AIRWAY HEIGHTS — Seattle's Queen Underwood was among the winners Saturday night at the first U.S. Olympic team trials for women's boxing, advancing to the world championships for a chance to fight at the London Games.
Underwood beat Mikaela Mayer 22-19 to win the lightweight division.
Marlen Esparza captured the flyweight title with a 32-17 victory over Tyrieshia Douglas. Claressa Shields, the 16-year-old sensation of the tournament, capped the weeklong event with a 23-18 victory over Tika Hemingway to claim the middleweight title at the Pend Oreille Pavilion in the Northern Quest resort-casino just outside Spokane.
All three winners finished the week unbeaten, but still must finish in the top eight in their weight classes at the world championships in China in May to earn a spot in the first Olympic women's boxing tournament.
The 27-year-old Underwood finished the tournament with her best performance, a fitting cap to a resilient week for the best-known American boxer.
The sellout crowd was behind the Seattle native, stomping on the floor and chanting "Queen! Queen! Queen!" while Underwood took apart Mayer with brutally effective shots from all angles. The final margin was smaller than expected, but Underwood had little doubt, raising one ringer in anticipation of the verdict.
"It hurts. I'm happy. All in one," she said. "I've been national champion since 2007 and waiting for this opportunity, and it's finally here, and it's over at once, but it feels great."
Even with extensive international experience, Underwood acknowledged a huge case of jitters when she entered the ring for her first fight at the trials Monday night. She was stunned by the exuberant reception from her home-state crowd, including dozens of family and friends who traveled from Seattle.
Underwood barely escaped with a 25-24 win over 19-year-old N'yteeyah Sherman in Thursday's fight, but the final was smoother.
"I don't believe in losing," Underwood said. "I don't want to lose, ever. I knew I had the opportunity to come back tomorrow if things didn't go right, but that wasn't in my rule book. My rule book is coming out with a win all days. I came here planning to have four fights, and I fought exactly the way I thought."
