Canada will this week get a glimpse of what women's boxing will look like when it makes its Olympic debut at the London Games this summer.
Some 65 boxers from 15 countries – many of them Olympic medal contenders – will fight in Cornwall, Ont., starting Wednesday at the American Boxing Confederation Women's Elite Continental Championships.
It is a tune-up for next month's women's world boxing championships in Qinhuangdao, China – the only qualifying event for the 2012 Olympics, which will give berths to the top eight fighters from the three Olympic weight classes (51 kilograms, 60 kg, 75 kg).
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As bouts take place nightly through Saturday at the NAV Centre, here are some fighters (many serious contenders this summer in London) to watch:
Mary Spencer
The Windsor, Ont., native is a three-time world champ, a Pan American Games gold medalist and one of Canada's brightest hopes for London. She fights in the 75-kg weight class and has been coached for the last decade by Charlie Stewart, who has led Canadian male boxers to the last three Olympics.
Mandy Bujold
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Also a gold medalist at the 2011 Pan Ams, this 24-year-old from Waterloo, Ont., contends in the 51-kg class and is a seven-time Canadian champ. She is coming off an intense training camp in Sweden, where she battled alongside European Olympic hopefuls.
Sandra Bizier
The 32-year-old from Stoneham, Que., grabbed a bronze at the 2011 Pan Ams, and then repeated as national champion, using her speed to knockoff 2010 national champ Susan Hass – a fighter who just came down a weight class – in the 60-kg final.
Yenebier Guillen
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Dominican Republic boxer advanced all the way to the gold-medal final at the Pan Am Games last October, before getting beat by Canada's Spencer by a score of 15-11.
Quanitta Underwood
Seattle fighter is a six-time U.S. champion and a bronze medalist at the 2010 worlds. She recently revealed her heart-wrenching story of sexual abuse at the hands of her father, and is now a determined public voice for other survivors.
Claressa Shields
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Unbridled 16-year-old was the story of the recent U.S. Olympic team trials. A native of Flint, Mich., and the daughter of a street fighter, she rolled through the 75-kg class unbeaten to become national champion and was named the event's most outstanding fighter.
Marlen Esparza
The 22-year-old from Houston has won a total of six U.S championships in two weight classes. She moved up to the 51-kg Olympic flyweight standard just two years ago, but that hasn't stopped her relentless drive toward London.
Erika Cruz
Mexican 60-kg fighter knocked Canada's Bizier out of the Pan Am Games in the semi-finals, going on to claim silver.
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Kiria Tapia
Boxer from Puerto Rico took the gold medal in the 60-kg class at the Pan Am Games, defeating Mexico's Cruz.