Team USA Goes Undefeated on Day One at 77th Strandja Tournament in BulgariaTeam USA Starts 77th Strandja Tournament with Perfect 4-0 Record in Sofia

SOFIA, Bulgaria – The USA Boxing Elite High Performance Team came out firing on all cylinders at the International Strandja Boxing Tournament, posting a flawless 4-0 record on opening day in Sofia.

All four victories came from the men’s squad, setting the tone for what could be a strong week for the Stars and Stripes at one of the most prestigious international amateur tournaments in the sport.

Patricio Sets the Pace at 55kg

The perfect start began with Lorenzo Patricio (Waianae, Hawaii), who earned a hard-fought 3-2 decision over Brazil’s Michael Trindade in the 55kg division.

A two-time gold medalist with the USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team, Patricio showed composure and grit against the Paris 2024 Olympian. He now advances to the Round of 16, where he’ll face Kazakhstan’s Timur Kabdeshov on Tuesday, Feb. 24.

Brownlee Impresses in Elite International Debut

Competing simultaneously in the other ring, Lavant Brownlee (Louisville, Ky.) made a statement in his elite international debut against Georgia’s Luka Nikabadze.

Brownlee dominated the contest, sweeping every round on all five judges’ scorecards to secure a unanimous decision victory. He moves on to the Round of 16 and will face Armenia’s Harutyun Hakobkokhyan on Thursday, Feb. 26.

Team Captain Ellis-Bey Delivers Statement Win

United States team captain Salim Ellis-Bey (Philadelphia, Pa.) followed with a strong showing in the 60kg division.

Making his own elite international debut, Ellis-Bey defeated Kazakhstan’s Ruslan Kuzeubayev by a 3-2 margin. After winning the opening round 4-1, he controlled the tempo throughout the bout. He’ll next meet Armenia’s Artur Bazeyan on Wednesday, Feb. 25.

Gonzales Closes the Show

Rounding out the undefeated day was 2021 World Championships gold medalist Robby “Rahim” Gonzales (Las Vegas, Nev.).

Gonzales secured a 4-1 split decision victory over Kazakhstan’s Diaz Molzhigitov in the 80kg division. He now advances to face Brazil’s Wanderley Pereira on Wednesday, Feb. 25.

Team USA returns to action Tuesday with five boxers stepping into the ring, including four making their tournament debuts.

Women’s Bouts

• Jennifer Lozano (51kg) vs. Feruza Kazakova (Uzbekistan) – Approx. 7:45 a.m. ET (Ring A)
• Yoseline Perez (54kg) vs. Tatjana Obermeier (Germany) – Approx. 7:15 a.m. ET (Ring B)

Lozano is a Paris 2024 Olympian, while Perez enters as a 2025 World Boxing Championships silver medalist.

Men’s Bouts

• Lorenzo Patricio (55kg) vs. Timur Kabdeshov (Kazakhstan) – Approx. 10:30 a.m. ET (Ring B)
• Marcus Luther (65kg) vs. Yigit Us (Turkey) – Approx. 12:45 p.m. ET (Ring A)
• Joseph Awinongya (90kg) vs. Jorge Luis Mayeta (Romania) – Approx. 2:00 p.m. ET (Ring A)

Both Luther and Awinongya will make their elite international debuts.

Monday Results – February 23

• Men’s 55kg: Lorenzo Patricio (USA) def. Michael Trindade (Brazil) | W 3-2
• Men’s 70kg: Lavant Brownlee (USA) def. Luka Nikabadze (Georgia) | W 5-0
• Men’s 60kg: Salim Ellis-Bey (USA) def. Ruslan Kuzeubayev (Kazakhstan) | W 3-2
• Men’s 80kg: Robby Gonzales (USA) def. Diaz Molzhigitov (Kazakhstan) | W 4-1

With momentum firmly on their side, Team USA has positioned itself as an early force at the 77th Strandja Tournament. If opening day was any indication, the American squad could be in line for a memorable week in Sofia.