This Olympic year for USA Boxing was strange mainly because the Olympic Trials did not matter much. None of the U.S. Olympians fought at the Trials, as the team was built around the results of 2021-2022 competitions, with certain fighters gaining extensive international experience.

This different team dynamic took the drama out of the 2023 Olympic Trials, leading to notable absences such as light heavyweight Nathan Lugo, flyweight Terry Washington and Sierra Martinez, all of whom won at the Trials but didn’t make the team.

The new format will either be a huge success or one that will be endlessly questioned moving forward.

What follows is a breakdown of the 2024 USA Boxing team:

Roscoe Hill – 51 kilograms / 112 pounds

  • Background: Born and raised in Spring, Texas, Hill, 28, trained at George Foreman’s gym under the legendary heavyweight himself. At 28, Hill is older than the average Olympian.

  • Achievements: Hill earned a gold medal at the 2022 AMBC Elite Championships, a silver at the 2021 Elite World Championships and a bronze at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games.

  • Comparison: Awkward and nontraditional, like Prince Naseem Hamed, Hill also reminds many of Rau’shee Warren, though he lacks the latter’s blinding hand speed. He has good movement and is able to time his opponents well.

  • Expectation: Flyweight has been a good division for USA Boxing. With no clear standout favorites in the draw, Hill’s international experience makes him a darkhorse for gold. His performance may test the effectiveness of the current team selection model, given his marathon qualification journey (he qualified in the last event for the Olympics).

  • Bracket insight: Hill faces a tough road ahead, with potential matchups against top seed Billal Bennama of France and Alejandro Claro of Cuba in the quarterfinals. Getting past those obstacles could lead to a medal.

Jahmal Harvey – 57 kilograms/ 125 pounds

  • Background: From Oxon Hill, Maryland, Harvey, 21, transitioned from football to boxing under his coach’s guidance.

  • Achievements: Harvey won gold at the 2021 Elite World Championships and the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games, securing his spot at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

  • Comparison: Harvey, with multiple national championship golds, is poised to be Team USA’s breakout star, similar to Errol Spence Jr., Shakur Stevenson and Keyshawn Davis in past Olympics. Harvey is the boxer whom most expect to be a standout pro. 

  • Expectation: As USA Boxing’s best gold medal hope, Harvey is aiming for a triple-crown win. He is the favorite in the featherweight bracket.

  • Bracket insight: A deep bracket awaits Harvey, with potential early tough matches against Cuba’s Saidel Horta and Bulgaria’s Javier Ibáñez. A gold medal match against Abdumalik Khalokov of Uzbekistan is likely if all goes well.

Omari Jones – 71 kilograms / 156 pounds

  • Background: Jones, 20, burst onto the international scene with a silver at the 2021 Elite World Championships.

  • Achievements: Jones recently qualified for Paris 2024, winning gold at the 2023 GeeBee International Tournament and the Czech Republic Grand Prix.

  • Comparison: Jones' style evokes Ra’eese Aleem’s awkwardness, with elements of a young Maurice Hooker and Erickson Lubin.

  • Expectation: Although Jones has a style more suited to the pros, he is likely to medal, posing potential challenges to high-volume fighters. He has been consistent in international competition since 2021.

  • Bracket insight: Jones faces a tough division, but he has favorable matchups if he passes Kan Chia-wei. Key threats include Marco Verde, Nishant Dev, Sewon Okazawa and Nikolai Terteryan.

Joshua Edwards – 92 kilograms and up / 203 pounds and up

  • Background: Despite being undersized for a super heavyweight, Edwards, from Houston, excels with speed and defense.

  • Achievements: Edwards secured his spot at the 2024 Paris Games with gold at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games and multiple international medals.

  • Comparison: Edwards' style, with his cultured ring technique, resembles that of Steve Cunningham.

  • Expectation: With Bakhodir Jalolov being the clear favorite in the draw, Edwards is a promising contender who faces a challenging path.

  • Bracket insight: Edwards benefits from the No. 1 seed, giving him a chance to avoid Jalolov until the semifinals. Despite Edwards’ talent, a win over Jalolov will be difficult.

Jennifer Lozano – 50 kilograms / 110 pounds

  • Background: Lozano, from Laredo, Texas, turned to boxing to combat bullying, leading to a successful amateur career.

  • Achievements: Lozano won silver at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games and gold at the 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Championship.

  • Comparison: A pressure fighter like Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz, Lozano maintains a high punch output and has fared well internationally.

  • Expectation: Lozano should medal, but she faces a tough draw against top favorite Buse Naz Cakiroglu in the quarterfinals.

  • Bracket insight: Cakiroglu, considered one of the best women in these Olympics, poses a significant challenge for Lozano.

Alyssa Mendoza – 57 kilograms / 125 pounds

  • Background: Mendoza, 20, from Caldwell, Idaho, quickly rose as a promising international star.

  • Achievements: Mendoza consistently medaled in 2023, including gold at the 2022 USA Boxing Elite National Championships.

  • Comparison: Mendoza’s style blends aggressiveness with boxing ability, akin to that of Shawn Porter.

  • Expectation: Mendoza is an X-factor with the potential to medal if she can maintain consistency.

  • Bracket insight: With no clear favorite, Mendoza could medal or win gold if she performs as she did two years ago.

Jajaira Gonzalez – 60 kilograms / 132 pounds

  • Background: From Glendora, California, Gonzalez returned to boxing in 2021 after a hiatus to quickly regain her form.

  • Achievements: Gonzalez earned bronze at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games and multiple junior and youth level golds.

  • Comparison: A high-guard, aggressive fighter like her brother, professional Joet Gonzalez.

  • Expectation: Gonzalez has gold potential, but she faces tough competition, including Estelle Moseley, Beatriz Ferreira and Kellie Harrington.

  • Bracket Insight: It’s a challenging draw, as Gonzalez opens against Moseley and shares a bracket with Ferreira and Harrington.

Morelle McCane – 66 kilograms / 145 pounds

  • Background: Cleveland’s McCane is the latest female boxer from Ohio to qualify for the Olympics.

  • Achievements: McCane secured her Olympic berth with a silver at the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games.

  • Comparison: McCane compares to Terrell Gausha for her boxing and punching abilities.

  • Expectation: With a strong chance to medal, McCane has a path to gold that likely involves facing Imane Khelif and Busenaz Sürmeneli.

  • Bracket Insight: As fortune would have it, Khelif and Sürmeneli are positioned on the opposite side of McCane’s bracket.

Lucas Ketelle is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). Contact him on X @LukieBoxing.