PUEBLA, Mexico — Joseph Awinongya (90 kilograms) made a successful return to international competition on Sunday, earning a knockout victory over Costa Rica’s Jaisen Steve Robinson Kohn in just 42 seconds. Awinongya returned to the ring for his first international event since earning bronze at the 2026 Strandja Boxing Tournament.
With this knockout win, the Illinois native now has three international wins in 2026, 10 international wins in his career, and five international wins by unanimous decision, two by RSC, two by abandonment, and now one by knockout.
“I feel great. I feel like I never left,” stated Awinongya. “My mindset is to take it one day at a time and to go win gold.”
Lavant Brownlee (70 kilograms) and Rahim Gonzales (80 kilograms) also competed for Team USA. Brownlee fell short in the first two rounds, 4-1, to the Dominican Republic’s Ricardo Cuello and tried to rally in the final round, winning it 3-2, but ultimately lost by a 4-1 decision. Gonzales fell to Cuba’s Jorge Cuellar by an abandonment stoppage.
Team USA will have three boxers in action tomorrow, led by 2024 Paris Olympian Jajaira Gonzalez (60 kilograms), who will face Canada’s Marie Al Ahmadieh in the quarterfinals in Session 1, Bout 2, at approximately 2:15 p.m. ET. Salim Ellis-Bey (60 kilograms) will also begin his tournament in Session 1 against Venezuela’s Wilson Solorzano in Bout 12, at approximately 4:45 p.m. ET.
Lorenzo Patricio (55 kilograms) will open his tournament against Panama’s Luis Pachay in the second session, with the bout scheduled for approximately 10 p.m. ET in Bout 13. Patricio enters the tournament after winning gold at the World Boxing Cup: China 2026, where he went a dominant 5-0 with four unanimous-decision wins. Patricio is 11-2 in 2026 for Team USA.
Sunday, Oct. 18 Results:
Men’s 90 kg: Joseph Awinongya, USA vs. Jaisen Steve Robinson Kohn, CRC W | KO
Men’s 70 kg: Lavant Brownlee, USA vs. Ricardo Cuello, DOM | L 4-1
Men’s 80 kg: Rahim Gonzales, USA vs. Jorge Cuellar, CUB | L ABD
Monday, Oct. 19 Schedule:
Women’s 60 kg: Jajaira Gonzalez, USA vs. Marie Al Ahmadieh, CAN | Quarterfinals in Session 1, Bout 2, at approximately 2:15 p.m. ET
Men’s 60 kg: Salim Ellis-Bey, USA vs. Wilson Solorzano, VEN | Round of 32 in Session 1, Bout 12, at approximately 4:45 p.m. ET
Men’s 55 kg: Lorenzo Patricio, USA vs. Luis Pachay, PAN | Round of 32 in Session 2, Bout 13, at approximately 10:00 p.m. ET.
Press Release: Bob Trieger
