DESTINY RISES FOR THE HOME OLYMPIANS
By: Peter Mann, Head UK & Eire Editor
It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link of the chain of destiny can be handled at a time. Winston S. Churchill (1874-1965)
Controlling the destiny of an individual is what those fighters that are representing both Team GB and Team Ireland at the London 2012 Games are striving to achieve. But, as the great Winston Churchill was quoted as saying, then only the one link of the chain ahead of you can be handled at any one given moment. That particular link, not just for the home fighters but for all participants shows that, in order to achieve their destiny then they will be witnessed as having progressed one step or one bout at a time. Never look too far ahead as that will be the downfall.
Looking at the statistics of those bouts which involved fighters from the home nations over the four days that encompassed the round of sixteen then it is shown, overall, that taking it one step at a time does pay dividend. Of the twelve bouts witnessed only three would result in defeat (Darren O’Neill and Adam Nolan from Ireland and Josh Taylor from Great Britain), of which neither won a round. However, of the 36 rounds boxed the win-loss percentage ratio would be 50-36 with 14% drawn. When breaking the statistics down further then of the 36 rounds the home nations would collect an impressive 173 points at an average of five points per round (relinquishing 156 at four per round). Therefore, those fighters that bettered that average in their respective bouts have progressed with O’Neill (4), Nolan (3) and Taylor (3) having fallen just short.
What of the participants and their respective bouts?
The round of sixteen for those of a UK & Eire persuasion began with two bouts in the 54kg division as first John Joe Nevin, having crushed the Dane Dennis Ceylan 21-6 in his opening bout, faced Kazakhstan’s Kanat Abutalipov. Nevin though was not fazed and had too much for his opponent, taking the opening two rounds impressively having used both clever footwork and attacks to control the bout. Although the final round would somehow end in a draw at 5-5 it would be Nevin that progresses to the round of eight courtesy of a 15-8 victory.
The evening session saw two of Team GB’s boxers enter the ring for the first time at London 2012. First was to be Luke Campbell whom had taken Gold at the 2008 Europeans and Silver at the 2012 Worlds, face Italy’s Jahyn Vittorio Parrinello, who was in his second Olympics. In a close affair both fighters took it to the other, cancelling out the others game plans. The only round that was one of the three, was the second, by Campbell, by the two points that would ultimately be the deciding factor of the bout. Campbell’s 5-3 success there contributed to the 11-9 victory when doing just enough to progress.
The final bout of the night would see Anthony Joshua, in the +91kg division, from Finchley in North London, take centre stage and face up to one of the most famous names in Olympic boxing, opposing the Cuban Erislandy Savon Cotilla. Two strong, classical fighters went toe-to-toe and both would give their all in a bout that could have gone either way. Joshua countered well and after winning the opening two, high-scoring rounds, had opened up enough of a gap to survive the third, which he ultimately lost 4-3. Joshua though would take the bout 17-16.
If those two bouts (Campbell’s and Joshua’s) were close then nothing would have prepared a nation for what transpired when Anthony Ogogo appeared on the second day of the last sixteen at 75kg.Ogogo had defeated Junior Castillo 13-6 in his opening bout, faced the Ukrainian Ievgen Khytrov in a bout that went to the wire. Ogogo opened well enough against the World number one and was both punching and counterpunching effectively to take the opening round by two points. That was to be the biggest margin and Khytrov somehow managed to reduce the deficit as he took the following two rounds by a single each; 7-6 and 8-7. The scores would see the bout announced at 18-18 and the count-back couldn’t separate them either as that was 52-52, the decision finally being decided by the judges in the favour of Ogogo. Khytrov and his camp, in the aftermath of defeat, appealed the decision but was instantaneously dismissed by AIBA when they stated that there was “No special grounds” for the said appeal, Ogogo progressing.
Unfortunately though the Irish captain would be the first to fall when he appeared immediately after Ogogo’s success. Having beaten Muideen Akanji 15-6 in his opening bout, Darren O’Neil came up against strong, German opposition, in Stefan Hartel. In losing all three rounds, the second by some four points, the deficit would be too great to overcome and Hartel progresses 19-12.
Team GB’s Josh Taylor, at 60kg, would then exit during the evening session. Having defeated the Brazilian Robson Conceicao 13-9 in his opening bout, in facing Italy’s Domenico Valentino, Taylor would come asunder. More so if you take into consideration Valentino’s position as a five-time national champion. There was to be only a one point difference going into the third but Valentino improved, his attacks becoming faster as the round progressed. As the round came to a conclusion Valentino had moved to far ahead and took it 7-3 and the bout by a 15-10 margin.
Young Fred Evans was to be the first home fighter on show in the afternoon session of the final day of the last sixteen bouts. Having defeated that of Ilyas Abbadi comprehensively, 18-10 in his opening bout, he faced the Lithuanian Egidijus Kavaliauskas in the 69kg division. A relatively quiet bout ensued and by the end of the first round only three points had been registered. Even as the bout progresses there wasn’t much between the two fighters but Evans would attack well in the third, opening up enough of a lead to take the bout with an 11-7 score.
The evening session would see fighters from the home nations represented in the 52kg division with three fighters in action. First was Ireland’s Michael Conlan, whom, having received a bye, was drawn against Ghana’s Duke Micah. It was an interesting battle and, after a quiet and sometimes cagey opening round, Conlan steamed ahead. By the time the third round closed the Irishman was even resorting to a little showboating as he took both the second and third by four points each, winning with a 19-8 score.
The Pride of Wales, Andrew Selby, then made his Olympic bow against Kazakhstan’s Ilyas Suleimenov, in what was seen as Selby’s grace and speed against Suleimenov’s power. Selby though, as a natural switch-hitter, showcased some great punching ability, combinations, movement and counter-punching throughout. Having taken the opening two rounds, the third was to be a high-scoring 7-7 draw, Selby taking the bout 19-15 overall.
Ireland’s Adam Nolan would then lose to Andrey Zamkovoy of the Russian Federation, taking all three rounds with the last by some six points, 9-3 as the Russian sealed an impressive 18-9 victory.
On the final day of the last sixteen Ireland’s Paddy Barnes took to the ring in the afternoon session against Cameroon’s Thomas Essomba and, although Barnes would progress 15-10 he was to be both confident and efficient in his display throughout, Barnes’ speed proving the difference maker.
Finally, later in the evening session, was the entrance of the Team GB captain, Thomas Stalker, facing India’s Kumar Manoj. Manoj was introduced to a cacophony of booing from the partisan home crowd. Stalker was fired up for this bout from the off and exploded into the bout, providing good body shots and an array of punches, but for as good as Manoj received, he returned just as well. However, as the bout progressed Stalker would be seemingly seen to tire a little and this showed as he lost the third round by three points. He had already opened up a seven point gap at this stage though and would win the bout with an impressive 20-16 score.
Captain Stalker’s victory meant that the home nations from the UK & Eire would have 9 of their 12 male participants in the last eight. The draw for which is –
Luke Campbell (GB) vs. Detelin Dalakliev (BUL); John Joe Nevin (IRE) vs. Oscar Valdez Fierro (MEX): Anthony Ogogo (GB) vs. Stefan Hartel (GER); Anthony Joshua (GB) vs. Zhelei Zhang (CHN); Michael Conlan (IRE) vs. Nordine Oubaali (FRA); Andrew Selby (GB) vs. Robeisy Ramirez Carrazana (CUB); Freddie Evans (GB) vs. Custio Clayton (CAN); Paddy Barnes (IRE) vs. Devendro Singh Laishram (IND); Thomas Stalker (GB) vs. Munkh-Erdene Uranchimeg (MON)
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