The AMBC American Women’s Continental Championships was held in Guadalajara, Mexico where the US team topped the team rankings, and London 2012 Olympic Games Champion Claressa Shields proved her excellent skills once again.

This competition was an active preparation event prior to the 8th edition of the AIBA Women’s World Championships which is scheduled for Jeju, Korea in November.

Athlete of the tournament
US star Claressa Shields has won all of her bouts this year, and proved her top quality of boxing in Guadalajara.

She is the strongest athlete of the Women’s Middleweight class (75 kg), and besides her skill, she also possesses lightning quick speed.

Shields defeated Brazil’s South American Games winner Flavia Figueiredo in the semi-final of the event, and she defeated Canada’s former two-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Ariane Fortin in the final.

Team of the tournament
United States of America had seven finalists in the AMBC American Women’s Continental Championships in Guadalajara, and among them three of their boxers were able to win gold medals in the event.

Besides Claressa Shields, Marlen Esparza and Danyelle Wolf also achieved the gold medals in Mexico.

London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist 25-year-old Marlen Esparza had to meet with an old rival, Brazil’s AMBC American Women’s Continental Champion Clelia Costa for the gold, and she was able to defeat her South American opponent by unanimous decision.

USA’s Welterweight class (69 kg) boxer Danyelle Wolf lost to Canada’s Myriam Da Silva in the dual matches between USA and Canada, but she performed much better in Guadalajara, and secured the third gold for the US delegation.

Surprise of the tournament
Mexico’s Victoria Torres was a silver medallist in the Panamerican Sports Festival in July, where she was defeated by US London 2012 Olympian Queen Underwood in the gold medal bout.

The young Mexican Lightweight class (60 kg) boxer defeated her US opponent in their semi-final rematch of this continental event, and continued her winning path for the gold against Brazil’s London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist Adriana Araujo.

Ones to watch in the future
Argentina’s new sensation Leonela Sanchez was a silver medallist in the last edition of the AMBC American Women’s Continental Championships in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela where she was defeated by US boxer, AIBA Women’s World Championships bronze medallist Christina Cruz.

Sanchez has now turned 20, and her skills have developed well in the recent year which meant that she was able to strike back against her previous loss to Christina Cruz and reached her career highlight in Guadalajara.

Brazil’s Tayna Cardoso has been a member of their national squad since 2006 when she claimed a bronze at the continental championships.

Since then, she won the AMBC American Women’s Continental Championships in 2008, in 2009 and in 2010.

The Brazilian Featherweight class (57 kg) boxer had to be at her very best to win the gold medal in Guadalajara where she defeated US star, defending AIBA Women’s World Champion Tiara Brown by split decision.

Stat/fact of the tournament
Fifty-five elite women athletes competed in the event where hosts Mexico, United States and Canada sent a full team to Guadalajara.

Among the developing nations, Costa Rica, Honduras and Panama also competed in the 10th edition of the AMBC American Women’s Continental Championships in Mexico.

List of the winners in the AMBC American Women’s Continental Championships
48 kg: Denia Sosa, Mexico
51 kg: Marlen Esparza, United States
54 kg: Leonela Sanchez, Argentina
57 kg: Tayna Cardoso, Brazil
60 kg: Victoria Torres, Mexico
64 kg: Esmeralda Falcon, Mexico
69 kg: Danyelle Wolf, United States
75 kg: Claressa Shields, United States
81 kg: Andreia Bandeira, Brazil
+81kg:Vanessa Lepage Joanisse, Canada

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