2016 RIO OLYMPICS: MARTINEZ, LADON'S FOE, LOST TO DUSMATOV IN GOLD MEDAL MATCH
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 15 Aug 2016
Colombia?s Yurberjen Mart?nez, who abruptly ended Filipino Rogen Ladon's medal quest, failed to win the men?s light flyweight (49kg) gold medal as he was badly outclassed by Uzbekistan?s Hasanboy Dusmatov in the finals.
Dusmatov, 23, was just too flamboyant and sleek for Mart?nez, 24, but the Colombian fought so hard with most of the crowd cheering for him.
But all three judges scored the first two rounds to Dusmatov, with only the French judge favoring Martinez in the last round.
Dusmatov was only Uzbekistan?s second Olympic boxing champion after 2000 Olympic light-welterweight gold medalist Mahammatkodir Abdullaye.
Dusmatov?s gold medal is the first for Uzbekistan in the light flyweight division. Martinez?s silver medal is the first in the history of Colombian boxing, as their country had only won three bronze medals in the Olympics so far.
Dusmatov?s journey to the gold in Rio was in contention for the Val Barker Trophy, to be awarded to the most outstanding fighter for all weight divisions.
He got a bye in the round of 32, then defeated Joselito Velazquez in the round of 16, then victories over Birzhan Zhakypov of Kazakhstan and Nico Hernandez, bronze medalist of the United States, who ended the American eight-year boxing medal drought.
Martinez was an underdog right from the start. But he easily defeated Brazil?s Patrick Lourenco in the round of 32, but he was expected to lose to Ladon of the Philippines.
But he unanimously outscored Ladon, giving a nightmare to the country's boxing association. He went on to beat fellow underdog Samuel Carmona of Spain, who upset and eliminated Paddy Barnes of Ireland.
Then he pulled another surprise by defeating number-one-seeded and gold medal best bet Joahnys Argilagos of Cuba.
Photo shows Dusmatov (L) in blue and Martinez in red.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
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