Shakur Stevenson knows where USA Boxing regionals like the one in Chattanooga this week can lead.
In his case he parlayed regional qualifying success into four amateur national championships in Reno, Nev., and world junior and youth championships in Ukraine and Bulgaria. He was a Youth Olympic Games gold medalist in Nanjing, China, in 2014 and an Olympic gold medalist last year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after being honored as “outstanding boxer” at the United States trials.
The 20-year-old Stevenson is a professional boxer now and is 3-0 with a fourth fight this year set for Dec. 9 on the undercard of the showdown between two-time Olympic gold medalists Vasyl Lomachenko and Guillermo Rigondeaux at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
Stevenson is going Nov. 1 to California to begin training camp, but he wanted to watch the amateurs’ big qualifier after having participated in so many. The winners and runners-up in Chattanooga go on to Salt Lake City for the 2017 nationals, which will end on the same night he’ll be fighting in New York City.
He’s mainly here this week to cheer on Keyshawn Davis of Norfolk, Va., who won his Elite 132-pound fight Wednesday night at the Chattanooga Conventon Center by a 5-0 count. Davis, 19 and in his first year in the Elite division, works out of the same Virginia gym as Stevenson, who grew up in Newark, N.J., as the oldest of nine siblings.
The two gym mates spar “all the time,” Stevenson said Wednesday night.
“He’s a real good fighter. He should win the tournament,” Stevenson said of Davis.
The Elite male and female finals are set for Saturday night, beginning at 7, and Stevenson said Davis would be participating. He virtually guaranteed more than that, in fact.
“He’s going to win Saturday night. I’m 90 percent sure,” the Olympic silver medalist said. “He’s going to be in the next Olympics, 2020, and at the rate he’s going he should win gold.”
Stevenson’s runner-up run in Rio was the highest Olympic finish for an American male since Andre Ward won gold in 2004, and the recently retired Ward now is his manager.
“I think I’m the first guy he’s managed, but we had a relationship before that,” Stevenson said. “He’s basically my idol, and we used to talk.”
Stevenson was introduced to boxing at age 5 by his maternal grandfather, Wali Moses, who continues to coach him. A 16-year-old brother recently took up the sport as well.
For those who don’t win and go to national titles, Stevenson said, “I was not always winning when I was 8, 9, 10, 11, even 12. I used to lose at nationals. Just keep going. Keep working. Get all that experience you can. Sooner or later it’s going to click in, and some of them are going to dominate.
“That’s what happened to me. I came to the point I decided not to lose, and I worked harder than ever.”
World champs win
Jajaira Gonzalez of Fountain, Colo., is a Junior and Youth world champion and Youth Olympic gold champion who won her tournament opener at 132 pounds Wednesday afternoon, and Junior and Youth world champion Marc Castro (123) of Fresno, Calif., won his Elite regional debut in the night session, when Delante “Tiger” Johnson (141) of Cleveland, Ohio, became another past Youth world champ to advance.
Contact Ron Bush at rbush@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6291.
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
Championship bouts designated by *
6 p.m. session
Ring 1
Junior/110 lbs.: Keith Colon, Newark, N.J., dec. over Shawn’dell Smith, Cincinnati, Ohio, 4-1
Junior/110 lbs.: Markel Hardy, Cincinnati, Ohio, dec. over Denton Yates, Toledo, Ohio, 5-0
Junior/110 lbs.: Samuel Cosio, Kansas City, Mo., dec. over Jesus Gallegos, Elsa, Texas, 5-0
Junior/110 lbs.: Angel Garcia, Conroe, Texas, dec. over Luis Morell, Allentown, Pa., 4-1
Junior/119 lbs.: Jeremy Adorno, Allentown, Pa., won by disqualification over Tyler Duncan, Akron, Ohio, DQ
Junior/119 lbs.: Eric Tudor, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., dec. over Jalen Moore, Irving, Texas, 5-0
Elite/141 lbs.: David Fecteau, Westland, Mich., dec. over Anthony Adams, Shawnee, Kan., 5-0
Elite/141 lbs.: Shamar Fulton, Philadelphia, Pa., dec. over Joseph Reed, Providence, R.I., 5-0
Elite/152 lbs.: Jamell Brown, Hamlet, N.C., dec. over Julian Smith, Country Club Hills, Ill., 3-2
Elite/152 lbs.: Raekwon Johnson, Columbus, Ga., dec. over Alec Zavala, Eastvale, Calif., 4-1
Elite/165 lbs.: Sixto Suazo, Smyrna, Ga., won by RSC over Brian Lawrence, Dorchester, Mass., RSC
Elite/165 lbs.: Miguel Hernandez, Dallas, Texas, dec. over Terrance Coleman, Lincoln, Neb., 4-1
Elite/165 lbs.: Nikita Ababiy, Brooklyn, N.Y., dec. over Logan Burns, Columbus, Ga., 5-0
Elite/165 lbs.: Christopher Thompson, Flint, Mich., dec. over Christopher Thorton, Desoto, Texas, 5-0
Elite/178 lbs.: Antwan Jones, Toledo, Ohio dec. over Vaughn Williams, Greenville,S.C., 3-2
Elite/178 lbs.: Atif Oberlton, Philadelphia, Pa., dec. over Labryant Sparrow, New Iberia, La., 5-0
Ring 2
Elite/114 lbs.: Saleto Henderson, Indianapolis, Ind., dec. over Kawai Duldulao, Kehei, Hawaii, 5-0
Elite/114 lbs.: Jonas Persaud, Concord, Calif., won by RSC over Edward Rojas, Lakewood, Wash., RSC-2
Elite/123 lbs.: Marc Castro, Fresno, Calif., won by RSC over Christopher Martinez, Philadelphia, Pa., RSC-3
Elite/123 lbs.: Aridis Duran, Bronx, N.Y., dec. over Jovany Carrillo, Dallas, Texas, 5-0
Elite/123 lbs.: Aneudy Rios, Grand Rapids, Mich., won by RSC over Lamar Brown, Murfreesboro, Tenn., RSC-2
Elite/123 lbs.: Edward Richardson, Baton Rouge, La., won by RSC over Abdeljalil Sebbai, Worcestor, Mass., RSC-2
Elite/132 lbs.: Eric Puente, Vista, Calif., dec. over Day’shon Smith, Forth Worth, Texas, 5-0
Elite/132 lbs.: Keyshawn Davis, Norfolk, Va., dec. over Daniel Bailey, Fort Hood, Texas, 5-0
Elite/132 lbs.: James Browning, Las Vegas, Nev., dec. over Kenya Rainey, Chicago, Ill., 4-1
Elite/132 lbs.: Joseph Macedo, Las Vegas, Nev., dec. over Shontae Yelder, Detroit, Mich. 4-1
Elite/141 lbs.: Jeremy Hill, New Orleans, La., dec. over Benjamin Gravitt, LaGrange, Ga., 5-0
Elite/141 lbs.: Trey Alexander, Colorado Springs, Colo., dec. over Keon Eikerenkoetter, St. Louis, Mo., 5-0
Elite/152 lbs.: Josniel Castro, Portland, Maine, won by RSC over Joey Borrero, Las Vegas, Nev., RSC-3
Elite/152 lbs.: Sean Charleston, Riverdale, Ga., dec. over Victor Aranda, Jr., El Paso, Texas, 5-0
Ring 3
Elite/114 lbs.: Charles Williams, Colorado Springs, Colo., dec. over Israel Ibarra, San Antonio, Texas, 5-0
Elite/123 lbs.: Jaqeem Hutcherson, Temple Hills, Md., won by walkover over Basil Nasser, Dearborn Heights, Mich., WO
Elite/123 lbs.: Victor Medina, Hartford, Conn., dec. over Angel Legrandier, Cincinnati, Ohio, 3-2
Elite/123 lbs.: Raymond Ford, Sicklerville, N.J., dec. over Sean Brewer, Cedar Park, Texas, 5-0
Elite/123 lbs.: Elon Dejesus, Dunkirk, N.Y., won by walkover over Nicholas Sullivan, Portsmouth, Va., WO
Elite/132 lbs.: Travon Lawson, Auburn, Ala., dec. over Brandon Aguayo-Enrique, Omaha, Neb., 3-2
Elite/132 lbs.: Dorrel Fore, Sacramento, Calif., dec. over Jose Montoya, Henderson, Nev., 3-2
Elite/132 lbs.: Desmond Lyons, North Augusta, S.C., dec. over Malik Lewis, Miami, Fla., 5-0
Elite/132 lbs.: Kevin Montano, Condord, Calif., dec. over Bruce Carrington, Brooklyn, N.Y., 3-2
Elite/141 lbs.: Felipe Ruvalcaba, Santa Ana, Calif, dec. over Anthony Ramirez, Philadelphia, Pa., 5-0
Elite/141 lbs.: Bryson Nuckles, Winfield, Kan., dec. over Jamir Cope, Teaneck, N.J., 4-1
Elite/152 lbs.: Lazaro Lorenzana, San Diego, Calif., dec. over Isaac Luna, El Paso, Texas, 4-1
Elite/152 lbs.: Alexander Thiel, Las Vegas, Nev., dec. over Amir Mason, Cleveland, Ohio, 3-2
Elite/165 lbs.: Aaron Katzman, West Point, N.Y., dec. over Deontae Simmons, Dallas, Texas, 5-0
Ring 4
Junior/114 lbs.: Miguel Sanana, Tampa, Fla., dec. over Keedric White, Jackson, Miss.,5-0
Junior/114 lbs.: Floyd Schofield, Alpharetta, Ga., dec. over Jasiel Nieves, Avanel, N.J., 5-0
Junior/114 lbs.: Jamontae Jones, Toledo, Ohio, dec. over Jason Komanekin, Keshena, Wisc., 4-1
Junior/114 lbs.: Xavier Nunez, Corpus Christi, Texas, dec. over Tyrell Simon, Newburgh, N.Y., 4-1
Junior/119 lbs.: Mykell Gamble, Cincinnati, Ohio, dec. over Keyvon Long, Chattanooga, Tenn., 5-0
Junior/119 lbs.: Garrett Rice, Flint, Mich., dec. over Javier Fernandez, San Antonio, Texas, 5-0
Elite/141 lbs.: Deyshawn Williams, East Elmhurst, N.Y., dec. over Jerome Baxter, Pittsburgh, Pa., 5-0
Elite/141 lbs.: Delante Johnson, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, dec. over Marcela Davidson, Shawnee, Kan. 5-0
Elite/152 lbs.: Dezmond Lucas, Bronx, N.Y., dec. over Antoine Cobb, Chicago, Ill., 4-1
Elite/152 lbs.: Jaquan McElroy, Flint, Mich., won by RSC over Darnell Parker, Kansas City, Mo., RSC-2
Elite/165 lbs.: Joseph Hicks, Grand Rapids, Mich., dec. over Antonio Hatchett, Grand Prarie, Texas, RSC
Elite/165 lbs.: Quaseem Carter, East Orange, N.J., dec. over Jordon Jackson, Sauk Village, Ill., 4-1
Elite/165 lbs.: Rahim Gonzales, Sylmar, Calif., dec. over Eric Priest, Shawnee, Kan., 5-0
Elite/178 lbs.: Salih Alhemoud, Oregon, Ohio, won by walkover over My’cheal Teal, St. Petersburg, Fla., WO
Elite/178 lbs.: Khalil Coe, Jersey City, N.J., dec. over Jessie Elizondo, San Antonio, Texas, 5-0
Elite/178 lbs.: Jorge Tovar, El Paso, Texas, won by RSC over Freddie Jordan, Arlington, Texas, RSC
Noon Session
Ring 1
Pee Wee/55 lbs.: Kahil Harvey Jr., Canton, Mich., dec. over Micah Brown-El, 5-0*
Pee Wee/65 lbs.: Lavone Peak, Rochester, N.Y., dec. over Kairee Kelly, Washington, D.C., 3-2*
Pee Wee/75 lbs.: Erik Reyes, Newburgh, N.Y., dec. over Troy Harris, Cincinnati, Ohio, 4-1*
Bantam/106 lbs.: Khaliq Harrison, Fort Washington, Md., dec. over Malachi Davis, Albany, N.Y., 3-2*
Bantam/60 lbs.: Emmanuel Chance, East Orange, N.J., dec. over Jaredd Blout II, Marrieta, Ga., 3-2
Bantam/65 lbs.: Elixian Carrillo, Wichita Falls, Texas, dec. over Nathan Vilches, Mercedes, Texas, 4-1
Bantam/70 lbs.: Ranulfo Bocanegra, Donna, Texas, dec. over Christian Jauregui, Dade City, Fla., 5-0
Bantam/75 lbs.: Curmel Moton, Las Vegas, Nev., dec. over Amador Mendez, Austin, Texas, 5-0
Bantam/80 lbs.: Cornellio Phipps, Oxord, Pa., dec. over Caleb Suniga, Manor, Texas, 5-0
Bantam/85 lbs.: Michael Crockett, Toledo, Ohio, dec. over Sasha Tudor, Hollywood, Fla., 5-0
Bantam/90 lbs.: Imari Williams, Syracuse, N.Y., dec. over Justice Henry, Fort Pierce, Fla.
Bantam/95 lbs.: Reuben Miranda, Staten Island, N.Y., dec. over Jesse Vasquez, Dallas, Texas, 4-1
Intermediate/70 lbs.: Marcellus Smith, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, won by walkover over Willie Torres, Lancaster, Pa., WO
Intermediate/80 lbs.: Xavier Bocanegra, Donna, Texas, dec. over Raimier Walker, Syracuse, N.Y., 3-2
Intermediate/85 lbs.: Richard Fernandez, San Antonio, Texas, dec. over Andres Vega, Easton, Pa., 5-0
Intermediate/90 lbs.: Floyd Diaz, Las Vegas, Nev., dec. over Antwoine Dorm, York, Pa., 5-0
Intermediate/95 lbs.: Abdullah Mason, Cleveland, Ohio, dec. Over Cuttino Oliver, Baltimore, Md., 5-0
Intermediate/101 lbs.: Lehnox Rodriguez, Springfield, Mass., dec. over Bobbie Petigrew, Brooklyn, N.Y., 3-2
Intermediate/110 lbs.: Favian Lopez, Baytown, Texas, won by walkover over Darius Ward, Cincinnati, Ohio, WO
Intermediate/114 lbs.: Johnathan Gonzalez, Houston, Texas, won by RSC over William Curvin, Soddy Daisy, Tenn., WO
Intermediate/119 lbs.: Jose Rodriguez, Springfield, Ill., dec. over Amir Anderson, Syracuse, N.Y., 4-0
Intermediate/125 lbs.: Khalil Abdullah, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, dec. over Antwan Hunter, Syracuse, N.Y., 5-0
Intermediate/132 lbs.: Alan Garcia, Ulysses, Kan., dec. over Maximo Sanchez, Arlington, Texas, 5-0
Ring 2
Youth/123 lbs.: Jay Stancil III, Clinton, Md., dec. over Miguel Gomez, Antioch, Tenn., 4-1
Youth/123 lbs.: Anthony Garnica, Oakland, Calif., dec. over Carlos Gonzalez, Sunnyvale, Calif., 5-0
Youth/123 lbs.: Cal Ashby, Brooklyn, N.Y., dec. over Chamar Flowers, Accokeek, Md., 5-0
Youth/123 lbs.: Ronnell Johnson, Columbus, Ohio, dec. over Lorenz Jordan, Green Bay, Wisc., 4-1
Youth/141 lbs.: Enmanuel Rojas, Las Vegas, Nev., dec. over Sir Tommy Sutton, Omaha, Neb., 5-0
Youth/141 lbs.: Lavars Carter, Cincinnati, Ohio, dec. over Rigoberto Cepeda, Norfolk, Va., 5-0
Youth/141 lbs.: Giovanni Marquez, Houston, Texas, dec. over Jeovanny Estela, Orlanda, Fla., 4-1
Youth/141 lbs.: Bre’yon Gorham, Houston Texas, won by walkover over Havalache Sykes, Southaven, Miss., WO
Elite Female/119 lbs.: Esmeralda Navarro, Mission, Texas, dec. over Melanie Costa, Norton, Mass., 5-0
Elite Female/119 lbs.: Mariana Gonzalez, Sunnyvale, Calif., dec. over Jennifer Perella, Hyde Park, Mass., 5-0
Elite Female/125 lbs.: Nephateria Miller, New Haven, Conn. dec. over Olivia Hendrickson, Waterord, Wisc., 5-0
Elite Female/125 lbs.: Carmen Vargas, Houston, Texas won by RSC over Selina Bocnegra, Colorado Springs, Colo., RSC-3
Elite Female/132 lbs.: Jajaira Gonzalez, Fountain, Colo., dec. over Gvansta Pantsulaia, Brooklyn, N.Y., 5-0
Elite Female/141 lbs.: Crystal Aceves, El Paso, Texas, dec. over Kimberly Wabik, Everett, Mass., 5-0
Elite Female/141 lbs.: Raven Brown, San Antonio, Texas, dec. over Kim Putzier, St. Cloud, Minn., 3-2
Ring 3
Youth/123 lbs.: Rajon Chance, East Orange, N.J., dec. over Jorge Carlos, Shawnee, Kan., 4-1
Youth/123 lbs.: Japhethlee Llamido, Norwalk, Calif., won by RSC over Bryon Barrera, Newton, Mass., RSC-3
Youth/123 lbs.: Ezequiel Huaracha, Streamwood, Ill., won by RSC over Brian Shelledy, Artesia, Calif., RSC-2
Youth/123 lbs.: Malik Nelson, Avenel, N.J., won by RSC over Jaylen Nichols, Flint, Mich., RSC-2
Youth/141 lbs.: Omar Juarez, Brownsville, Texas, won by RSC over Brownsville, Texas, RSC-2
Youth/141 lbs.: Michael Williams, Fayettville, N.C., dec. over Henry Clare, Staten Island, N.Y., 4-1
Youth/141 lbs.: Messiah Snow, Cincinnati, Ohio, dec. over Riggs Dowty, Millington, Tenn.
Elite Female/119 lbs.: Otha Jones, Toledo, Ohio, dec. over Jonjairo Gonzlez, Glendora, Calif., 5-0
Elite Female/119 lbs.: Mikiah Kreps, Niagara Falls, N.Y., won by RSC over Jayda Davis, Chesapeake, Va., RSC-1
Elite Female/125 lbs.: Nyisha Goodluck, Brooklyn, N.Y., dec. over Leslie Soto, Las Vegas, Nev., 4-1
Elite Female/125 lbs.: Clarice Morales, Toledo, Ohio, dec. over Jessica Juarez, San Diego, Calif., 4-1
Elite Female/141 lbs.: Nargis Shaghasi, San Ramon, Calif., dec. over Jameliah Carr, Norfolk, Va., 4-1
Elite Female/141 lbs.: Destiny Jones, Austin, Texas, dec. over Whitney Gomez, Herriman, Utah, 4-1
Ring 4
Pee Wee/60 lbs.: Sa’mari Everette, Baltimore, Md., dec. over Javon Robinson, Oxford, Pa., 5-0*
Pee Wee/70 lbs.: Kelvonn Johnson, Cincinnati, Ohio, dec. over Kaleb Johnson, Raleigh, N.C., 5-0*
Pee Wee/85 lbs.: Jose Vasquez, Dallas, Texas, dec. over Dakayln Wilson, Memphis, Tenn., 5-0*
Bantam/60 lbs.: Emmet Villalpando, Weslaco, Texas, dec. over Jason Esparza, Wichita Falls, Texas, 4-1
Bantam/65 lbs.: Yu’Shore Williams Toledo, Ohio, dec. over Paris Taylor, Jamaica, N.Y., 5-0
Bantam/70 lbs.: Zabreon Brown, Oxon Hill, Md., dec. over Joey Isaac, Cincinnati, Ohio, split
Bantam/75 lbs.: Breishaun Johnson, Cincinnati, Ohio, dec. over Victor De Los Santos, San Antonio, Texas, 3-2
Bantam/80 lbs.: Izaiah Darden, Toledo, Ohio, dec. over Musa Robinson, Nottingham, Md., 3-2
Bantam/85 lbs.: Jasir Junior, Newburgh, N.Y., dec. over Jamil Cheatham, Las Vegas, Nev., 5-0
Bantam/90 lbs.: Douglas Foggie, Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio, dec. over Sebastian Acevedo, Brooklyn, N.Y., 4-1
Bantam/95 lbs.: Jesus Martinez, San Antonio, Texas, dec. over Andre Dodson, Jr., Cleveland, Ohio, 5-0
Intermediate/70 lbs.: Josue Feliciano, Detroit, Mich., dec. over Treshawn Siler, Cincinnati, Ohio, 3-2
Intermediate/80 lbs.: Zachary Carter, County Club Hills, Ill., dec. over Devin Price, Sicklerville, N.J., 5-0
Intermediate/85 lbs.: Akeem Chatham, Las Vegas, Nev., dec. over Garrett Palmer, Mount Morris, Mich., 4-1
Intermediate/90 lbs.: Jeremy Neives, Avenel, N.J., dec. over Joseph Vega, Easton, Pa., 3-2
Intermediate/95 lbs.: Jalmarionn Forte, Cincinnati, Ohio, dec. over Josiah Herrera, Aurora, Colo., 5-0
Intermediate/101 lbs.: Tyshawn Denson, Akron, Ohio, dec. over Daniel Cortez, Converse, Texas, 4-1
Intermediate/110 lbs.: Trinidad Vargas, Grand Prairie, Texas, dec. over Reynaldo Avarado, Hyde Park, Mass., 5-0
Intermediate/114 lbs.: Alan Panduro-Angulo, Omaha, Neb., dec. over Raheem Lawrence, Collingdale, Pa., 5-0
Intermediate/125 lbs.: Devaughn Lucas, Fulshur, Texas, dec. over Jonathan Lopez, Orlando, Fla., 3-2
Intermediate/132 lbs.: Nathan Lugo, Marietta, Ga., dec. over Ferris Dixon, Detroit, Mich., 3-2
Intermediate/138 lbs.: Kasir Goldston, Albany, N.Y., dec. over Daniel Goldman, Snellville, Ga., 5-0