The two countries competed in the 2004 USA vs. Azerbaijan Dual in Baku, Azerbaijan but the location has shifted to the United States for the second straight event. The dual will take place only two weeks after the close of the 2005 World Championships and the Azerbaijan team boasts three medalists from the event. Lightweight silver medalist Romal Amanov; light welterweight bronze medalist Emil Maharramov; and heavyweight silver medalist Elchin Alizade will all compete in Harvey. Lightweight Ray Robinson (Philadelphia, Pa./NMU), light welterweight Willie Nelson (Cleveland, Ohio) and heavyweight Eric Fields (Ardmore, Okla.) will take on the task of defeating Azerbaijan’s World medalists. Nelson has enjoyed recent international success, winning the 2005 Tammer Tournament in Tampere, Finland and recording a first round stoppage at the USA vs. England Dual on November 28. Fields earned a stoppage victory in his first ever international bout at the USA vs. Korea Dual in July.

The seven athletes joining Robinson, Nelson and Fields will be 2005 National Golden Gloves light flyweight champion Roberto Ceron (Doraville, Ga.); 2005 U.S. Championships bantamweight bronze medalist David Clark (San Diego, Calif./NMU); featherweight Jesse Carradine (Cincinnati, Ohio/NMU); welterweight Greg Carter (Waterbury, Conn./NMU); middleweight Dennis Hasson (Philadelphia, Pa./NMU); light heavyweight Christopher Downs (Fort Carson, Colo.); and U.S. Championships silver medalist Travis Kauffman (Reading, Pa.)

USA Boxing National Coaching Director Dan Campbell (Hampton, Va.); Tim Hartmeyer (Zanesville, Ohio) and the Harvey Boxing Club’s own Nate Skoda will lead the team in the final international event of 2005. Venoria Lindsay (San Diego, Calif.) will work as team manager with Enrique Orci (Austin, Texas) and Ronald “Woodie” Woodward (Harker Heights, Texas) serving as AIBA officials. Dr. Glen Bynum (River Forest, Ill.) will join the team as Team Physician and Rosemarie Trindle (Mercer, Pa.) will work as the computer technician.

The 2005 event is the third straight Olympic-style dual at the Harvey Boxing Club. The annual event serves as a fundraiser for the Harvey Restoration Ministries, a Christian-based residential recovery program for men battling drug addictions. Over the years, the Ministries have become a beacon of hope in a community filled with poverty, violence, drugs, and gangs. Today, they reach out to all segments of the population with a special emphasis on children and teens. The Harvey Boxing Club trains at-risk, underprivileged boys and girls ages 8 to 18 to be champions in the ring and in life. At the Harvey Boxing Club, at-risk youth learn the sport of boxing while they develop discipline, self-motivation and confidence. The Harvey Boxing Club hosted the USA vs. Ireland Dual in 2003 and the USA vs. Kazakhstan Dual in 2004.

Team USA Roster

106 lbs: Roberto Ceron, Doraville, Ga.

112 lbs: TBA

119 lbs: David Clark, San Diego, Calif./NMU

125 lbs: Jesse Carradine, Cincinnati, Ohio/NMU

132 lbs: Ray Robinson, Philadelphia, Pa./NMU

141 lbs: Willie Nelson, Cleveland, Ohio

152 lbs: Greg Carter, Waterbury, Conn./NMU

165 lbs: Dennis Hasson, Philadelphia, Pa./NMU

178 lbs: Christopher Downs, Fort Carson, Colo.

201 lbs: Eric Fields, Armdore, Okla.

201+ lbs: Travis Kauffman, Reading, Pa.

Team Azerbaijan Roster

106 lbs: Jeyhun Abiyev

112 lbs: Samir Mammodov

119 lbs: Elshan Ismailov

125 lbs: Shahin Imranov

132 lbs: Romal Amanov (2005 U.S. Championships silver medalist)

141 lbs: Emil Maharramov (2005 U.S. Championships bronze medalist)

152 lbs: Ruslan Khairov

165 lbs: Javid Taghiyev

178 lbs: Anar Mirzoev

201 lbs: Elchin Alizade (2005 U.S. Championships silver medalist)

201+ lbs: Vugar Alakbarov