SANTIAGO, Chile (October 28, 2023) — Team USA went 2-2 yesterday on the final day of boxing at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games to take two gold and two silver medals to go along with their two bronze medals earned during yesterday’s semifinals.
Featherweight Jahmal Harvey (Oxon Hill, Md.) began the day with what shaped up to be another classic United States versus Cuba final.
The 2021 World Champion saw the Cuban, Ivan Horta Rodriguez Del Rey, take a close 3-2 lead after the first round, but came back in the second round to take his own 3-2 decision, resulting in the duo to be tied across all five judges’ cards before the final round.
The American rallied during the final three minutes, landing clean jabs to the body and head, as well as combinations to take the round, 5-0, and the overall unanimous decision victory and gold medal.
Harvey’s gold medal performance adds him to a list of other Team USA greats that won gold in the featherweight division at the Pan American Games, including Kelcie Banks and Bernard Taylor.
Super heavyweight Joshua Edwards (Houston, Texas) added 2023 Pan American Games gold medalist to his resume with his walkover victory over Brazil’s Abner Teixeira Da Silva. Edwards gold medal is just the second in USA Boxing history, joining Jason Estrada (2003) as the only two American super heavyweights to take gold at a Pan American Games.
Jennifer Lozano (Laredo, Texas) became the third straight female American to win a silver medal at the Pan American Games in the flyweight division, following in Marlen Esparza and Virginia Fuchs footsteps, both from Texas as well. Lozano, who punched her ticket to next summer’s Olympic Games yesterday, fell short in capturing the gold medal by way of unanimous decision against Brazil’s Caroline Barbosa De Almeida.
Morelle McCane (Cleveland, Ohio) was the final member of Team USA to box today, however, fell short in a 5-0 decision against Brazil’s Barbara Maria Dos Santos. McCane became the fifth straight boxer from Cleveland and first female boxer from the city to qualify to the Olympics during these Games.
Jajaira Gonzalez (Glendora, Calif.) and Roscoe Hill (Spring, Texas) rounded out Team USA’s medal count, as each are leaving Santiago with bronze medals.
To relive all the action from this year’s Pan American Games, including photos, athlete stories and more, click here.
Finals 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 by walkover over Abner Teixeira Da Silva/BRA, WO – gold medal