By Jake Donovan
The light heavyweight division sees its first round of action on Monday, split into afternoon and evening sessions.
Sadly, the afternoon session did not end well for Team USA, losing for the first time in the competition as Marcus Browne dropped a 13-11 decision to Australia's Damien Hooper.
A poor decision by NBC executives disallowed Monday's action to air live on CNBC. Even worse, the NBC Olympics' official website chose to cut off its live stream just as Browne and Hooper were entering the ring.
Those who found (ahem) other means to watch saw Browne blow an early lead as he ran out of gas in the final frame of a tightly contested affair. The timing couldn't have been any worse, as Hooper was just getting warmed up. The high-octane Aussie poured it on when it mattered most, scoring repeatedly with power shots.
The turning point came midway through the round when Browne - up by just one point heading into the final three minutes - was caught and rocked, receiving a standing eight count. Hooper never looked back, throwing straight right hands with mean intentions while Browne was never able to adjust.
Things grew a bit sloppy in the final round, with Browne falling to the canvas and both fighters stumbling into the ropes. Browne attempted one last rally down the stretch, but Hooper never allowed the American to take the lead.
Hooper advances to the Round of 16 as he faces Russia's Egor Mekhontcev, who received an opening round bye.
Browne is now forced to watch from the sidelines after ending a four-fight win streak for Team USA in the 2012 Games. The U.S squad will have to wait until Tuesday for its next win. Rau'shee Warren - the first-ever U.S. boxer to participate in three Olympiads - received a first round bye in the flyweight competition.
Yahia Elmekachari of Tunisia had little trouble in taking a 16-8 win over a seemingly disinterested
Jakhon Qurbonov
of Tajikistan. Elmekeachari outpointed Qurbonov in all three rounds, as he now advances to the Round of 16. Awaiting him is
Elshod Rasulov of Uzbekistan, who was granted an opening round bye.
China's Fanlong Meng advances to the Round of 16 after putting on a boxing clinic in a 17-8 win over Ahmed Barki of Morocco. Meng rocked Barki in each of the first two rounds, but made things interesting when the Moroccan light heavyweight was given two points after absorbing a low blow early in round three.
Yamaguchi Falcao of Brazil greatly benefited from the soon-to-be-fazed-out current state of Olympic scoring in taking a 15-14 win over Sumit Sangwan of India. Sangwan was the busier and far more devastating puncher throughout, but his combination punching went unrecognized by the judges.
Falcao and Meng will meet in the Round of 16.
Ihab Almatbouli proudly marches on, as the lone member of the Jordan Olympic boxing team advances to the Round of 16 after a 19-7 win over Lukmon Lawal of Nigeria. Atmanbouli jumped out to an early lead before dominating in rounds two and three, the latter including a standing eight count courtesy of a right hand and left hook. Almatbouli next faces Julio Cesar la Cruz of Cuba, who dominated the light heavyweight field in the 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championships.
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)
Jeysson Monroy (Colombia) vs Ehsan Rouzbahani (Iran)
Oleksandr Gvozdyk (Ukraine) vs Mikhail Dauhaliavets (Belarus)
Bosko Draskovic (Montenegro) vs Osmar Bravo Amador (Nicaragua)
Christian Donfack Adjoufack (Cameroon) vs Enrico Kolling (Germany)
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)
TBA vs. Adilbek Niyazymbetov (Kazakhstan /Received 1st round bye)
TBA vs. Bahram Muzaffer (Turkey /Received 1st round bye)
TBA vs. TBA
TBA vs. Abdelhafid Benchabla (Algeria /Received 1st round bye)
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com. Follow Jake on Twitter:
@JakeNDaBox
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