AIRWAY HEIGHTS, Wash. (AP) — Queen Underwood rolled into the winner’s bracket finals with a 27-20 victory over lightweight Mikaela Mayer on Tuesday night in the second session of the first U.S. Olympic women’s boxing team trials.
Claressa Shields kept up her surprising charge through the middleweight bracket with a 31-12 victory over Andrecia Wasson. The impressive 16-year-old from Flint, Mich., built on her upset of Franchon Crews, the top American 165-pounder, a day earlier.
Top-ranked flyweight Marlen Esparza also survived a furious challenge from home-state favorite Alex Love for a 22-12 victory in her first bout of the team trials.
Esparza next will face Christina Cruz, who pulled out a tactical 20-15 win over aggressive Tyrieshia Douglas at the Northern Quest resort just outside Spokane.
