Reigning Junior World Champion Jajaira Gonzalez Scores a Second Round Stoppage at the 2014 Youth World Championships

[By Julie Goldsticker]

(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – 2013 Junior World Champion Jajaira Gonzalez (Glendora, Calif.) took the first step toward another world title on Wednesday at the Armeec Arena in Sofia, Bulgaria. Gonzalez opened the tournament in her typical impressive fashion, stopping her opening round opponent in the second round of their lightweight contest at the 2014 Youth World Championships.

Gonzalez is known for her tremendous punch output and that style served her well in her lightweight bout with Vietnam’s Trang le Thi. After winning the first round on all three judges scorecards, she turned it up in the second, stopping le Thi at the :51 mark of the second stanza. The victory earns Gonzalez a berth in the next round where she will face Poland’s Justyna Walas on Friday morning.

Her fellow 2013 Junior World Champion Shakur Stevenson (Newark, N.J.) will compete in his first bout of the 2014 Youth World Championships tomorrow in a contest with Puerto Rico’s Juan Camacho. Stevenson is expected to take the ring at approximately 12 p.m. ET. Female middleweight Martha Fabela (Oakland, Calif.) will compete in Thursday’s morning session, battling Vietnam’s Quynh Diemluu in the final bout of the day’s early action.

Coaches Pedro Roque (Colorado Springs, Colo.), David Balderas (Santa Maria, Calif.), and Willie Moses (Newark, N.J.) are leading the United States team at the international event in Bulgaria with Dr. Ralph Bohm (Dix Hills, N.Y.) serving as the team physician.

For additional information on the 2014 Youth World Championships and links to the online stream of the action, go to http://boxingsofia2014.org.

U.S. Results

112 lbs/female: Jajaira Gonzalez, Glendora, Calif./USA won on TKO over Trang le Thi, VIE, TKO-2