Top juniors in USA Boxing head to Las Vegas for national showcase
Salim Ellis-Bey was a training partner this time last year during one of USA Boxing’s biggest showcases.
He was like a sponge. He learned as much as he could from working with the other fighters, picking up nuances along the way on how he could be better himself.
It’s the other way around this year.
Ellis-Bey, 18, is the Youth National Team captain for this year’s USA Boxing Junior Olympics and Summer Festival, a six-day showcase where some of the best young boxers in the country will try to establish themselves as the future of the sport.
The event takes place at Las Vegas Convention Center starting Monday.
“Last year, I kind of learned my way around the ropes as far as how USA Boxing works,” Ellis-Bey said. “It was a time for me to observe. A time for me to game plan. I saw what I was getting ready for, and I saw and I conquered.”
Ellis-Bey, a Philadelphia native, understands the kind of pressure boxing can bring. He grew up in the city where Bernard Hopkins and Joe Frazier became household names in the sport, providing him a large shadow to try to escape from.
Ellis-Bey has started to carve his own path. He’s already a 12-time national champion and is considered one of the top amateur lightweights in the world.
“I want to go out here and dominate to the best of my abilities,” Ellis-Bey said. “I want to come out here and make a statement for myself and the boxing world.”
Fighters compete in tournaments throughout the year and earn standings points within USA Boxing’s national rankings.
Those who place in the top eight in their division — ranging from pee wee, bantam, intermediate, junior, youth and elite — receive points that carry over to the next event.
All fighters are vying to make the USA Boxing national championships in Lubbock, Texas, starting Dec. 6.
“The event, as a whole, it’s incredible,” said Zack Chavez, the communications manager for USA Boxing. “This is going to be the largest event USA Boxing has ever hosted from a national event standpoint.”
The showcase is split into two tournaments — the Junior Olympics and the Summer Festival.
Winning in the Junior Olympics won’t guarantee anyone a spot at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, but a good showing can put some boxers on the radar.
The U.S. won just one boxing medal in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, with Omari Jones taking home bronze in the welterweight division.
“We were not satisfied with the results we had. We’re very proud of all our Olympians who competed, but gold is our goal,” Chavez said. “This is an opportunity to see who’s hungry and who’s going to compete in 2028.”
Ellis-Bey plans to show he’s starving for success.
“For me, it’s a little surreal. I’m fighting in Vegas. Vegas is a boxing town,” he said. “I know there will be some big names watching my fights. As long as I put on a show, I’ll be seen.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.