buddie - The heavy and superheavy I expected to lose, they have little to no international experience. Hell Brezelle, has only 3 years boxing and is a football player.
The US got off to a good start, but this should be viewed as a building year. let's just hope they can use this to build some consistency and re-grow the program.
One thing that is good to see is that they seem to be in good shape despite a very abbreviated training session in Co Springs. They are still coming on strong at the end of the fight. They need to select the teams and staff earlier and have some more international meets and have some more time to prepare for the scoring style. I would also LOVE to see some more consistency with the coaching staff. I thought Al Mitchel did a good job. Basheer Abdullah seems ok. Just pick someone who has success coaching internationally and stick with him.
I am still very hopeful that we will get at least 1 gold and a silver or bronze.
USA Boxing has did so many insanely irrational things associated with the current team that they might as well go out and hire Jose Suliman or Gilbert Mendoza to run things for them. There are of tons fairly evident things that USA Boxing needs to do in order to correct the program starting with the very issues that you identified. Even though both our heavyweight and super heavyweight fighters were expected to lose, I was personally expecting more from Mike Hunter. Mike is talented kid who as a result of living here in Las Vegas, has been provided the opportunity to work with some of the best trainers and fighters in the sport for several years now. Even though Mike had a very tough draw for his first bout, he benefited from poor scoring should have been in position to win his fight, but simply got out worked as a result of poor conditioning. Diaz on the other hand fought his heart out, but simply got fucked as a result of poor judging.
Chappie There are of tons fairly evident things that USA Boxing needs to do in order to correct the program starting with the very issues that you identified.
Diaz on the other hand fought his heart out, but simply got fucked as a result of poor judging.
Spot on. I didn't know much about Hunter going in, watched some clips on youtube when I saw he made the team, and he looked ok, I don't know what his plans are in the future. I wasn't impressed with Brezelle, a full time student and part time boxer with little experience. The guys seems to get by on being a good athlete, which won't cut it at that level.
I hope USA boxing doesn't hire Suliman or Mendoza... ugh.
Rau'shee Warren. It's his 3rd Olympic Games, he's our top guy and really our last best hope of picking up a medal.
Errol Spence. Looked ok in winning his first fight but he's fighting one of the top ranked boxers in his weight class next. He won't be favored to win.
Wow, I am disgusted with Olympic boxing right now, I am recording the remainder of the fights, but I don't have the stomach to watch anymore right now. Our national boxing program is broken and 3 of our fighters got overtly robbed.
Very cool!!! Personally, I think that the judges fucked up and not necessarily the referee, but a just outcome regardless.
"London, Great Britain, 04 August 2012 – After reviewing the video of Bout #142 involving Welterweights (69kg) Krishan Vikas (India) and Errol Spence (USA), the Competition Jury found the following:
- There were a total of nine (9) holding fouls committed by the Indian boxer in the third round alone. However the Referee only gave one caution;
- In the second round, at the time 02:38, the boxer from India spitted out his gumshield intentionally. However the Referee didn’t give any warning
Based on these findings, the Competition Jury Members unanimously decided the following:
- Decision #1: Based on the AIBA Technical & Competition Rules 12.1.9, the Referee should have given at least two (2) warnings to the Indian boxer;
- Decision #2: Although the boxer from India intentionally spitted out his gumshield, the Referee’s view was blocked by the boxer from the USA and was not able to see the action;
- Final Decision: Based on Decision #1, at least four (4) points should have been awarded to the boxer from the USA. Therefore the final score should be 13:15 in favour of the USA. The protest is accepted and the winner of Bout #142 is Errol Spence (USA)."
PoundforPound Olympic boxing is such a clusterfuck.
Sigh, this.
I was so exited for this Olympic year for boxing, hoping it would provide some promising results and be the start of rebuilding the program for the US. Instead, the sport continues to be mired in controversy, full of corruption and the US looks bush league.
There have still be some absolutely superb skills on display by several boxers on different teams. Overall the boxing itself seems much better than in '04 and '08, but its overshadowed by the bullshit.
I agree that there's lots of skill on display in these games, better overall than what I saw the last couple of Olympics. And -- suprise. USA boxing will earn some medals this year.
Sad to see the problems though, because I actually really like Olympic boxing. The point system rewards basic boxing skill, and I like how it tends to be controlled and the safety record is very good. If a boxer wants to move on into the pro's, they'll be held to a different standard -- which makes perfect sense.
I know there are problems with the officiating, but guys it's not nearly as important as the problems with our US team.
Everyone knows that bouts are scored differently from the pro's and the game needs to be approached differently, but from commentators to coaches to the athletes themselves -- seems it's not being done right.
It's not everyone else's fault we suck so bad. Yeah they need reforms in Olympics, but we need bigger reform here.
It trickles down to the boxers, too. All the sour grapes about our bad showings gives talented guys like Diaz -- who I actually thought lost that second bout fair & square -- an excuse handy that Olympic boxing is some kind of joke. It kind of blows my mind seeing guys like Warren sound arrogant in TV appearances leading to the Games, when he's accomplished zero wins on the Olympic level.
The impression I get is that no one really has a grasp on the amatuer system in this country. Combine that with all the sour grapes about our poor performance in the Games and, well you reap what you sow.
