U17 National Team Celebrates Strong Results at Rival Amateur Boxing Championships in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — July 26, 2026 — Boxing Canada’s U17 National Team athletes delivered an impressive performance at the 3rd Annual Rival Amateur Boxing Championships in Oklahoma City, returning home with five championship titles, one silver medal, four bronze medals and one fourth-place finish.
The tournament provided a valuable international competition experience for Canada’s emerging young boxers, who demonstrated skill, determination and sportsmanship throughout the event.
Canadian Results
- 🥇 1st Place: Isabella Meredith W52 (Calgary Boxing Club, AB), Brooklyn Kaufman W57 (Waterloo Regional Boxing Academy, ON), Liam Paging M52 (Calgary Boxing Club, AB), Partap Dosanjh (King of the Ring, ON), Alessandro Verrelli M75 (Posteraro’s Boxing Gym, ON)
- 🥈 2nd Place: Jakop Brant M63 (Lonsdale Boxing Club, SK)
- 🥉 3rd Place: Rui Mendes M50 (Bushido Boxing, ON), Cassius Smith M66 (Boomerz Boxing, ON) , Curtis Realba M54 (Fighting Island Boxing Club, ON), Lionel Azuni M57 (Team Impact Boxing Club, AB)
- 4th Place: Memphis McIntosh M55 (Boxing Club Spruce Grove, AB)
The results reflect the continued development of Canada’s young athletes as they gain valuable experience competing on the international stage and preparing for future opportunities in high-performance boxing.
Youth Head Coach Brad Ross, who won the award for Best Coach of the Tournament, praised the athletes and emphasized the importance of providing young boxers with opportunities to compete and develop internationally.
“The OKC tournament was a tremendous success for Boxing Canada’s Junior National Team. Boxing Canada sent 10 Junior and one Youth athlete on this tour, and out of the 10 Juniors, five are coming home with championship belts. As a coach, it is very promising to see Boxing Canada invest in these young athletes, the future of our sport.”
Coach Jessica Sparrow was impressed by the athletes’ performances and the sportsmanship they demonstrated throughout the competition.
“It was a pleasure to work with these young boxers. I was so impressed by their performance in the ring and the sportsmanship they showed. The Oklahoma City Rival Amateur Boxing Championships was a fantastic tournament that challenged our athletes; the future of Boxing in Canada looks very bright. Thank you for the opportunity to work with these rising stars.”
Coach Brett Lucier highlighted the value of the experience, both competitively and personally, while recognizing the opportunity to work alongside the Boxing Canada coaching team.
“One of the most rewarding parts of the tour was watching these young athletes bond, support one another and grow into a true team. Representing Canada together on the international stage gave them an experience that went far beyond competition and created connections they will carry with them long after the trip. I’m grateful to Boxing Canada for the experience, the trust, and the opportunity to grow while representing our country.”
The strong results in Oklahoma City represent another important step in the development of Boxing Canada’s emerging athletes. Beyond the medals and championship belts, the tournament provided the young boxers with the opportunity to test themselves against international competition, gain valuable competitive experience and build the relationships and team culture that will support their continued growth. Boxing Canada’s long term plan includes more opportunities for U17 and U19 athletes to gain international experience in preparation for the 2032 Olympics.
National Team Head Coach Vincent Auclair was pleased with the performances. “The success of all our U17 athletes demonstrate the quality of athletes we have in Canada. We can see the day when we will have 2-3 contenders for medals in each weight category. With that kind of intra-Canadian competition our athletes will be ready to take on the world.”
The next event in the U17 and U19 program is the U19 World Championships in Montenegro for athletes 17 and 18 years old, followed by shortly by the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar where two 17 year-old Canadians will represent the country.