The final day of boxing at the 2019 Bornemissza Tournament in Eger, Hungary was dominated by the young American team, taking seven golds and one silver, which earned them Best Team of the Tournament.
Pineweight Richard Fernandez Jr. continued his impressive international debut by picking up Team USA’s first gold medal of the day. Fernandez took a split decision victory over India’s Singh Yaiphaba Soibam to capture his first international title. His impressive week of boxing earned him the Best Junior Boxer of the Tournament honors.
Floyd Diaz (Las Vegas, Nev.) continued the American’s winning ways with his own victory in the light flyweight final. Diaz grabbed all five judges’ cards in his first international championship bout over Jakobsen Magnus of Denmark for USA Boxing’s second gold.
Featherweight Emilio Garcia (Laredo, Texas) put on a dominating performance over Singh Laishangbam Rabichandra of India, which included a standing eight count in the third round, to pick up the unanimous decision victory, as well as the young American’s first international gold medal.
Two-time Junior National Champion Joel Iriate (Bakersfield, Calif.) followed his teammates and took a split decision victory over India’s Vanshaj for his first international gold medal. The lightweight’s win was the fourth gold medal for the Americans.
Jahi Tucker (Deer Park, N.Y.) was the fifth member of Team USA to pick up their first international title. The light welterweight won by unanimous decision over Bendeguz Szigetvari of Hungary, while light middleweight Nathan Lugo (Marietta, Ga.) defeated Hungary’s Gergo Sztupa by abandonment, his second win by abandonment of the tournament.
Middleweight Antwan Hunter Jr. (Syracuse, N.Y.) closed out the tournament with an impressive performance over Norway’s Ovald Markus to capture Team USA’s seventh gold of the tournament.
Welterweight Kasir Goldston (Albany, N.Y.) began the day for the young American team with a heartbreaking split decision loss to Hungary’s Mate Horvath to take the silver medal.
Team USA is leaving the 69th edition of the Bornemissza Tournament with a total of 12 medals. Joseph Almajdi (Arlington, Texas), Carl Garrison (Balch Springs, Texas), Diego Luna (San Diego, Calif.) and Trinidad Vargas (Grand Prairie, Texas) picked up bronze, all four first international medal, in yesterday’s semifinals.
This year’s edition brought 209 boxers from 23 different nations to Hungary to compete for gold. USA Boxing was guided by National Junior and Youth Coach Augie Sanchez (Las Vegas, Nev.), with Edward Ochoa Jr. (Gilbert, Ariz.) and Pete Rojas Jr. (Grand Prairie, Texas) serving as assistant coaches. Also attending with the American delegation was Dr. Kevin Lee (Dallas, Texas), Team Manager Derrick Raedel (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and referee and judge David Zawacki (Santa Monica, Calif.) to the tournament.
Finals Results
46 kg: Richard Fernandez Jr., San Antonio, Texas/USA, dec. over Singh Yaiphaba Soibam/IND, SD
48 kg: Floyd Diaz, Las Vegas, Nev./USA, dec. over Jakobsen Magnus/DEN, UD
57 kg: Emilio Garcia, Laredo, Texas/USA, dec. over Singh Laishangbam Rabichandra/IND, UD
60 kg: Joel Iriarte, Bakersfield, Calif./USA, dec. over Vanshaj/IND, SD
63 kg: Jahi Tucker, Deer Park, N.Y./USA, Bendeguz Szigetvari/HUN, UD
66 kg: Mate Horvath/HUN, dec. over Kasir Goldston, Albany, N.Y./USA, SD
70 kg: Nathan Lugo, Marietta, Ga./USA won by abandonment over Gergo Sztupa/HUN, AB
75 kg: Antwan Hunter Jr., Syracuse, N.Y./USA, dec. over Ovald Markus/NOR, UD
