This will be the first time a major international boxing tournament has been hosted in Colorado Springs, and it will also be the first major international boxing competition in the United States since the 2007 World Championships in Chicago.

The tournament, which will be held at Hotel Elegante, is one week long and will see approximately 175 boxers from 20 different countries take part.

The competition provides a final opportunity for athletes to qualify for the 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aries, and also offers a qualification pathway to the 2018 Youth World Championships in August.

USA Boxing's high performance director Matt Johnson expressed his excitement at the news, with the event taking place in the city which is home to the United States Olympic Committee.

"USA Boxing has great talent at the youth level and we're looking forward to showcasing that talent on home soil," he said.

"Given the significance of the AMBC Youth Continental Championships, in terms of qualification for the 2018 Youth Olympics and Youth World Championships, it's very important that we give our team the best possible opportunity to be successful.

"We feel that hosting this event will provide another competitive edge to help set our team up for success in May, as well as for the major events later in the year."

Tom Osborne, President and chief executive of the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation, added: "We are enthusiastic about assisting USA Boxing in bringing this dynamic, world-class event to Olympic City USA.

"This is one of the most prestigious events for young male and female boxers in the world and is in concert with our mission to make Colorado Springs an attractive sports event destination."

The announcement comes under the shadow of the announcement that boxing could be removed from the Olympic programme following a series of issues at the International Boxing Association (AIBA).

This includes the appointment of Gafur Rakhimov as President despite his alleged links to organised crime.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has also said they have not yet accepted AIBA's claim that no bouts at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro were affected by match-fixing.