Guillermo wins U.S. Challenge boxing title

Advertiser Staff

Wai'anae's Samson Guillermo defeated Phoenix's Rafael Valenzuela in a tiebreaker to win the 119-pound championship of boxing's U.S. Challenge at Colorado Springs, Colo., earlier today.

Guillermo, a 20-year-old student at Northern Michigan, won the tiebreaker based on total punches, 47-37. The match was tied at 11 after the fourth and final round.

Guillermo captured the first of eight spots in his weight class at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in April 2004.

He also qualified for the Pan Am Games in the Dominican Republic this August.