A second Texan has qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Texas now represents the two extremes. The Smallest Women's Weight class (Jennifer Lozano 50 KG) and the largest Men's Weight class Super Heavyweight Joshua Edwards are both secured by Texans. Edwards is the first male boxer from H-town to qualify for the Olympic games since Rocky Juarez in 2000. Houston natives Marlen Esparza and Virginia Fuchs have competed in the Olympics in recent games on the Female side.
Edwards closed out the action on Friday evening Pan Am games in an exciting come-from-behind victory of Cuban Fernando Arzola. Arzola jumped out to a 3-2 lead in the opening round of the. Both fighters scored with clean and effective blows. It appeared that the Texan took the close opening round. However, the majority of the scoring judges disagreed. So Edwards bit down and really got going in the second stanza and dominated the second round, using his jab effectively to set up accurate power shots.
With the bout very much in the balance heading into the third and final round. Edwards saved his best for last and showed his heart and determination. Dominating the final three minutes, applying pressure, and staggering the Cuban several times, scoring with clean combinations and mixing in some effective bodywork to take the round 5-0 and secure the 5-0 unanimous decision victory and his ticket to the 2024 Paris games.