On the closing day of boxing during the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games, Team USA secured an impressive tally: two golds, two silvers, and two bronze medals from previous day’s semi-finals.
Kicking off the excitement, featherweight contender Jahmal Harvey (Oxon Hill, Md.) set the stage for a heart-racing USA-Cuba final. After an initial tight race with Cuban fighter, Ivan Horta Rodriguez Del Rey, where he trailed 3-2, Harvey came back in the second round to even the scores. The climax? A thrilling final round where Harvey dominated with swift jabs and decisive combos, clinching the round 5-0 and snatching a unanimous victory. This gold victory cements Harvey in the league of other American legends in the featherweight division at the Pan American Games – think Kelcie Banks and Bernard Taylor.
Next, super heavyweight Joshua Edwards (Houston, Texas) earned a gold medal, albeit in a less conventional manner. His opponent, Brazil’s Abner Teixeira Da Silva, couldn’t compete, giving Edwards an automatic win. Still, this victory is a big deal – it’s only the second time an American super heavyweight has bagged gold in the Pan American Games. Remember Jason Estrada from 2003? Yup, he was the first.
Meanwhile, Jennifer Lozano (Laredo, Texas) had fans on the edge of their seats as she competed in the flyweight division. Though she claimed a silver medal after a unanimous decision against Brazil’s Caroline Barbosa De Almeida, Lozano stands tall as the third consecutive American woman to win silver in this division. Following legends like Marlen Esparza and Virginia Fuchs, she’s in great company. Oh, and she’s already punched her ticket to the Olympics next summer!
Then, Morelle McCane (Cleveland, Ohio) entered the ring. The day wasn’t in her favor, however, as she faced a 5-0 decision against Brazil’s Barbara Maria Dos Santos. But her journey is just starting – she’s the first female boxer from Cleveland to qualify for the Olympics in these Games.
And let’s not forget Jajaira Gonzalez (Glendora, Calif.) and Roscoe Hill (Spring, Texas), who added to Team USA’s medal excitement by taking home bronze medals.
Want to relive these exhilarating moments? Dive deep into this year’s Pan American Games archives for photos, athlete tales, and more.
Final Fight Results
- 50 kg: Caroline Barbosa De Almeida/BRA dec. over Jennifer Lozano, Laredo, Texas/USA, 5-0 – Silver Medal.
- 57 kg: Jahmal Harvey, Oxon Hill, Md./USA, dec. over Ivan Horta Rodriguez Del Rey/CUB, 5-0 – Gold Medal.
- 66 kg: Barbara Maria Dos Santos/BRA dec. over Morelle McCane, Cleveland, Ohio/USA, 5-0 – Silver Medal.
- 92+ kg: Joshua Edwards, Houston, Texas/USA wins over Abner Teixeira Da Silva/BRA, WO – Gold Medal.