Boxing has been at every Olympics since 1912 and has given us some big moments for some of Boxing’s biggest names. Oscar de la Hoya, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman all won Gold for the United States. This year it will be held in the Riocentro, a convention center built in the 70s. The US qualified boxers at the regional event as well as the world qualifying tournament. Carlos Balderas qualified based off a strong season in the World Series of Boxing and Claressa Shields qualified at the world amateur championships.

The Team:

This year’s team is made up of six men and two women, a small team by US standards. Rarely does boxing involve repeat Olympians, especially on the men’s side, but the one returning Olympian is Claressa Shields. Mikaela Mayer is the oldest on the team at 26 while Charles Conwell is the youngest as he won’t turn 19 until later this year.

Links are to twitter accounts for the athletes.

USA Boxing
Men:
Nico Hernández – Light flyweight
Antonio Vargas – Flyweight
Shakur Stevenson – Bantamweight
Carlos Balderas – Lightweight
Gary Antuanne Russell – Light welterweight
Charles Conwell – Middleweight

Women:
Mikaela Mayer – Lightweight
Claressa Shields* – Middleweight
* – Was on team in 2012 – London

Format:

A bout is three rounds of three minutes and scored based off of successful punches over the entire bout. This makes for exciting quick bouts where both boxers must go for it right away. Bronze medals are awarded to both boxers who lose the semifinal matches.

Schedule:

All Times ET
Saturday, August 6th
11:15 AM – Men’s Lightweight – Round of 32 – Carlos Balderas vs. Berik Abdrakhmanov
4:30 PM – Men’s Light Flyweight – Round of 32 – Nico Hernandez vs. Manuel Cappai

Monday, August 8th
10 AM – Men’s Light Flyweight – Round of 16

Tuesday, August 9th
1o AM – Men’s Lightweight – Round of 16
5:15 PM – Men’s Middleweight – Round of 32 – Charles Conwell vs. Krishan Vikas

Wednesday, August 10th
10 AM – Men’s Light Flyweight – Quarterfinals
5:15 PM – Men’s Light Welterweight – Round of 32 – Gary Russell vs. Richardson Hitchins

Friday, August 12th
11 AM – Men’s Light Flyweight – Semifinals
11:3o AM – Men’s Lightweight – Quarterfinals
12 PM – Men’s Middleweight – Round of 16
4:30 PM – Women’s Lightweight – Round of 16 – Mikaela Mayer vs. Jennifer Chieng

Saturday, August 13th
10:30 AM – Men’s Flyweight – Round of 32 – Antonio Vargas vs. Juliao Neto

Sunday, August 14th
11:15 AM – Men’s Bantamweight – Round of 16 – Shakur Stevenson vs. TBD
11:3o AM – Men’s Lightweight – Semifinals
11:45 AM – Men’s Light Welterweight – Round of 16
1:15 PM – Men’s Light Flyweight – Final

Monday, August 15th
10 AM – Women’s Lightweight – Quarterfinals
10:30 AM – Men’s Flyweight – Round of 16
11:45 AM – Men’s Middleweight – Quarterfinals

Tuesday, August 16th
10:30 AM – Men’s Bantamweight – Quarterfinals
11 AM – Men’s Light Welterweight – Quarterfinals
11:3o AM – Men’s Lightweight – Final

Wednesday, August 17th
1 PM – Women’s Lightweight – Semifinals
1:30 PM – Women’s Middleweight – Quarterfinals – Claressa Shields vs. TBD
2:30 PM – Men’s Flyweight – Quarterfinals

Thursday, August 18th
1:3 PM – Men’s Bantamweight – Semifinals
2 PM – Men’s Middleweight – Semifinals

Friday, August 19th
1 PM – Men’s Flyweight – Semifinals
1:30 PM – Men’s Light Welterweight – Semifinals
2:30 PM – Women’s Middleweight – Semifinals
3 PM – Women’s Lightweight – Final

Saturday, August 20th
1:15 PM – Men’s Bantamweight – Final
2 PM – Men’s Middleweight – Final

Sunday, August 21st
1 PM – Women’s Middleweight – Final
1:15 PM – Men’s Flyweight – Final
2 PM – Men’s Light Welterweight – Final

 

 

Past Results:

The US is the all-time leader in medals with 111 and golds with 49 and Cuba is the second most successful country. Rarely is there a repeat medalist in boxing but Claressa Shields has a gold from London and certainly will be favored to win again.