The USA Boxing Elite High Performance Team saw three men\u2019s boxers enter the medal rounds on Friday at the 77th International Strandja Boxing Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria. Lorenzo Patricio (Waianae, Hawaii), Lavant Brownlee (Louisville, Ky.) and Joseph Awinongya (Joliet, Ill.) each secured unanimous decision victories during the day, bringing the United States to a guaranteed seven medals for the tournament. The Red, White and Blue will now see seven boxers competing in Saturday\u2019s semifinal rounds, including four women and three men.\n<\/p>\n
Patricio earned his first unanimous decision victory of the week, his third victory of the tournament, after claiming the first two rounds by a score of 5-0 and the final round 3-2 over Uzbekistan\u2019s Samandar Olimov. Now entering the medal rounds, this marks Patricio\u2019s first elite international medal, and he will face Mongolia\u2019s Bilguunsaikhan Kharkhuu in the semifinal matchup. Patricio plans to knock out another known name on the elite international boxing scene, as Kharkhuu claimed a bronze medal at the 2025 World Boxing Championship in Liverpool, England.\n<\/p>\n
Following Patricio, Brownlee dominated once again, earning his second unanimous decision victory of the tournament with a 5-0 decision over Kazakhstan\u2019s Bazarbay Uulu Mukhammedsabry, a Paris 2024 Olympic quarterfinalist. The Kentucky native secured his first elite international medal with the win and will now square off with Brazil\u2019s Kaian Oliveira on Saturday. A win over Oliveira would be impressive for Team USA\u2019s slick southpaw, as the Brazilian claimed a gold medal at the 2025 World Boxing Cup: Astana before appearing in the 2025 World Boxing Championships just months later.\n<\/p>\n
Securing the final win of the day for Team USA was Awinongya, the heavyweight representative who is beginning his takeover of the elite international division. After dropping the first round 3-2, the Illinois native showed his resilience and adaptability by turning up his pace in the final two rounds and earning 5-0 scorecards in each. Awinongya\u2019s unanimous decision over Kazakhstan\u2019s Daulet Tulemissov marked his second such victory of the week and vaulted him into a semifinal matchup on Saturday against Uzbekistan\u2019s Turabek Khabibullaev. Saturday\u2019s contest will be a certified test for Awinongya against a 2025 World Boxing Championships gold medalist and a Paris 2024 Olympic quarterfinalist.\n<\/p>\n
Also competing for the Stars and Stripes on Friday were Salim Ellis-Bey (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Kelvin Watts (Chesapeake, Va.). Both boxers managed to go the distance in their respective bouts, but unfortunately fell short. Ellis-Bey was defeated 5-0 by Brazil\u2019s Luiz Oliveira, a World Boxing Championships silver medalist and a Paris 2024 Olympian. Watts nearly mounted a comeback against Bulgaria\u2019s Yordan Morejon, but fell just shy with a 3-2 decision.\n<\/p>\n
The United States will now look ahead to an action-packed Saturday with seven boxers competing in the semifinals, all of whom will look to punch their tickets to the gold medal round with a win. On the women\u2019s side, the Red, White, and Blue will see the 2025 World Boxing Championships silver medalist, Yoseline Perez (Houston, Texas), face England\u2019s Lauren Mackie, followed by Paris 2024 Olympian, Alyssa Mendoza (Caldwell, Idaho), against Ireland\u2019s Michaela Walsh.\n<\/p>\n
Third on the docket for Team USA will be Simona Winkler in a women\u2019s 70-kilogram matchup against Brazil\u2019s Vivian Dos Santos Pereira. Rounding out the women\u2019s competitors will be Tokyo 2020 Olympian Naomi Graham versus Uzbekistan\u2019s Aziz Zokirova in the 75-kilogram division. Patricio, Brownlee and Awinongya will contest their bouts in the evening session.\n<\/p>\n
Additional information and schedules for boxers who advance throughout the Strandja 2026 tournament will be updated throughout the week. Each round of the 77th International Strandja Boxing Tournament will be broadcast live on the tournament event page, linked HERE<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n