Brunch Boxing Preview: Team USA Looks to Bring Home the Gold in the World Boxing Championships
- Matthew Brown
- 23 hours ago
- 4 min read
The wait is over.
The 2025 World Boxing Championships kick off today, September 4, in Liverpool, England, and Team USA is sending an interesting roster of fighters ready to chase gold on one of the sport’s biggest amateur stage. After an inspiring run through the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the U.S. High Performance Team enters Liverpool with a mix of Olympic veterans, rising stars, and debutants ready to leave their mark.
The goals are to build on the successes of Paris, develop the next generation, and bring home gold. The U.S. squad has both immediate medal threats and future stars.
With 14 fighters representing the Stars and Stripes—seven women and seven men—this year’s squad brings a rare balance of experience and youthful fire. Each boxer will face world-class competition across a grueling week of bouts, but USA Boxing believes this is the group that can turn silver and bronze into gold.
Brunch Boxing takes a closer look at each fighter, their path to the podium, and their chances of striking gold in Liverpool:
Women’s Team
Jennifer Lozano (51 kg, Laredo, Texas)
Lozano has been one of the most inspiring stories in U.S. boxing, emerging from Laredo, Texas, to become her city’s first Olympian in any sport. She’s a multiple-time national champion and Pan Am silver medalist, known for her aggressive style and grit. Lozano faces an early test against India’s Nikhat Zareen, one of the division’s elite.
Gold Medal Chances: 35% – A podium finish is realistic, but Zareen looms as a major hurdle.
Yoseline Perez (54 kg, Houston, Texas)
The 21-year-old Perez has quickly become Team USA’s breakout star, racking up gold and silver medals in three international tournaments this year. With youth, speed, and confidence on her side, she enters Liverpool as one of the most dangerous threats at bantamweight.
Gold Medal Chances: 60% – Among Team USA’s strongest bets for gold if she keeps her momentum.
Alyssa Mendoza (57 kg, Caldwell, Idaho)
Fresh off her Olympic debut in Paris, Mendoza has proven herself as a consistent medalist on the international stage. She’ll face Colombia’s Valeria Arboleda Mendoza in her opening bout, a winnable matchup that could set her on a deep run.
Gold Medal Chances: 50% – A semifinal appearance is within reach, but the bracket will be tough beyond that.
Jajaira Gonzalez (60 kg, Glendora, California)
A seasoned veteran who dominated the youth ranks before taking time off, Gonzalez returned in 2021 and quickly reestablished herself as a force. She shocked Paris with an opening-round win over hometown favorite Estelle Mossely. Now she’s looking for her first senior world medal.
Gold Medal Chances: 45% – Dangerous enough to beat anyone, but consistency will be key.
Morelle McCane (66 kg, Cleveland, Ohio)
McCane has been on a tear, medaling in every international event since Paris. At 30, she’s one of Team USA’s most experienced women and brings a Cleveland grit that opponents respect. She opens against England’s Sacha Hickey in what promises to be a fan-favorite clash.
Gold Medal Chances: 55% – Strong momentum and seasoning make her a legitimate gold contender.
Isabella Winkler (70 kg, Seattle, Washington)
Making her international debut, Winkler is one of the great unknowns of the squad. The Seattle native has impressed domestically, but the jump to the world stage is always a test. She draws Turkey’s Sema Caliskan in her opener.
Gold Medal Chances: 20% – She’s talented but unproven at this level. Experience may be her biggest gain in Liverpool.
Naomi Graham (75 kg, Fayetteville, North Carolina)
A Tokyo Olympian and Pan Am gold medalist, Graham remains one of the anchors of Team USA. At 36, she brings veteran savvy and physical strength to the middleweight division. She faces Spain’s D. Mas Martinez in her opener.
Gold Medal Chances: 40% – Graham’s toughness gives her a chance, but the field is stacked with world-class talent.
Men’s Team
Orlando Zamora (55 kg, Turlock, California)
The youngest member of the team at just 19, Zamora is already a two-time national champion. He faces Kyrgyzstan’s Zafarbek Kamilov in his opener.
Gold Medal Chances: 25% – A bright future ahead, but this Worlds may come too soon for a full gold run.
Ramon Ordonez (60 kg, Newark, New Jersey)
Ordonez, last year’s U.S. national runner-up, has steadily improved and earned his way into the lineup. He opens against Mexico’s Kevin Davila.
Gold Medal Chances: 20% – A work in progress who will benefit from high-level experience.
Rene Camacho (65 kg, Houston, Texas)
Camacho debuted internationally this year with a bronze medal in the Czech Republic. He now faces Croatia’s Filip Poturovic in Liverpool.
Gold Medal Chances: 30% – Strong potential, but still climbing the ladder against seasoned competition.
Carlos Flowers (70 kg, Dover, Delaware)
Flowers made noise in Brazil by defeating a Paris Olympian en route to bronze. His opener is against Azerbaijan’s Sarkhan Aliyev.
Gold Medal Chances: 40% – A tough bracket, but Flowers has already proven he can upset higher-ranked opponents.
Robby “Rahim” Gonzales (80 kg, Las Vegas, Nevada)
The reigning 2021 World Champion, Gonzales is the U.S. men’s biggest star and arguably its best chance for gold. A seasoned fighter with gold medals across the globe, he begins his campaign against Cuba’s Jorge Soto.
Gold Medal Chances: 70% – The favorite of the team. If anyone is expected to stand atop the podium, it’s Gonzales.
Malachi Georges (90 kg, Teaneck, New Jersey)
Georges has already grabbed international silver in 2025 and now sets his sights higher. He opens against Estonia’s Stiven Aas.
Gold Medal Chances: 35% – Capable of making a run, but still early in his international career.
Kelvin Watts (90+ kg, Chesapeake, Virginia)
Watts, a former college football player turned boxer, has quickly made waves with back-to-back international medals. He opens against Lithuania’s Algirdas Baniulis.
Gold Medal Chances: 45% – A physical powerhouse with the style to surprise.
The opening round begins today, with Carlos Flowers, Orlando Zamora, Rene Camacho, Ramon Ordonez, and Malachi Georges all taking the ring. Over the coming days, the rest of the team will make their debuts in Liverpool as they fight to reach the medal rounds.
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