Andrade may not be the most fleet-footed member of the 2008 squad, he makes up for this shortcoming with a solid jab coupled by a propensity to mix it up on the inside, unleashing short uppercuts and debilitating body shots which exact an extreme toll.
“USA boxing has been good too me,” Andrade confided. “They have sent me to different camps; traveling all over the world…it’s been a great experience. Representing America means everything to me. Not everybody in this world gets a chance to have this opportunity, you know. Most don’t even get to see what it looks like at this level. So I’m going try my hardest, I’m going to fight the best I can, and I’ll have my family and my coach, David Keith, in China to support me.”
Much like fellow team members Yanez and Warren, Andrade has an extensive international pedigree, competing in the 2005 World Cup as a 17 year old before earning the silver medal in the 2007 Pan Am Games.
“With my international experience, I know what I need to do with certain fighters,” Andrade explained. “I know how the scoring system works and what punches the judges will count.”
Weight Class: Middleweight/152 lbs
Height: 6’ 1”
Weight: 152 lbs
Born: February 26, 1988, in Providence, Rhode Island
Lives: Providence, Rhode Island
Coach: Paul Andrade
School: Cooley High School
Began Boxing: 1994
Career Highlight: The 2005 U.S. Championships, Silver Gloves, Dual Meets and Junior Olympic International Invitational
2007 Pan American Games Team Member
2007 National Golden Gloves Champion
2006 National Champion
2006 National Golden Gloves Champion
2005 National Champion
Gary Russell Junior Bantamweight (119 lbs/54 kg)
Weight Class: Bantamweight/119 lbs
Height: 5 ‘5”
Weight: 119 lbs
Born: June 5, 1988, in Washington D.C.
Lives: Capitol Heights, Maryland
Coach: Gary Russell, Sr. and Robert Martin
Club: Enigma Boxing
Began Boxing: 1995
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
2004 Junior Olympic Champion
Raynell Williams Junior Featherweight (125 lbs/57 kg)
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Birth Date: February 4, 1989
Height: 5-6
Weight: 125 lbs
Reach: 30
Coach: Clint Martion
Club Name: S.A.B.A
2007 U.S. Champion
Two-time National Silver Gloves Champion
Sadam Ali: Lightweight (132 lbs/60 kg)
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Birth Date: September 26, 1988
Height: 5-8
Weight: 132 lbs
Coach: Victor Roundtree, Andre Rozier
School: Canarise High School
Began Boxing: 8 years old
J.O. Nationals and World Champion
PAL National Champion
U-19 National Champion
Two-time Golden Glove National Champion
Two-time New York City Golden Glove Champion
Javier Molina: Light Welterweight (141 lbs/64 kg)
Hometown: Commerce, California
Birth Date: January 2, 1990
Height: 5’ 9”
Weight: 141 lbs
Coach: Roberto Luna
Club Name: Commerce Boxing Club
Began Boxing: 1997
National Senior Titles: Eastern Trials
Career Highlight: Winning bronze in the Cadet World Championships
2007 U.S. Champion
Shawn Estrada: Middleweight (165 lbs/75 kg)
Weight Class: Middleweight/165 lbs
Born: April 1, 1985
Lives: East Los Angeles, California
Coach: Rodrigo Mosquera
Club: Eddie Hevudit
School: East Los Angeles College
Began Boxing: 1997
2007 Pan Am Games Team Member
Christopher Downs: Light Heavyweight (178 lbs/81 kg)
Hometown: Knoxville, Tennessee
Birth Date: November 5, 1974
Height: 6’ 4”
Weight: 178 pounds
Coach: Basheer Abdullah
Club Name: World Class Athlete Program
Began Boxing: 2003
2006, 2007 U.S. Championships
200-2007 Armed Forces Championships
2005 PAL Championships
Pan Am Box Offs Gold Medalist
Pan Am Qualifier II gold Medalist
2007 Pan American Games Team Member
2007 Pan American Qualifier Ii Gold Medalist
2006 National Champion
Deontay Wilder: Heavyweight (201 lbs/91 kg)
Weight Class: Heavyweight/201 lbs
Hometown: Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Birth Date: October 22, 1985
Height: 6’ 7”
Coach’s Name: Jay Deas
Club Name: Skyy Boxing
School: Central High School
Began Boxing: October 19, 2005
2007 U.S. Champion
Michael Hunter: Super Heavyweight (201+ lbs/91+ kg)
Height: 6’ 2”
Born: July 10, 1988
Weight: 215 lbs
Lives: Las Vegas, Nevada
Began Boxing: 2002
Coach: Augie Sanchez
Career Highlight: Making it to the finals of the Golden Gloves with only five bouts
2006 Under 19 National Champion
2007 U.S. Champion
