In November 2007, Yanez earned his ticket into the 2008 Olympics by "advancing to the quarterfinals of the AIBA World Championships in Chicago." In a bout against Australia's Stephen Sutherland, the referee was forced to stop the fight in the second round after Yanez caused three standing eight counts. With this win, Yanez earned his official place as a light flyweight (106 pounds) in the 2008 Olympics to be hosted in Beijing, China. At the meeting in China in November 2007 he was soundly defeated by world champ Zou Shiming.