Veteran Karl Dargan (Philadelphia, Pa.) is the lone boxer boxing in his second Pan Am Games, but he will be vying for his first hardware when he takes the ring in light welterweight action in Rio de Janeiro. In addition to Dargan, four two-time national champions will battle for Pan American Games gold in Brazil with light flyweight Luis Yanez (Duncanville, Texas); welterweight Demetrius Andrade (Providence, R.I.); light heavyweight Christopher Downs (Fort Carson, Colo.) and super heavyweight Mike Wilson (Central Point, Ore.) all boxing in their first Pan Games.

Two New Yorkers and a 2007 Golden Gloves champion will represent the United States in Rio de Janeiro. 2004 National Golden Gloves featherweight champion Luis Del Valle (Newburgh, N.Y.) and 2006 Heavyweight National Champion Adam Willett (Bell Port, N.Y.) will both look to add a Pan American Games title to their resume while 2007 National Golden Gloves middleweight champion Shawn Porter (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) will also be chasing gold in Brazil.

Youngsters Qa’id Muhammad (Atlantic City, N.J.) and Roberto Marroquin (Dallas, Texas) round out the United States team. Muhammad boasts an Under 19 National Championship at the flyweight division while Marroquin took home the Junior Olympic National title in 2006. Marroquin, who will be boxing at the bantamweight division, is the youngest boxer from any country competing in the 2007 Pan American Games while light heavyweight Christopher Downs holds the distinction of being the oldest.

The United States boxing team arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday, July 15 and has settled into the athletes’ village for a short acclimation camp before opening competition on Friday, June 20 with first round bouts in the light flyweight, bantamweight, lightweight, welterweight, and light heavyweight divisions. Preliminary round action will begin in the six remaining weight divisions on Saturday, July 21.

The draw will be completed on Friday morning to determine the brackets in each of the 11 weight divisions with competition beginning at 4 p.m. at the Riocentro Sports Complex Pavilion Two.

The United States boxing team won four medals (one gold, two silver, and one bronze) at the 2003 Pan American Games, and hold the lead in overall Pan American Games medals with 100 (29 gold, 30 silver, and 41 bronze). Cuba is close behind with 99 Pan American Games medals. Boxing has been a part of the Pan American Games since the first event in 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Updated Pan American Games Boxing Competition Schedule
July 20 – 4 p.m.
Light flyweight/106 lbs (5 preliminary bouts)
Bantamweight/119 lbs (5 preliminary bouts)
Lightweight/132 lbs (5 preliminary bouts)
Welterweight/152 lbs (3 preliminary bouts)
Light heavyweight/178 lbs (1 preliminary bout)

July 21 – 4 p.m.
Flyweight/112 lbs (5 preliminary bouts)
Featherweight/125 lbs (5 preliminary bouts)
Light welterweight/141 lbs (3 preliminary bouts)
Middleweight/165 lbs (3 preliminary bouts)
Heavyweight/201 lbs (1 preliminary bout)
Super heavyweight/201+ lbs (1 preliminary bout)

July 22 – 4 p.m.
Light flyweight/106 lbs (4 quarterfinal bouts)
Bantamweight/119 lbs (4 quarterfinal bouts)
Lightweight/132 lbs (4 quarterfinal bouts)
Welterweight/152 lbs (4 quarterfinal bouts)
Light heavyweight/178 lbs (4 quarterfinal bouts)

July 23 – 4 p.m.
Flyweight/112 lbs (4 quarterfinal bouts)
Featherweight/125 lbs (4 quarterfinal bouts)
Light welterweight/141 lbs (4 quarterfinal bouts)
Middleweight/165 lbs (4 quarterfinal bouts)
Heavyweight/201 lbs (4 quarterfinal bouts)
Super heavyweight/201+ lbs (4 quarterfinal bouts)

July 24 – 6 p.m.
Light flyweight/106 lbs (2 semifinal bouts)
Bantamweight/119 lbs (2 semifinal bouts)
Lightweight/132 lbs (2 semifinal bouts)
Welterweight/152 lbs (2 semifinal bouts)
Light heavyweight/178 lbs (2 semifinal bouts)

July 25 – 6 p.m.
Flyweight/112 lbs (2 semifinal bouts)
Featherweight/125 lbs (2 semifinal bouts)
Light welterweight/141 lbs (2 semifinal bouts)
Middleweight/165 lbs (2 semifinal bouts)
Heavyweight/201 lbs (2 semifinal bouts)
Super heavyweight/201+ lbs (2 semifinal bouts)

July 26 – OFF DAY

July 27 – 5 p.m.
Championship Bouts
Light flyweight/106 lbs
Bantamweight/119 lbs
Lightweight/132 lbs
Welterweight/152 lbs
Light heavyweight/178 lbs
July 28 – 5 p.m.
Championship Bouts
Flyweight/112 lbs
Featherweight/125 lbs
Light welterweight/141 lbs
Middleweight/165 lbs
Heavyweight/201 lbs
Super heavyweight/201+ lbs

For full bios on the United States boxing team, go to http://www.usaboxing.org/92_1974.htm