2016 RIO OLYMPICS: USA TOPS ALL-TIME BOXING MEDAL TALLY, PH AT NO. 45
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 24 Jul 2016
The powerhouse United States of America boxing team is still number one on the all-time medal tally since boxing began as an Olympic sport in the 1904 St. Louis Summer Games. Until 1948, losing semi-finalists held a bronze medal playoff, but since 1952, both losing semi-finalists have received bronze medals since there were no more fights for the third place.
In the 23 Games that they have participated, the U.S. boxing team won a total of 50 golds, 23 silvers and 38 bronzes for a total of 111 medals. The Americans did not compete in boxing in the 1908 London Games and the U.S. boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
At second place is another boxing marvel Cuba with 34 golds, 19 silvers, 14 bronzes, with 67 total medals. The tiny authoritarian nation began sending boxers in 1960 in Rome, Italy. They have joined in 13 Olympics and boycotted the Games in 1984 in Los Angeles and in 1988 in Seoul.
At third place is Great Britain with a tally of 17-12-24 with 53 total medals. The British boxers entered in 24 Olympic boxing competitions and sipped only the 1904 Games when all the boxers who fought were all Americans.
Rounding up the top ten were Italy at fourth with 15-15-17, total 47; defunct Soviet Union at fifth with 14-19-18, total 51; Hungary at sixth with 10-2-8, total 20; Russia at seventh with 9-5-12, total 26; Poland at eighth with 8-9-26, total 43; Argentina at ninth 7-7-10, with total 24; and Kazakhstan at tenth with 6-5-6, total 17, which leads all Asian countries.
Mexico, a superpower in professional boxing, is only placed No. 24 with 2-3-7, total 12. While France is at No. 14 with 4-7-8, total 19; Bulgaria is at No. 15 with 4-5-9, total 18; Ukraine is at No. 17 with 4-3-7, total 14; Canada is at No. 18 with 3-7-10, with total 20; and Ireland is No. 23 with 2-5-9, total 16.
Philippines is ranked no. 45 in a tie with Turkey with 2 silvers and 3 bronzes and total 5 medals. The Philippines won silver medals through lightflyweight Mansueto Velasco at Atlanta in 1996 and featherweight Anthony Villanueva at Toyo in 1964. The bronze medalists were lightflyweight Roel Velasco at Barcelona in 1992, lightflyweight Leopoldo Serrantes at Seoul in 1988, and bantamweight Jose Villanueva at Los Angeles in 1932.
Other Asian countries ranked ahead of the Philippines are Thailand at No. 16 with 4-4-6, total 14; South Korea at No. 19 with 3-7-7, total 17; China at No. 21 with 3-2-3, total 8; North Korea at No. 26 with 2-1-11, total 14; Japan at No. 27 with 2-0-5, total 5; Mongolia at No. 31 with 1-2-2, total 5; and Uzbekistan at No. 38 with 1-0-6, total 7.
This means Philippines is No. 9 among Asian countries in Olympic boxing all-time medal tally. We are ahead of such notable countries as Spain at No. 47 with 0-2-2, total 4; Puerto Rico at No. 49 with 0-1-5, total 6; Australia at No. 50 with 0-1-3, total 4; 2016 Olympic host Brazil and Egypt tied at No. 50 with 0-1-3, total 4; Azerbaijan at No. 61 with 0-0-6, total 6; India at No. 62 with 0-0-2, total 2; and Pakistan at No. 67 with 0-0-1, total 1.
France and Great Britain tied with the most number of Olympic Games entered in boxing at 24. Followed by the United States and Italy at 23, then Argentina and Canada with 22, Hungary and Ireland with 21, Australia, Poland and Mexico with 20.
The Philippines first joined Olympic boxing in 1932 with 4 boxers, then in 1936 with 5, in 1940 with 5, in 1952 with 5, in 1956 with 5, in 1960 with 1, in 1964 with 6, in 1968 with 5, in 1972 with 4, and in 1976 with 3. The country boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Then the Philippine boxing team came back in 1984 with 3 boxers, in 1988 with 6, in 1992 with 6, in 1996 with 5, in 2000 with 4, in 2004 with 4, in 2008 with 1, in 2012 with 1. Two boxers qualified for 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, namely lightweight Charly Suarez and lightflyweight Rogen Ladon.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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