The 30-year-old, a World Championships bronze medallist in 2013 who won Pan American Games gold in Toronto two years later, claimed a unanimous victory at the Coliseum Nacional de Ingenieros in the Honduran capital.

Maestre, seeded third in the welterweight division, was awarded the win on all five judges scorecards.

Second seed Alexander Rangel Madariaga is also through as he comfortably dispatched Walter Duarte Vasquez of Guatemala.

The Colombian fighter is expected to reach the final and continued his progress with a straightforward 5-0 success.

American Quinton Randall was another welterweight competitor to make it through, overcoming Nicaragua's Julio Garin in unanimous fashion.

Randall's team-mate Adrian Tillman sealed his place in the next round of the heavyweight competition with an impressive victory against Chilean Miguel Veliz.

However, there was disappointment for another American in Kiante Irving, who was comprehensively beaten by Rio 2016 Olympian Albert Ramírez in their light-heavyweight clash.

Daniel Alvarez was unable to harness the energy of the home crowd as he fell to defeat in his super-heavyweight bout against Dirk Wells of Nicaragua.

Alvarez had the hopes of the nation on his shoulders but was outclassed by his opponent, who emerged with a unanimous points win.

In the women's featherweight event, Canadian Sabrina Aubin ousted Scarleth Maribel Arauz of Nicaragua, while Marcela Arias of Colombia beat Wendy Casey of the United States.

Casey's compatriot and World Championships bronze medallist Christina Cruz fared better at bantamweight as she outfought Ingrid Diaz of Colombia.

As well as gold medals, competitors at the AMBC American Confederation Championships are also vying for places at the men's International Boxing Association (AIBA) World Championships in Hamburg, which run from August 25 to September 3.

Action is due to resume tomorrow, with the event in Tegucigalpa due to conclude on Sunday.