Olympics Flyweight Round Of 16: Rau'shee Warren Falls

By Jake Donovan

Rau’shee Warren made U.S. boxing history the moment he steps in the ring to represent the 2012 U.S Olympic boxing squad. His appearance makes him the first ever American boxer to have fought in three separate Olympic Games.

Sadly, he is now also the first U.S. fighter to bow out of competition in three separate Olympic Games.

The 25-year old blew an early lead in falling short to  Nordine Oubaali of France by score of 19-18. While there has been horrific officiating throughout the competition, there was no evidence of anti-American bias in this result. If anything, the score could have been considerably wider based Oubaali's strong finish.

Both fighters emptied their clips in a furiously paced opening round. Warren was scoring with the heavier blows, including a right hook that caught the Frenchman on the left temple. It wasn't enough to produce a knockdown, but paved the way for a comfortable margin after three minutes.

That was as close as Team USA would come to reversing its current skid.

Oubaali came locked and loaded for round two, narrowing the gap by becoming the aggressor. Warren spent the round slipping shots more often than returning fire, but still had his say on plenty of exchanges despite losing the round and barely clinging to a open point lead.

The advice in American corner was a demand for more aggression. Warren nodded as if to understand the instructions, but was unable to carry out the battle plan. Oubaali fought like a man possessed in the final round - or to use an old sports cliche, like an athlete who simply wanted it more.

The two-point margin in which Oubaali won the final round wasn't accurate of his dominance down the stretch. It was, however, enough to send him to the quarterfinals.

It was also enough to sound the alarms for Team USA, which  has now lost eight straight in 2012 Olympic boxing competition after sprinting out to a 4-0 start. 

For Warren, it's the third straight Olympic competition in which he exited after his first ring appearance. The flip side to his making history is that it hasn't come with the least amount of success once he's hit this stage. 

Warren had the chance to turn pro after the 2008 Beijing Games, but wasn't content with the manner in which he went home. A miscommunication in instructions caused Warren to stop pressing forward while down one with seconds to go in what became an opening round loss to Lee Ok-Sung.

There was no misunderstanding this time around. Warren came to fight to the finish. There would be no self-denying of the opportunity to win;  Oubaali took care of that for him. 

With the win, Oubaali advances to the quarterfinals, where he will face Michael Conlan of Ireland. Conlan's trip to the Elite Eight came with greater dominance, as he tore threw Duke Micah of Ghana in racking up a 19-8 landslide win. 

The London crowd waited all evening to cheer on its flyweight entrant, Andrew Selby. Patience paid off for the hosting nation, as the Welsh flyweight pulled off a 19-15 win over Kazakhstan’s Ilyas Suleimenov. 

Selby led after every round and was able to overcome a two-point penalty for a public warning in the final round. His win puts Great Britain's record at 8-1 in 2012 Olympic competition, with five fighters advancing to the quarterfinals and one still alive in the Round of 16. 

Awaiting Selby in the quarterfinals is Cuba's Robeisy Ramirez, who stormed to the next round with a 22-10 win over Thailand's Chatchee Butbee. 

The bout appeared to be competitive on paper, but the Cuban quickly turned it into a mismatch. An opening round standing-eight count set the tone for a landslide win for Ramirez, who awaits the final flyweight bout of the Round of 16.

Quarterfinal action in the flyweight division takes place on Tuesday, August 7.

Misha Aloyan (Russia) def.  Samir Brahimi (Algeria), 14-9

Jeyvier Cintron (Puerto Rico) def.  Juliao Henriques Neto (Brazil) , 18-13

Jasurbek Latipov (Uzbekistan) def.   Hesham Abdelaal (Egypt), 21-11

Tugstsogt Nyambayar (Mongolia) def. Vincenzo Picardi (Italy), 17-16

Nordine Oubaali (France) def. Rau'shee Warren (United States), 19-18

Michael Conlan (Ireland) def.  Duke Michah (Ghana), 19-8

Robeisy Ramirez (Cuba) def.  Chatchai Butdee (Thailand), 22-10

Andrew Selby (Great Britain) def.  Ilyas Suleimenov (Kazakhstan), 19-15

Misha Aloyan (Russia) vs.  Jeyvier Cintron (Puerto Rico)    

Jasurbek Latipov (Uzbekistan)  vs. T ugstsogt Nyambayar (Mongolia)

Nordine Oubaali (France) vs. Michael Conlan (Ireland)

Robeisy Ramirez (Cuba) vs. Andrew Selby (Great Britain)

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), 34-10

Robeisy Ramirez (Cuba) def. Katsuaki Susa (Japan), 19-7 

Ilyas Suleimenov (Kazakhstan) def. Salomo Ntuve (Sweden),