MOBILE, AL -- A USOEC boxer is a step closer to realizing his Olympic dreams.  At the U.S. Boxing 2012 Mens Olympic Team Trials in Mobile, Alabama, Jesse Hart won his opening round match against the number one seed in the middleweight division.

Hart defeated Chris Pearson, his former roommate at Northern Michigan, 18-6, to advance to the semi-finals where he will face D'mitrius Ballard who upset the No. 2 seed.  This was the first time Hart and Pearson met in competition.

There is only one Olympic spot available at middleweight on Team USA for the London games.

The Philadelphia native dropped down in weight class from lightweight to compete in the middleweight division.

Back in May, Hart won his first-ever national championship in Indianapolis, Indiana at a National Golden Gloves competition at middleweight and also won the USA Boxing lightweight National Championship as well.

He was considered a co-favorite along with Pearson in the middleweight competition.