USA Boxing Youth Team Dominates at 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup, Securing Nine Medals
BANGKOK, Thailand – The USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team concluded a successful run at the 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok, Thailand, securing a total of nine medals – four gold, one silver, and four bronze. The tournament concluded on Sunday, March 15, 2026, with several American boxers delivering standout performances.
Gold Medal Performances
Guadalupe Ruiz (women’s 54 kg | Anaheim, Calif.) led the charge, winning her first international gold medal with a 4-1 split decision victory over India’s Joyshree Devi Chirom. Ruiz showcased a dominant performance throughout the tournament, securing five wins including two RSC victories and two unanimous decisions USA Boxing.
Christian Paez (men’s 55 kg | San Antonio, Texas) also claimed gold, defeating Japan’s Ryusei Kitamura by a 3-2 split decision. Paez’s path to gold included six wins, highlighted by two RSCs and two unanimous decisions USA Boxing.
Brijhana Epperson (women’s 57 kg | Kansas City, Mo.) secured a unanimous decision victory over Ukraine’s Yevanhelina Petruk, earning her first international gold medal. Epperson won all three rounds 5-0, demonstrating her control throughout the bout USA Boxing.
Team captain Lauryn Elmore (women’s 65 kg | Sacramento, Calif.) rounded out the gold medal winners, defeating Uzbekistan’s Sevara Mamatova by a 4-1 split decision. This victory marked Elmore’s second international medal and her first gold USA Boxing.
Silver Medalist
Angel Blancarte (men’s 85 kg | Hutchinson, Kan.) earned a silver medal after winning his first bout 3-2 over Kazakhstan’s Nursultan Kystaubay, before being defeated 5-0 by Uzbekistan’s Sardorbek Bakhromkhujaev USA Boxing.
Bronze Medalists
The USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team also secured four bronze medals through Marley McNealy (women’s 70 kg | San Francisco, Calif.), Ariana Chavez (women’s 75 kg | Rio Rancho, N.M.), Asaan Jenkins (men’s 65 kg | Washington, D.C.), and Caleb Reid (men’s 90+ kg | Palm Bay, Fla.) Women Boxing.
Team Leadership
The team was led by National Development Coach Edward Fonteneaux (Fayetteville, N.C.), with assistance from High Performance Pool coaches Holly Gregson (Idaho Falls, Idaho), Jason Hamilton (Spanaway, Wash.), Yessenia Montalvo (Bloomfield, N.J.), and Ronald Wright (Columbus, Ga.) USA Boxing.
Further details, bout sheets, and updates from the 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup are available on the USA Boxing website.