Four athletes representing the United States advanced to the quarterfinals on Thursday at the 2026 World Boxing U19 Championships in Budva, Montenegro, as usaboxing.org reported. Asaan Jenkins, Asante Lamar, Ruby Lopez, and Ariana Chavez all secured victories during the session to move one step closer to the medal rounds.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Asante Lamar’s upcoming bout against Kazakhstan’s Bibarys Ashirbay serves as a rematch from the 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup in Thailand, where Ashirbay took a 3-2 decision.
- Asaan Jenkins improved his international record to 6-1 overall, featuring five unanimous decision victories across his career.
- Team USA positioned five additional fighters to compete in Friday’s subsequent sessions, maintaining heavy tournament momentum.
Dominant Decisions on the Canvas
Team USA opened Thursday’s bouts with strong technical performances. Competing in the men’s 65 kg division, Asaan Jenkins earned a unanimous decision over Georgia’s Luka Chkhikvadze. Jenkins captured the first and third rounds by identical 5-0 margins, lifting his international record to 6-1.
Asante Lamar followed in the men’s 70 kg category against New Zealand’s Noah Collier. Lamar swept all three rounds on the judges’ scorecards with unanimous 5-0 tallies. The victory marks his second unanimous decision win of the tournament, bringing his career international mark to 4-1.
Day 3 of the U19 World Boxing Championships will see four USA boxers take the ring in Budva pic.twitter.com/zmQc4jAA47
Securing Quarterfinal Berths in Montenegro
Ruby Lopez kept the momentum rolling for the American squad in the women’s 51 kg division. Lopez defeated Japan’s Momoko Hasebe via unanimous decision, taking the first two rounds 5-0 to improve her international record to 3-1. She will face China’s Shu Liu in the next round.
Ariana Chavez rounded out the winning effort for the United States in the women’s 75 kg bracket. Chavez battled past Ukraine’s Iryna Onopriienko in a tightly contested 3-2 decision. After claiming the opening frame 4-1 and edging the final round 3-2, Chavez secured her first international victory.
| Athlete | Division | Result | Opponent | Next Matchup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asaan Jenkins | Men’s 65 kg | W 5-0 (UD) | Luka Chkhikvadze (GEO) | Shahin Aslanov (AZE) |
| Asante Lamar | Men’s 70 kg | W 5-0 (UD) | Noah Collier (NZL) | Bibarys Ashirbay (KAZ) |
| Ruby Lopez | Women’s 51 kg | W 5-0 (UD) | Momoko Hasebe (JPN) | Shu Liu (CHN) |
| Ariana Chavez | Women’s 75 kg | W 3-2 (SD) | Iryna Onopriienko (UKR) | Emilie Derasp (CAN) |
| David Arrieta | Men’s 60 kg | L 4-1 (SD) | Smail Sahraoui (ALG) | Eliminated |
Managing the Upcoming Schedule
While four Americans advanced, the session also brought elimination for David Arrieta in the men’s 60 kg division following a 4-1 decision loss to Algeria’s Smail Sahraoui. Action continues quickly as additional American representatives step into the ring for the next phase of the tournament.
Team USA sends five boxers into competition on Friday, Oct. 23. Ciana Nonhphala meets Kazakhstan’s Zhadyra Kaltay in the Round of 16, while Guadalupe Ruiz faces Scotland’s Rosie Swailes in the quarterfinals. Jenkins returns against Azerbaijan’s Shahin Aslanov, Marley McNealy takes on India’s Lakshu Lakshu, and Caleb Stewart-Reid closes the slate against Uzbekistan’s Islam Salikhov.
