United States Earns Four Gold Medals on Final Day of 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup
USA Boxing’s Youth High Performance Team earned four gold medals and one silver medal on Sunday, March 14, at the 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok, Thailand. Team USA’s 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup journey comes to an end after securing nine medals overall.
Guadalupe Ruiz (women’s 54 kg | Anaheim, Calif.) was the first American boxer to step into the ring on Sunday and concluded her dominant run at her first international tournament with a gold medal. Ruiz will bring the 54-kilogram gold medal back to the United States after defeating India’s Joyshree Devi Chirom by a 4-1 split decision. This marks her fifth win overall in Thailand, after the California native won all judges’ scorecards in the first round and won the final round 4-1. Ruiz’s path to gold was nothing short of incredible, and included two RSC victories, two unanimous decisions and the 4-1 decision in the gold medal round.
Following Ruiz was Christian Paez (men’s 55 kg | San Antonio, Texas), who won via a 3-2 split decision over Japan’s Ryusei Kitamura in the 55-kilogram bracket. Paez got out to another hot start, winning the first round 5-0, and he held on to win by a 3-2 split decision, securing his first international gold medal. Paez’s gold medal run came after an impressive six wins, including two RSCs, two unanimous decisions, two 4-1 split decisions and Sunday’s 3-2 split decision victory.
Brijhana Epperson (women’s 57 kg | Kansas City, Mo.) controlled her gold-medal bout from start to finish, winning via unanimous decision over Ukraine’s Yevanhelina Petruk. Epperson secured her fourth win of the tournament after she earned every judge’s vote, winning all three rounds 5-0. This week’s performance also marks Epperson’s first international gold medal.
Rounding out the USA’s gold medal winners was team captain Lauryn Elmore (women’s 65 kg | Sacramento, Calif.), who went on to win by a 4-1 split decision over Uzbekistan’s Sevara Mamatova. Elmore took the first round 3-2, and after losing the second round 3-2, it was all tied up heading into the final frame. The California native landed multiple combinations with her jabs and body shots on Mamatova and won the final round 4-1, earning her second international medal and the first international gold medal of her young career.
Also, earning a medal on Sunday was Angel Blancarte (men’s 85 kg | Hutchinson, Kan.), who won the second international medal of his amateur career. Blancarte earned a silver medal at the 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup after he won his first bout 3-2 over Kazakhstan’s Nursultan Kystaubay, but was defeated on Sunday, 5-0, by Uzbekistan’s Sardorbek Bakhromkhujaev.
Team USA won nine total medals at the 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup, including bronze medals from Marley McNealy (women’s 70 kg | San Francisco, Calif.), Ariana Chavez (women’s 75 kg | Rio Rancho, N.M.), Asaan Jenkins (men’s 65 kg | Washington, D.C.), and Caleb Reid (men’s 90+ kg | Palm Bay, Fla.).
The USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team is led by National Development Coach Edward Fonteneaux (Fayetteville, N.C.). Fonteneaux will be assisted throughout the tournament by High Performance Pool coaches, including Holly Gregson (Idaho Falls, Idaho), Jason Hamilton (Spanaway, Wash.), Yessenia Montalvo (Bloomfield, N.J.), and Ronald Wright (Columbus, Ga.).
Additional tournament information for the 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup, including daily bout sheets, results, tournament updates, and more, can be found on the 2026 World Boxing Futures Cup event page on the USA Boxing website.
