Today, USA Boxing announced the 2024 USA Boxing Elite High Performance Team roster, which will compete at the World Qualification Tournaments and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The 2024 USA Boxing roster is highlighted by the five boxers who qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in October at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games. Those five boxers include Jennifer Lozano (Laredo, Texas), Jahmal Harvey (Oxon Hill, Md.), Jajaira Gonzalez (Glendora, Calif.), Morelle McCane (Cleveland, Ohio), and Joshua Edwards (Houston, Texas).
Lozano and McCane etched their names in the history books in 2023. Lozano won silver at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games and helped put her hometown, Laredo, Texas, on the map. She became the first athlete from her city to qualify for an Olympic Games in any sport. McCane is the fifth straight boxer and first female boxer to qualify for an Olympic Games from Cleveland. She also is just the second female boxer from Ohio to compete in an Olympics.
As for Harvey, he was the first American male to win an Elite World title since 2007. He punched his tick to Paris when he won gold at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games. Edwards was the other gold medalist in Santiago. Edwards also won bronze at the 2023 Czech Republic Grand Prix.
Gonzalez rounds out the five Olympians thus far. Gonzalez was a bronze medalist at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games and a three-time amateur World Champion.
Following the qualified boxers, the 2024 team includes World Champion Robby Gonzales (Las Vegas, Nevada). Gonzales looks to make his Olympic dreams come true by finishing in the top four in Busto Arsizio. Gonzales won gold at the 2021 Elite World Championships and has been one of Team USA’s top boxers, winning multiple gold medals in international competitions, including the 2022 Continental Championships, as well as two gold medals and one bronze medal in 2023.
Rounding out the male boxing team includes Emilio Garcia (Laredo, Texas), two-time international medalist in 2023, who hopes to be the first male athlete from Laredo to qualify for the Olympics in any sport; Omari Jones (Orlando, Fla.), silver medalist at the 2021 Elite World Championship and consecutive international gold medalist in 2023; Jamar Talley (Camden, N.J.), 2023 Gee Bee International Tournament and 2022 AMBC Elite Championships gold medalists; and 2023 Pan American Games bronze medalist and 2022 AMBC Continental champion in Roscoe Hill (Spring, Texas).
Remaining female boxers include Naomi Graham (Fayetteville, N.C), the sole Olympian on the roster, 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Champion Alyssa Mendoza (Caldwell, Idaho), and Shera Mae Patricio (Waianae, Hawaii), 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Boxing champion.
The eight boxers who have not qualified for this summer’s Olympic Games will have their next opportunity to punch their ticket to Paris at the first World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy, March 4-11. Seven of the eight boxers must finish in the top four to qualify to Paris, while Mendoza must finish in the top two to qualify. However, if they fail to qualify in Italy, they still have one more opportunity at the 2nd World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand, scheduled from May 23 through June 3.
Before arriving in Busto Arsizio, all 13 Team USA members will participate in a multination training camp in Assisi, Italy, from Feb. 15-29.
Team USA Roster
50 kg: Jennifer Lozano, Laredo, Texas*
51 kg: Roscoe Hill, Spring, Texas
54 kg: Shera Mae Patricio, Waianae, Hawaii
57 kg: Alyssa Mendoza, Caldwell, Idaho
57 kg: Jahmal Harvey, Oxon Hill, Md.*
60 kg: Jajaira Gonzalez, Glendora, Calif.*
63.5 kg: Emilio Garcia, Laredo, Texas
66 kg: Morelle McCane, Cleveland, Ohio*
71 kg: Omari Jones, Orlando, Fla.
75 kg: Naomi Graham, Fayetteville, N.C.
80 kg: Robby Gonzales, Las Vegas, Nev.
92 kg: Jamar Talley, Camden, N.J.
92+ kg: Joshua Edwards, Houston, Texas*
*Qualified for Paris 2024 Olympics