2016 RIO OLYMPICS: HISTORY OF BOXING IN THE SUMMER GAMES PART V
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 22 Jul 2016
Oscar de la Hoya won America's only boxing gold in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics which started an illustrious career and made him one of the richest boxers and promoters. De la Hoya, a Mexican-American from Los Angeles, dedicated his Olympic gold medal to his dear mother, who had died of cancer two years earlier. Boxing runs in the blood of the De La Hoyas as his grandfather, Vicente, was an amateur featherweight in Durango, Mexico, and his father, Joel, was a professional lightweight in their hometown during the 1960s. As a professional, De La Hoya defeated 20 world champions and won ten world titles in six different weight classes.
David Reid was America's lone boxing finalist in the Atlanta Games in 1996 and he was trailing 15-5 in the third round. From the looks of it, the host U.S. team would fail to win a boxing gold medal for the first Olympics since 1948. But 36 seconds into the third round, Reid landed a right hook on Cuban Alfredo Duvergel sending him to the canvas for a knockout. The surprise victory persuaded Muhammad Ali, who was watching the bout, to hug and congratulate him. Ali whispered in Reid's ear, "You're a baaaad boy." Reid was likewise joyously embraced by his U.S. coach Al Mitchell, who was also the boxer's personal coach since the start of his career.
In the 2000 Sydney Games, Cuban Felix Savon, 33, claimed his third consecutive heavyweight crown to join former sparring partner and countryman Teofilo Stevenson as the only two boxers to win three Olympic golds in one weight class. Hungary's Laszlo Papp also won three titles, but in two weight classes. Savon dominated the heavyweight division for nearly 15 years, and he punished American Michael Bennett, 18-3, in a much-awaited second-round bout. He conquered a cut under his left eye in the final match to defeat Russian Sultan Ibragimov, 21-13, to secure his legacy as an Olympic legend. He had also won six amateur world titles. Savon rejected numerous multimillion-dollar offers to leave Cuba and fight Mike Tyson as a professional.
In Athens in 2004, after having zero gold-medal in Sydney, there were no positive anticipations of the U.S. boxing team. But it was light heavyweight fighter Andre Ward who provided a golden relief. "No silver, no bronze," promised the 20-year-old from Oakland, and surprised 6-foot-6 Russian world champion Yevgeny Makarenko in the quarterfinals. Ward, who like Makarenko had not lost a bout in five years, confused his brawny foe by changing his stance from southpaw to orthodox. Ward won a 17-15 tight decision over Utkirbek Haydarov of Uzbekistan in the semifinals, and rallied from behind after two rounds to decision Magomed Aripgadijiev of Belarus, 20-13, in the final match to win the solitary gold for the U.S.
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Zou Shiming won China's 50th gold medal of the Beijing Games by winning the final match of the light flyweight event and taking China's first ever gold medal in Olympic boxing. During the final, Mongolian P?revdorjiin Serdamba was forced to retire due to a shoulder injury. After Serdamba was not able to continue, Zou burst into tears in compassion for his fellow boxer's injury. Another Chinese boxer light heavyweight Zhang Xiaoping won the gold via a 11-7 decision in the final match over Ireland's Kenneth Egan. Several points supposedly scored in Egan's favor failed to be electronically recorded, resulting in the controversial ending.
The 2012 London Games was a milestone year for Olympic boxing, when women's competitions were added to the program for the first time. Women boxing stars shone in the three weight categories contested. One of them was 17-year-old American Claressa Shields, who won the women's middleweight gold medal became the youngest Olympic boxing champion since 1924. Ireland's Katie Taylor grabbed the gold in the women's lightweight division and was one of the most popular fighters of the tournament, with the spirited crowd cheering her during every match. Great Britain's Nicola Adams won the third women's caegory, the flyweight division, and was one of three British fighters overall to earn boxing gold before the home fans. Great Britain's three gold medals topped all countries in boxing.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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