The New US Boxing Coach Billy Walsh Faces an Early Obstacle

Billy Walsh is the former Irish boxer and boxing coach who lately retired from Ireland and started coaching the US women boxing team for Olympics. He suffered an early setback as the current best US women flyweight boxing champion, Olympic bronze medalist for the year 2012 and the 2014 world champion Marlen Espraza failed to pass the trials for Rio Olympics 2016.

Espraza lost to the southpaw fighter Virginia Fuchs whom she previously defeated five times. Both the fighters showed aggression in the ring but Fuchs hit more powerful punches and managed to beat Espraza. After the fight, Fuchs said, “I kept my space. I didn't let her get inside from the first round.” Espraza was shocked at her loss and said, “It's OK. She was connecting and looked more aggressive. I had my mind stuck on right-handers. No big deal, whatever.”

The gold medalist of London Olympics 2012 Claressa Shields won the middleweight category and is now looking forward to win the Olympic gold medal for US once again. Moreover, 18 year old Jajaira Gonzalez defeated Mikaela Mayer by unanimous decision after which Mayer made a comeback and defeated Gonzalez back. After the fight, Mayer said, “Hat's off to Jajaira, she's definitely one of the toughest opponents I've had in a long time. It was the third round where I started to pick up my movement and I said, ‘Let me remember to just have fun with this, use my boxing skills and frustrate her’ because that was the only way that I knew that I could pull this off. Making her miss was the key."

Mayer, Fuchs and Shields will now qualify for the Rio Olympics 2016. The three pugilists will have their initial chance to qualify for the Olympic Games field in March at continental qualifier in Argentina. The world championships in Kazakhstan is the final qualifier which will take place in May.

The new US Team coach Billy Walsh said, “I’m not going to take away anything that they already have. What they have is fantastic. I’m only going to add to it and try and make them a more all-around boxer who can fight at any distance against any opponent in any place.”