2012 Olympic Boxing: controversy, upsets, and excitement
By: Travis Kennedy
After a week of boxing, many spectators are left shaking their heads. There has not only been excitement and action at this year’s games, but also multiple upsets, controversy, and poor officiating. On top of that, the United States team has performed very poorly. Let’s take a look back at this last week and review the good along with the bad.
Referee Ishanguly Meretnyyazov of Turkmenistan, was sent home and expelled from the games on Wednesday. Meretnyyazov failed to rule a standing eight count for any of the six instances in which Azerbaijan’s Magomed Abdulhamidov, was knocked down in the third round of his bantamweight bout with Japan’s Satoshi Shimizu. Meretnyyazov allowed the fight to continue after every knockdown, and even fixed the head gear worn by Abdulhamidov at one point. Abdulhamidov was very hurt and the fight should have been stopped. Despite this, Abdulhamidov was actually awarded a 22-17 decision win. That decision was quickly over turned late Wednesday night when AIBA ruled at least three knockdowns should have been counted, and the bout should have come to a halt. Iranian heavyweight Ali Mazaheri was also disqualified Wednesday by German referee Frank Scharmach, for excessive holding against Cuba’s Jose Larduet, Mazaheri was given several warnings, but the stoppage was still unnecessary. Mazaheri was very upset with the ruling, and left the ring without shaking hands with Larduet or Scharmach. Mazaheri even claimed afterwards that the result was “a fix” and “a setup.” The referee was later suspended through next Tuesday’s fights, but the disqualification still stands. This is another black eye to an already struggling sport. Suspending or expelling these referees is a step in the right direction, but I feel we need stricter training enforced on these officials, and complete background checks to help ensure that there is absolutely no corruption going on.
After the United States men’s boxers started off 4-0, everything went downhill from there. Just five days after the boxing started, every American was out of the tournament. The last American standing Friday was welterweight Errol Spence. Spence would go on to lose that night to Indian welterweight Krishan Vikas 13-11. Fortunately, the loss only lasted about five hours, as Spence was awarded a victory after the American squad protested the result. AIBA’s competition jury reviewed the bout, and ruled that Vikas had commited nine holding fouls in the third round alone and also intentionally spit out his mouthpiece in the second round, which should have resulted in at least four point deductions. Spence will now advance to the quarterfinals to face Russia’s Andrey Zamkovoy on Tuesday. If he wins, Spence will guarantee himself no less than a bronze medal, and the 2012 American squad can avoid being the worst American boxing team in history! It appears to me the American’s aren’t able to fight the Olympic style required to win. There is no doubt in my mind many of these athletes will have promising professional careers, but professional boxing and Olympic boxing are scored in a completely different way. The amateur boxing program in the United States needs a lot of improvement. I feel that’s where some of the blame lies, but the coaching as well has to take some responsibility. The American boxers have a lot of talent, but if the coaches don’t have these athletes training and fighting the style that is required to score points, then they will be fighting a professional style which is pointless in Olympic boxing. It’s very hard to fight a style that you are not accustomed to, Therefore it appears evident to me these fighters have not been training long enough in the style required to win Olympic medals. Other than three-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren, our 2012 American boxers have minimal experience at the Olympics. This lack of experience, coaching issues, and the inability of these boxers to just “let their hands go”, has been detrimental to our Olympic success this year. The United States still has one last hope in Errol Spence. Hopefully, he can go on to win a bronze medal, or perhaps gold! We will find out on Tuesday.
The women’s boxing starts Sunday August 5th. This will be a historic event for the 2012 Olympics, as it’s the first year women’s boxing is introduced. The United States still have their women to support and rally on, as they fight towards gold medals! It’s no secret that America is relying on the women to pull them out of the hole they are in this year. Hopefully, America can get back on track and capture a few medals. Winning a gold medal the first year women’s boxing was introduced would be historic, and great for your country.
The official results of the men’s boxing up through Saturday, August 4th are posted below.
Flyweight – Round of 32 results: (Monday, July 30):
Samir Brahimi (Algeria) def. Jackson Darren Woods (Australia), 14-12
Juliao Henriques Neto (Brazil) def. Jong Chol Pak (North Korea), 12-8
Jeyvier Cintron (Puerto Rico) def. Oteng Oteng (Botswana), 14-12
Hesham Abdelaal (Egypt) def. Benson Njangiru (Kenya), 19-16
Tugstsogt Nyambayar (Mongolia) def. Elvin Mamishzada (Azerbaijan), 18-11
Nordine Oubaali (France) def. Ajmal Faisal (Afghanistan), 22-9
Duke Micah (Ghana) def. Jason Lavigilante (Mauritius), 18-14
Chatchai Butdee (Thailand) def. Selcuk Eker (Turkey), 24-10
Robeisy Ramirez (Cuba) def. Katsuaki Susa (Japan), 19-7
Ilyas Suleimenov (Kazakhstan) def. Salomo Ntuve (Sweden), 13-8
Round of 16 matchups: (Friday, August 3):
Samir Brahimi (Algeria) vs. Misha Aloyan (Russia /Received 1st round bye)
Juliao Henriques Neto (Brazil) vs. Jeyvier Cintron (Puerto Rico)
Hesham Abdelaal (Egypt) vs. Jasurbek Latipov (Uzbekistan/ Received 1st round bye)
Tugstsogt Nyambayar (Mongolia) vs. Vincenzo Picardi (Italy/Received 1st round bye)
Nordine Oubaali (France) vs. Rau’shee Warren (United States /Received 1st round bye)
Duke Michah (Ghana) vs. Michael Conlan (Ireland)/Received 1st round bye)
Chatchai Butdee (Thailand) vs. Robeisy Ramirez (Cuba)
Lyas Suleimenov (Kazakhstan) vs. Andrew Selby (Great Britain/Received 1st round bye)
Light Flyweight – Round of 32 Results: (Tuesday, July 31):
Yosbany Veitia (Cuba) def. Billy Ward (Australia), 26-4
Mark Barriga (Philippines) def. Manuel Cappai (Italy), 17-7
Birzhan Zhakypov (Kazakhstan) def. Jeremy Beccu (France), 18-17
Thomas Essomaba (Cameroon) def. Abdelali Daraa (Morocco), 13-10
Devendro Singh (India) vs. Bayron Molina (Honduras) RSC (Singh)
Jantony Ortiz (Puerto Rico) vs. Tetteh Sulemanu (Ghana)
Ferhat Pehlivan (Turkey) vs. Carlos Suarez (Trinidad & Tobago)
Jose Kelvin de la Nieve (Spain) vs. Carlos Quipo (Ecuador)
Mohamed Flissi (Algeria) vs. Kaeo Pongprayoon (Thailand)
Aleksandr Aleksandrov (Bulgaria) vs. Juliano Maquina (Mozambique)
Round of 16 matchups: (Saturday, August 4):
Yosbany Veitia (Cuba) vs. Shiming Zou (China/Received 1st round bye)
Mark Barriga (Philippines) vs. Birzhan Zhakypov (Kazakhstan)
Thomas Essomaba (Cameroon) vs. Paddy Barnes (Ireland/ Received 1st round bye)
TBA vs. Purevdorjiin Serdamba (Mongolia/Received 1st round bye)
TBA vs. David Ayrapetyan (Russia /Received 1st round bye)
TBA vs. Ramy El Awadi (Egypt/Received 1st round bye)
TBA vs. TBA
TBA vs. Jong-Hun Shin (South Korea/Received 1st round bye)
Round of 16 results: (Wednesday, August 1):
Lazaro Alvarez (Cuba) def. Joseph Diaz Jr. (USA) 21-15
Robenilson Vieira (Brazil) def. Sergey Vodopiyanov (Russia), 13-11
John Joe Nevin (Ireland) def. Kanat Abutalipov (Kazakhstan), 15-10
Oscar Valdez (Mexico) def. Anjar Yunosov (Tajikistan), 13-7
Luke Campbell (Great Britain) def. Vitorrio Parrinello (Italy), 11-9
Detelin Dalakliev (Bulgaria) def. Ibraham Balla (Australia), 14-10
Mohamed Ouadahi (Algeria) def. William Encarnacion (Dominican Republic), 16-10
Magomed Abdulhamidov (Azerbaijan) def. Satoshi Shimizu (Japan), 22-17*
* – Verdict overruled upon review by the AIBA; Shimizu advances to quarterfinals
Lightweights – Round of 32 results: (Sunday, July 29):
Wellington Arias (Dominican Republic) def. Eduor Marriaga (Colombia), 17-8
Ahmed Mejrl (Tunisia) def. Shafiq Chitou (Benin), 16-9
Felix Verdejo (Puerto Rico) def. Juan Huertas (Panama), 11-5
Gani Zhailauov (Kazakhstan) def. Saylom Ardee (Thailand), 12-12 (Zhailauov wins on countback)
Jai Bhagwan (India) def. Andrique Allison (Seychelles), 18-8
Liu Qiang (China) def. Luke Jackson (Australia), 20-7
Josh Taylor (Great Britain) def. Robson Conceição (Brazil), 13-9
Evaldas Petrauskas (Lithuania) def. Miklos Varga (Hungary), 20-12
Fatih Keleş (Turkey) def. Abdelkader Chadi (Algeria), 15-8
Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (Uzbekistan) def. Yhyacinthe Mewoli (Cameroon), 11-6
Jose Ramirez (USA) def. Rachid Azzedine (France), 21-20
Soon-Chul Han (South Korea) dec. Mohamed Eliwa (Egypt), 11-6
Round of 16 results: (Thursday, August 2):
Vasyl Lomachenko (Ukraine) def. Wellington Arias (Dominican Republic), 15-3
Felix Verdejo (Puerto Rico) def. Ahmed Mejrl (Tunisia), 16-7
Gani Zhailauov (Kazakhstan) def. Jai Bhagwan (India) , 16-8
Yasniel Toledo (Cuba) def. Liu Qiang (China), 14-10
Domenico Valentino (Italy) def. Josh Taylor (Great Britain), 15-10
Evaldas Petrauskas (Lithuania) def. Fatih Keleş (Turkey), 16-12
Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (Uzbekistan) def. Jose Ramirez (USA), 15-11
Soon-Chul Han (South Korea) def. Vasgen Safaryanta (Belarus), 13-13 (double-countback)
Welterweights – Round of 32 results: (Sunday, July 29):
Vasiliji Belous (Moldova) def. Selemeni Kidunda (Tansinia), 20-7
Tuvshinbat Byamba (Mongolia) def. Yannick Mitoumba (Gabon), 17-4
Alexis Vastine (France) def. Patrick Wojcicki (Germany), 16-12
Custio Clayton (Canada) def. Oscar Molina (Mexico), 12-8
Cameron Hammond (Australia) def. Moustopha Abdoulaye Hima (Niger), 13-6
Freddie Evans (Great Britain) def. Ilyas Abbadi (Algeria), 18-10
Errol Spence (USA) def. Myke Carvalho (Brazil), 16-8
Adam Nolan (Ireland) def. Carlos Sanchez (Ecuador), 14-8
Andrey Zamkovoy (Russia) def. Qiong Maimaitituersun (China), 16-11
Siphiwe Lusizi (South Africa) def. Abdulkareem Ahmed (Iraq), 17-13
Gabriel Maestre (Venezuela) def. Amin Ghasemi (Iran), 13-8
Yasuhiro Suzuki (Japan) def. Mehdi Khalsi (Morocco), 14-13
Round of 16 results: (Friday, August 3):
Taras Shelestyuk (Ukraine) def. Vasiliji Belous (Moldova), 15-7
Alexis Vastine (France) def. Tuvshinbat Byamba (Mongolia), 16-12
Custio Clayton (Canada) def. Cameron Hammond (Australia), 14-12
Freddie Evans (Great Britain) def. Egidijus Kavaliauskas (Lithuania), 11-7
Vikas Krishan (India) def. Errol Spence, 13-11
Andrey Zamkovoy (Russia) def. Adam Nolan (Ireland), 18-9
Serik Sapiyev (Kazakhstan) def. Yasuhiro Suzuki (Japan) , 25-11
Gabriel Maestre (Venezuela) def. Siphiwe Lusizi (South Africa), 18-13
Middleweights – Round of 32 results: (Saturday, July 28):
Anthony Ogogo (Great Britain) def. Junior Castillo (Dominican Republic), 13-6
Darren O’Neill (Ireland) def. Muideen Akanji (Nigeria), 15-6
Stefan Hartel (Germany) def. Enrique Collazo (Puerto Rico), 18-10
Mjundjae Kasuto (Namibia) def. Sobirdzhon Inazarov (Tajikistan), 11-8
Zoltan Harcsa (Hungary) def. Jose Espinoza (Venezuela), 16-13
Soltan Migitinov (Azerbaijan) def. Mohamed Hikal (Egypt), 20-12
Abbos Atoev (Uzbekistan) def. Badr-Eddine Haddioui (Morocco) – 11-9
Terrell Gausha (USA) def. Andranik Hakobyan (Armenia) – RSC-3
Vijender Singh (India) def. Danabek Suzhanov (Kazakhstan) – 14-10
Adem Kılıççı (Turkey) def. Nursahat Pazziyev (Turkmenistan) – 14-7
Aleksander Drenovak (Serbia) def. Mario Delgado (Ecuador) – 30-12
Abdelmalek Rahou (Algeria) def. Jesse Ross (Australia), 13-11
Middleweights – Round of 16 results: (Thursday, August 2):
Anthony Ogogo (Great Britain) def. Ievgen Khytrov (Ukraine), 18-18 (double tiebreaker)
Stefan Hartel (Germany) def. Darren O’Neill, 19-12
Zoltan Harcsa (Hungary) def. Mjundjae Kasuto (Namibia), 16-7
Ezquiva Falcao (Brazil) def. Soltan Migitinov (Azerbaijan), 24-11
Abbos Atoev (Uzbekistan) def. Bogdan Juratoni (Romania), 12-10
Vijender Singh (India) def. Terrell Gausha, 16-15
Adem Kılıççı (Turkey) def. Aleksander Drenovak (Serbia), 20-11
Ryota Murata (Japan) def. Abdelmalek Rahou (Algeria), 21-12
Light Heavyweight – Round of 32 results: (Monday, July 30):
Ihab Almatbouli (Jordan) def. Lukmon Lawal (Nigeria), 19-7
Yamaguchi Falcao Florentino (Brazil) def. Sumit Sangwan (India) , 15-14
Fanlong Meng (China) def. Ahmed Barki (Morocco), 17-8
Yahia Elmekachari (Tunisia) def. Jakhon Qurbonov (Tajikistan), 16-8
Damien Hooper (Australia) def. Marcus Browne (United States), 13-11
Carlos Gongora (Ecuador) vs Vatan Huseynli (Azerbaijan), 9-8
Ehsan Rouzbahani (Iran) def. Jeysson Monroy (Colombia), 12-10
Oleksandr Gvozdyk (Ukraine) vs Mikhail Dauhaliavets (Belarus), 18-10
Osmar Bravo (Nicaragua) def. Bosko Draskovic (Montenegro), 16-11
Enrico Kolling (Germany) def. Christian Donfack Adjoufack (Cameroon), 15-6
Round of 16 Matchups: (Saturday, August 4):
Ihab Almatbouli (Jordan) vs. Julio Cesar La Cruz (Cuba /Received 1st round bye)
Yamaguchi Falcao Florentino (Brazil) vs. Fanlong Meng (China)
Yahia Elmekachari (Tunisia) vs. Elshod Rasulov (Uzbekistan/ Received 1st round bye)
Damien Hooper (Australia) vs. Egor Mekhontcev (Russia /Received 1st round bye)
Carlos Gongora (Ecuador) vs. Adilbek Niyazymbetov (Kazakhstan/Received 1st round bye)
Ehsan Rouzbahani (Iran) vs. Bahram Muzaffer (Turkey /Received 1st round bye)
Oleksandr Gvozdyk (Ukraine) vs. Osmar Bravo (Nicaragua)
Enrico Kolling (Germany) vs. Abdelhafid Benchabla (Algeria/Received 1st round bye)
HEAVYWEIGHT ROUND OF 16 RESULTS: (Wednesday, August 1)
Artur Beterbiyev (Russia) def. Michael Hunter, 10-10 (countback)
Tervel Pulev (Bulgaria) def. Xuanxuan Wang (China), 10-7
Yamil Peralta (Argentina) def. Chouaib Boulodinat (Algeria), 13-5
Teymur Mammadov (Azerbaijan) def. Jei Opetaia (Australia), 12-11
Siarhei Karneyeu (Belarus) def. Juan Castillo (Ecuador), 21-12
Jose Larduet (Cuba) def. Ali Mazaheri (Iran), DQ-2
Clemente Russo (Italy) def. Tumba Silva (Angola), Walkover (Silva no-show for weigh-in)
Super Heavyweights Round of 16 (Wednesday, August 1)
Magomedrasul Majidov (Azerbaijan) def. Meji Mwamba (Congo), RSC-2 (2:09)
Magomed Omarov (Russia) def. Dominic Breazeale (USA), 19-8
Mohamed Arjaoui (Morocco) def. Blaise Yepmou (Cameroon), 15-6
Roberto Cammarelle (Italy) def. Italo Perea (Ecuador), 18-10
Ivan Dychko (Kazakhstan) vs. Erik Pfiefer (Germany)
Simon Kean (Canada) vs. Tony Yoka (France)
Zhilei Zhang (China) vs. Johan Linde (Australia)
Erislandy Savon (Cuba) vs. Anthony Joshua (Great Britain)ght
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