Keno Marley Machado has sealed at least a bronze medal after booking his place into the semi-finals of the men’s cruiserweight division in Ecuador ©Getty Images

Brazil has guaranteed more medal success in Guayaquil after four boxers made it through to the semi-finals of the American Boxing Confederation Elite Men’s and Women’s Championships.

Luiz Oliveira, Wanderson Oliveira, Keno Marley Machado and Ramón Souza have ensured that they will leave the Ecuadorian city with at least a bronze medal after winning their quarter-final bouts today.

World and Pan American silver medallist Machado defeated Daniel Guzman of the Dominican Republic to seal his place in the last four of the men’s cruiserweight division.

Wanderson Oliveira saw off Daniel Romero of Guatemala in the quarter-finals of the men’s welterweight class, while Luiz Oliveira defeated another Guatemalan athlete in Alejandro Aldana to progress to the semi-finals of the men’s flyweight category.

Jason Vargas of Costa Rica was the victim as Ramón Souza sealed his place in the last four of the men’s heavyweight division.

The victories for the Brazilian quartet come after Beatriz Ferreira and Beatriz Souza also guaranteed bronze medals with wins on the first day of the tournament.


Brazil did taste defeat today when Ruan Pablo lost by split decision to Mário Cepeda of the Dominican Republic in the quarter-finals of the men’s flyweight category.

The United States also enjoyed four victories in a day with one coming from Oded El-Bartee who got the better of Canada’s Dylan Martin in their men’s middleweight quarter-final match.

Aaron Hill, Omari Jones and Arjan Iseni were the other American winners as they moved one step closer to gold medal bouts in flyweight, light middleweight and cruiserweight respectively.

Henrich Ruiz of Cuba will meet Iseni in the semi-finals of the men’s cruiserweight category after beating Andrew Fermin of Trinidad and Tobago.

Ruiz clinched one of three wins for Cuba as Damian Arce Duarte and Erislan Romero advanced to the last four of the men’s bantamweight and flyweight categories respectively.

Said Irani Olvera of Mexico won the only men’s light heavyweight bout of the day, defeating Wyatt Denzel Trujillo Barillas of Guatemala in the preliminary round.

There was also only one fight in the women’s heavyweight class, with Diana Yubeli Romero Castro of Colombia beating home boxer Naydelin Huacón Cepeda to seal a place in the final against Stuart Kemara of Barbados who received a bye.

Competition is due to continue tomorrow.