Memphis has been selected to host the U.S. Team Olympic Trials for Women’s Boxing. Fighters who win that trial round will move on to compete in the Olympics.
At the same time, Memphis will also host the final qualifying tournament for U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Men’s Boxing. In that tournament, male boxers compete to make the cut for the U.S. Team Olympic Trials for Men, which will be held elsewhere. In other words, Memphis is the final step for women before the Olympics and the second to last step for men.
The will only be the second women’s team trials in history since the female sport was only introduced to the Olympics in 2012. As such, it will also be the first time in U.S. boxing history that a returning Olympic medalist competes in the Olympic Trials. Both Claressa Shields (2012 Olympic gold medalist) and Marlen Esparza (2012 bronze medalist) will compete in the Memphis trials.
Both events will run from October 25th through the 31st at the Memphis Cook Convention Center. The Memphis Convention & Visitor’s Bureau anticipates the event will have a $1.7 million economic impact on the city.
2012 Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields will compete in the Olympic women’s boxing trials in Memphis.