Shawn Estrada, Christopher Downs and Michael Hunter to Compete in the Final Americas Olympic Qualifier, April 25-30 in Guatemala City

(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – Three U.S. boxers will compete in the final Olympic Qualifier, April 25-30 in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Middleweight Shawn Estrada (E. Los Angeles, Calif.), light heavyweight Christopher Downs (Fort Carson, Colo.), and super heavyweight Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.) will all vie for their Beijing berths at the Domo-Deportiva Zona in Guatemala City. The trio of boxers will depart for Guatemala on Sunday, April 20 before opening competition on April 25..

Estrada and Hunter must advance to the finals to earn an Olympic spot while Downs has to place in top three to advance to the Olympic Games. The second Americas Olympic Qualifier is the third qualifying event, following the 2007 AIBA World Championships and first Americas Olympic Qualifier in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. All three U.S. boxers fell just one win short of qualifying in Port of Spain. The second Americas Olympic Qualifier will be the final opportunity for all three boxers to earn their Olympic spots.

Preliminary action will run from April 25-27 with semifinals taking place on April 29 and final round competition on April 30. The event draw will take place on the morning of April 25 in Guatemala City.

USA Boxing National Director of Coaching Dan Campbell (Colorado Springs, Colo.), 2004 Olympic Head Coach Basheer Abdullah (Fort Carson, Colo.), and USA Boxing Resident Coordinator Larry Nicholson (Colorado Springs, Colo.) will lead the U.S. team in Guatemala City.

Estrada, Downs and Hunter are hoping to join the eight U.S. boxers currently qualified for the 2008 Olympic Games. Light flyweight Luis Yanez (Duncanville, Texas), flyweight Rau’shee Warren (Cincinnati, Ohio), bantamweight Gary Russell, Jr. (Capitol Heights, Md.), featherweight Raynell Williams (Cleveland, Ohio), and welterweight Demetrius Andrade (Providence, R.I.) all earned spots at the 2007 World Championships. Lightweight Sadam Ali (Brooklyn, N.Y.), light welterweight Javier Molina (Commerce, Calif.), and heavyweight Deontay Wilder (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) claimed their spots at the Americas Olympic Qualifier in Port of Spain.

Second Americas Olympic Qualifier schedule
April 25-27 – Preliminary competition (2 p.m. and 7 p.m.)
April 28 – Rest Day
April 29 – Semifinal competition (2 p.m. and 7 p.m.)
April 30 – Final Round competition (6 p.m.)