Team USA’s Shakur Stevenson and Martha Fabela Earn Youth World Championships Victories in Bulgaria

[Story by Julie Goldsticker/USA Boxing]

(COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO.) – Team USA enjoyed an undefeated day at the 2014 Youth World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria on Thursday with two American athletes recording opening round wins. 2013 Junior World Champion Shakur Stevenson (Newark, N.J.) and 2014 Youth Continental titlist Martha Fabela (Oakland, Calif.) each defeated their preliminary round foes at the Armeec Arena.

Stevenson ended a three-month absence from the ring in a first round match-up with Puerto Rico’s Juan Camacho in today’s evening action. The 2013 AIBA Junior Male Boxer of the Year wasted no time, giving Camacho a standing eight count in the first round of their bout. Despite the Puerto Rican’s persistent pressure, Stevenson went on to win a unanimous decision victory in their flyweight contest. He will face off with Turkmenistan’s Hursand Imankuliyev in his second bout on Sunday morning.

Fabela competed in her first-ever World Championships bout in a middleweight match-up with Vietnam’s Quynh Diemluu in morning action at the Armeec Arena. She claimed a 3-0 victory over Diemluu in her tournament opener to move on to Friday’s competition. She will take on Nigeria’s Celina Agwu in second round action tomorrow morning.

Three U.S. boxers will join Fabela in Friday’s Youth World championships action at the Armeec Arena. Female lightweight Jajaira Gonzalez (Glendora, Calif.) will compete in her second bout of the tournament in a contest with Poland’s Justyne Wallace in the morning session. Male bantamweight Carlos Balderas (Santa Maria, Calif.) will take the ring for the second time in Bulgaria on Friday as well, battling Kenya’s Said Baguani.

Two American boxers will compete for the first time in Bulgaria in Friday’s evening session. Male light welterweight Jonathan Navarro (Los Angeles, Calif.) will face Turkey’s Furken Avci while male middleweight Charles Conwell (Cleveland, Ohio) takes on Australia’s Satali Tevin-Fuimaono.

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

114 lbs/male: Shakur Stevenson, Newark, N.J./USA dec. Juan Camacho, PUR, 3-0

165 lbs/female: Martha Fabela, Oakland, Calif./USA dec. Quynh Diemluum VIE, 3-0