Canadian boxer and Olympic hopeful Mary Spencer poses for a portrait at her home gym in Windsor, Ont. March 13/2012.Kevin Van Paassen/The Globe and Mail
Canadian Olympic boxing hopeful Mary Spencer won her semi-final bout Friday at the 2012 American Boxing Confederation Women's Elite Continental Championships, setting up a Saturday final with U.S national champion Claressa Shields.
The Windsor, Ont. boxer, one of Canada's greatest medal hopes at the 2012 Olympics in London this summer, defeated Yenebier Guillen of the Dominican Republic 11 - 9. Spencer also beat the Dominican fighter last year at the Pan Am Games in Mexico to earn gold.
"I thought Yenebier fought great tonight – we are familiar with one another having fought twice before," Spencer said. "I'm happy to have the win and I look forward to boxing the USA in the final tomorrow night."
Shields, just 17 years old, was the story of the U.S. Olympic trials in Spokane, Washington this winter, going undefeated in that tournament and being named the event's Most Outstanding Boxer. On Friday in Cornwall, the American won the other semifinal bout in the 75 kilogram class over Brazil's Roseli Feitosa. Spencer and Shields have never fought one another. It is the first time the young U.S boxer has fought international competition in the open class. She is 24-0 in her young career.
Canada's representatives in the other Olympic weight classes (Mandy Bujold in the 51 kg, and Sandra Bizier in the 60 kg) lost their semi-final bouts on Friday.
The Cornwall event is a tune-up for next month's world championships in China, where the female boxers will compete to earn Olympic qualifying spots.
Rachel Brady