Team USA Dominates 2025 Brandenburg Cup with Seven Gold Medals

FRANKFURT (ODER), GERMANY — Team USA closed out the 2025 Brandenburg Cup in commanding fashion on Saturday, winning seven gold medals and securing a total of 11 podium finishes—a performance that showcased the depth and rising talent within USA Boxing’s Youth High Performance team.

All seven American boxers who competed in gold medal bouts left the ring victorious, putting a dominant stamp on the final day of action. In total, Team USA claimed seven gold and four bronze medals, capping off one of the most successful international outings for the youth program in recent memory.

Women’s Gold Medalists

Joscelyn Olayo-Munoz (48 kg | Las Cruces, N.M.) set the tone for the day, overpowering Italy’s Amelia Sula with relentless aggression and composure. Olayo-Munoz won via unanimous decision to capture her first international gold.

Alexis Tangaro (54 kg | Waianae, Hawaii) followed shortly after, outpointing Lithuania’s Jelizaveta Jakimova with precise, poised shot selection. Her 5-0 win marked her second victory of the tournament and first international medal.

Men’s Gold Medalists

Lorenzo Patricio (50 kg | Waianae, Hawaii) dazzled with his movement and timing against Australia’s Taj Harrington, earning a shutout 5-0 decision. Patricio was later named Best Technician of the tournament after a perfect three-win run over the final three days.

Salim Ellis-Bey (60 kg | Philadelphia, Pa.) showcased relentless pressure and physical dominance in a 5-0 victory over Azerbaijan’s Babayev Subhan. The Youth High Performance team captain ended his debut international tournament with an exclamation point after going 4-0 for the week.

Lavant Brownlee (65 kg | Louisville, Ky.) collected his first international gold after a strong campaign, including two dominant unanimous decisions and a stoppage victory. He won the final by walkover after advancing through a stacked bracket.

Joseph Awinongya (80 kg | Joliet, Ill.) continued to build his international legacy by forcing a second consecutive stoppage win—this time over Australia’s Khaled Bassal. Awinongya’s explosive right hand led to an eight count before the Australian corner threw in the towel.

Nnajai Wright (90+ kg | Richmond, Va.) closed the tournament with a gritty 3-0 decision over Germany’s Ahmed Abdulgamidov. Despite giving up significant reach, Wright used superior agility and well-timed uppercuts to control the bout and rally back after a tough opening round.

A Milestone Week for USA Boxing

With 11 medals from 13 athletes, Team USA once again proved its elite status on the global youth stage. The event marked the conclusion of the 2025 international schedule for the Youth High Performance team. As the Olympic cycle builds toward Los Angeles 2028, all 14 members of the team have demonstrated immense promise and national pride.

The squad was led by head coach Edward Fonteneaux (Fayetteville, N.C.), with assistance from Jason Hamilton (Spanaway, Wash.), Ronald Wright (Columbus, Ga.), and Yessenia Montalvo (Bloomfield, N.J.).