Cleveland Public Auditorium has turned into a round-the-clock boxing hub this week, with sessions starting daily at noon and running through Saturday as more than 600 amateur fighters from across the country battle for national titles. Two days into the 2026 USA Boxing National Open, 133 bouts have already been completed, and a Cleveland native just gave the hometown crowd something to cheer about.
That fighter is Mark Davis, who took a 4-1 split decision during Tuesday's session, according to USA Boxing. Davis was one of six Cleveland-area fighters to win on day two, a notable showing for a tournament that's drawing boxers from all over the map to the organization's own backyard, as Cleveland.com reports. The tournament serves as the final rankings competition before the 2026 national championships, meaning every bout carries extra weight for athletes chasing titles and ranking points.
Tuesday's Numbers Tell the Story
Day two alone featured 66 bouts spanning the junior, youth and elite male divisions, pushing the event's two-day total to 133 bouts involving 266 boxers, per USA Boxing's recap. The action wasn't all cut and dried — Tuesday's card included four referee-stopped contests, 30 unanimous decisions and 32 split decisions, underscoring just how competitive the matchups have been. With multiple rings running simultaneously throughout each session, organizers have been able to keep the pace brisk even as the bout count piles up.
The tournament is open to male and female athletes across the PeeWee, Bantam, Intermediate, Junior, Youth and Elite divisions, the same source notes, meaning the youngest competitors are mixing it up on fight cards alongside the sport's rising elite-level stars. Day three alone was set to add another 78 bouts, keeping the Cleveland Public Auditorium rings busy well into the week.
What's Left on the Schedule
Thursday brings a shift in the lineup, with female competition beginning alongside youth and junior male championship bouts. Elite division finals are scheduled for Friday, while the intermediate, bantam and pee wee divisions will crown their champions Saturday, when the week wraps up with the tournament's championship session. Thursday afternoon also brings a notable visitor: WBO Lightweight World Champion Abdullah Mason and his four brothers are scheduled to appear at the auditorium, according to USA Boxing.
Not every competitor arrived with a hometown advantage. Savannah boxer Josh Daniels qualified for the National Open with a 10-2 record and trains out of Champions Training Center, according to WJCL. His path to Cleveland reflects the broader pull of the tournament, which USA Boxing calls one of its premier national events — and which has already seen clubs like Real Deal Boxing, ranked No. 2 nationally in 2025, and Team Cartel Elite Boxing, ranked fifth that year, send fighters into the mix.
How to Watch or Attend
Every session is being broadcast live and free of charge on USA Boxing's website and YouTube channel, and the organization's event site also offers live brackets, daily schedules, bout sheets and results for anyone tracking specific fighters. For those who'd rather watch in person, tickets are available at the door: day passes run $25, a week-long pass costs $65, and Saturday's championship session carries a $30 admission. With Cleveland Public Auditorium hosting bouts daily through the weekend, there's still plenty of time to catch a glimpse of amateur boxing's next generation before the final titles are decided.
