PUEBLO – Terry Washington trotted back to his corner as he listened to the referee’s count and chants of “U-S-A” from the audience.

“1. 2. 3.”

The official counted to ‘8’ before the boxing match at the Pueblo Convention Center resumed Friday afternoon.

Washington, a 51-kilogram boxer (113 pounds) for Team USA, smiled as he watched Australia’s Jye Dixon grimace from his left hook and use the standing eight count to recover during the semifinals of the USA Boxing International Invitational.

Washington won in a unanimous decision and will face Brazil’s Michael Trindade in Saturday’s finals.

“I shoulda threw it again,” Washington said. “He kept fading, so that made me throw that left hook. I did throw it again a little later in the second (round), but I didn’t land it the way I wanted to hit it. But it feels good to get the win. Two down, one to go.”

Each fight in the tournament has three rounds each lasting three minutes and features 120 boxers from 17 countries. Team USA had four boxers advance to the finals during the afternoon session. Keon Davis advanced to the finals after a victory in the 71-kilogram semifinals during the 6 p.m. session and will face Denmark’s Nikolai Terteryan.

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For Team USA boxers who have qualified for the Olympics – Joshua Edwards, Jahmal Harvey, Jennifer Lozano, Jajaira Gonzalez, Omari Jones and Morelle McCane – the tournament allows them to polish their skills ahead of the Paris Olympics, which start in July.

For Washington, who can qualify at May’s World Qualification Tournament, the International Invitational offers a chance to represent the United States on a big stage.

“I’m from a small town in California where there’s a lot of negativity,” Washington said. “I’m trying to be that person who brings that positivity out of my city. I get to fight for the United States on a stage like this. This means the world to me.”

Dedrick Crocklem, another one of Team USA’s boxers who advanced to the finals, also earned a unanimous decision win.

Crocklem beat Australia’s Jaggar Altolf in the 63.5-kilogram (140 pounds) semifinals and will face Great Britain’s Patris Mughalzai in the finals.

“Seeing this level of competition has helped me improve a lot,” Crocklem said. “I got to watch (Altolf) earlier and I knew what he was coming with and what he was going to do. All of these (fighters) are bringing the best out of me right now and I think I showed it in that fight.”

Crocklem, who is still vying for a spot in the Olympics, said although he wants to fight in Paris, he’s “loving” the challenge provided by the International Invitational.

“I’m just worried about getting the win over here right now,” Crocklem said. “(The Olympics) are the next step in my life, but we have three or four weeks before all of that. Right now, I’m focused on the task at hand, which is getting the next fighter out of here.”