2016 RIO OLYMPICS: TOMMASONE WINS WHILE N?DAM LOSSES IN PRO BOXERS? OPENING FIGHTS
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 07 Aug 2016
French?Cameroonian Hassan N?Dam returned to the Olympics after losing the gold medal in 2004 in Athens, Greece. But he was eliminated in his opening bout to Brazil?s Michel Borges by a unanimous decision in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday night.
The 32-year-old N?Dam, who was interim WBA and WBO middleweight champion, is the biggest name among the three professional boxers who joined these summer games. Rated No. 8 by Ring Magazine, he connected the cleaner blows in the final two rounds, Borges won the decision with a quick first round start and the wild cheer of a hometown crowd that hollered in every punch he threw.
?I?m very disappointed about this,? N?Dam was quoted by AP. ?He?s a good fighter, but I think I?m better than him. I took too much time to come into the fight, but I lost the fight.?
N?Dam?s shocking loss erased fears of an Olympic boxing tournament in Rio to be ruled by professionals.
Lightweight Carmine Tommasone of Italy became the first pro boxer to win an Olympic fight in the morning session at Riocentro Pavilion 6, whipping Mexico?s Lindolfo Delgado.
The third pro in the Olympics, former IBF flyweight champion from Thailand lightweight Amnat Ruenroeng, fights on Sunday.
When the International Boxing Association (AIBA) decided to allow professional boxers to join the qualifying tournament for the Olympics, boxing experts widely criticized the move predicting young amateurs would be hurt by elite pro fighters.
The three-round bout affected N?Dam, who admitted studying the moves of his opponent in the first round, which pro boxers usually do. But it would not apply in a short amateur bout.
?I did it too slow,? N?Dam said. ?I?m not happy. I came too far for this competition. I took too much time from my professional career. I have no regrets, but I took too long to get into the fight.?
In the Athens Olympic middleweight tournament in 2004, N?Dam defeated future Irish world middleweight champion Andy Lee, but he lost on points to Russian Gaydarbek Gaydarbekov, who later thrashed Gennady Golovkin for the middleweight gold medal.
?It?s very different,? Tommasone told AP. ?I (had to adjust) for a three-round Olympic fight. I usually prepare for a 10-round, 12-round (fight). I had to win the match with intelligence.?
The 32-year-old Tommasone systematically overpowered the 21-year-old Delgado, as he fought as a 126-pound featherweight, but preferred the 132-pound lightweight division in the Olympics, to get rid of the daily weigh-ins. Tommasone joined the qualifying tournament for pro fighters last month in Venezuela.
?The Olympics are a dream for every athlete, and for me, it is wonderful,? Tommasone was quoted by Greg Beacham. ?When I learned that I could qualify, I wanted to do it immediately. It was my dream.?
Top photo: Hassan N'Dam (left} fights Brazil's Michel Borges during their preliminary boxing match at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
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