Olympics Heavyweight Semifinals Live Results

A rematch to the 2008 Olympic heavyweight quarterfinals serves as this year's finals. Oleksandr Usyk of Ukraine seeks revenge on Saturday against Italy's Clemente Russo, who earned the Silver medal in the 2008 Beijing Games and is the division's lone returning medalist. 

Their paths to the Gold medal round were far different tales. Usyk pulverized Bulgaria's Tervel Pulev, scoring a true knockdown early and dominating every round in a 21-5 romp. Russo's journey required the mother of all final round rallies to pull off a 15-13 come-from-behind win over Teymur Mammadov of Azerbaijan.

Usyk left no doubt as to the better man in the ring for his bout with Pulev, who was floored in the opening round and never competitive at any point of the fight. A four-point margin at the end of one was as close as the fight would ever get. Usyk poured on the offense from bell to bell, as Pulev is forced to settle for the bronze in giving Bulgaria its lone medal in boxing competition and just second in all of this year's Olympics. 

The opposite is true for the Ukraine boxing squad, which has secured five medals. Two fighters have now advanced to the finals after Usyk's win, with a shot at three more placements once action resumes in the remaining weight classes later this afternoon.

Usyk would love nothing more than to avenge his '08 Olympic loss to Russo. This year's action suggests he could be catching the Italian heavyweight at the perfect time to exact revenge.

The only point in the 2012 London Games in which Russo hasn't struggled was in his opening round of competition. Opponent Tumbo Silva of Algeria was a no-show for the weigh-in, thus granting Russo a free pass into the quarterfinals.

There's a case to be the made that the judges did the rest for him, as the Italian heavyweight's win was one of four horribly scored (and fought) bouts on Sunday evening.

Nevertheless, those who were advanced to Friday's semifinals all fought their hearts out. Chief among them Russo, who managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat after Mammadov punched himself out prior to the final round.

Mammadov fought like a man who believed the deck was stacked against him. The extra motivation showed in building an early lead before unloading on Russo in a round that drew two eight-counts - one standing and a true knockdown that left the defending Silver medalist battered and in serious trouble.

Russo came on like gangbusters in the final round, whereas Mammadov lacked any remaining strength to prevent the incoming. The late surge - which included a standing eight count, to the surprise of the Azerbaijani heavyweight - was reflective of the championship heart by Russo, more will than skill but enough to get the job done. 

The heavyweight finals takes place on Saturday, August 11.