USA’s Welterweight Boxing Sensation a Step Closer to Making History at 2023 Pan American Games

With the addition of women’s boxing to the Olympics in London 2012, the sport has grown by leaps and bounds. Paris 2024 will see an equal number of both men and women compete for honors in boxing. In all, 248 boxers will qualify for the Olympic Games to be held at the City of Light. Meanwhile, an American boxer is making waves at the Pan American Games 2023.

Morelle McCane stands on the threshold of history. McCane is ranked #1 in the USA in her division and #6 internationally. She faced Nicole Vega Moya of Costa Rica in the women’s boxing 66kg quarterfinals of the 2023 Santiago Pan American Games. The bout lasted only 1:39 in Round 1 as she won via knockout.

No female boxer from Cleveland made it to the Olympics yet

Morelle McCane is now one win away from qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics. As per the quotas allotted, the finalists of the women’s welterweight division will both book their spots in Paris. McCane has reached the semifinals of the same at the 2023 Pan American Games. Team USA shared an Instagram reel of the star boxer, showing her dancing after the quarterfinal bout. They captioned it with the words, “@million_dollar_mo is a forever mood. @usaboxing’s Morelle McCane is off to the women’s 66kg semis at #Santiago2023.”

Morelle McCane will look to be the first female boxer from Cleveland to qualify for the Olympics. She will join the illustrious company, with only four from the city, having made it to the Olympics. Terrell Gausha and Delante Johnson are some names alongside whom she will be exalted if she reaches the final. For the 28-year-old, it was far from smooth sailing to get to this point. McCane started her boxing journey at a relatively late 17 years of age. After her first fight in the ring, tragedy struck.

Tragic loss at the start of Morelle McCane’s boxing career

Morelle McCane was very close to her brother. He passed away not long after her first fight. The pair used to enjoy shadowboxing together in the kitchen of their home in Cleveland, according to USA Boxing. That meant a hiatus to grieve not long after embracing the sport that was to become her bread and butter. She came back stronger after that. Now, admittedly, her motivation is her nieces and nephews, who appear eager to take up boxing just like their aunt.

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The triumphs followed the tragedy in McCane’s boxing career. Most recently, she won the 2023 Gee Bee International Tournament. Her overall record stood at 39-13 before the visit to the Chilean capital. That included four wins by knockout. She now stands on the cusp of a historic win for both herself and boxing in Cleveland. Women’s boxing is making great strides for itself. Morelle McCane will look to aid that by booking her seat on the plane to the banks of the river Seine.

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