By Cliff Rold
All things come to an end. Sunday in Beijing, Boxing’s Olympic struggle concluded with six bouts of varying quality. The day started and ended with stoppages of very different kinds; between those battles were compelling contests with one surprising development and a not so surprising lack of respect from U.S. television.
Let’s start with the latter. After showing what felt like everything but trips to the john in recent weeks, the NBC family of networks really put the screws to those who had followed the competition closely. NBC’s network feed delivered Olympic finals as promised; just not all of them. On Saturday, it was four of five bouts; on Sunday, only three of six. That wouldn’t have been a problem if they had simply stated, on air, “turn to Telemundo now for the full Heavyweight final which is about to begin” on Saturday or “tune in at Six eastern to Telemundo for bouts not shown this afternoon.”
Oh, and it would have been nice on Sunday, since Telemundo was doing an hour of Boxing anyways, to show all three of the bouts not shown on NBC in the afternoon. Seriously, did the world have to see the blowout Super Heavyweight final twice? Was there something in the contract that said “Thou must pay homage to Beijing by showing Team China at all costs?” Bouts take just more than ten minutes if ring walks are edited out; NBC really didn’t have that much time to devote when a chunk of the day was spent reminiscing about what everyone just watched in the last couple weeks? Understanding that Boxing isn’t a corporate priority, it was still a slap in the face to the people who watch it during the Games. Those viewers have been faithful enough that coverage has remained extensive via cable and Spanish outlets in three straight Games. It would have been nice to have had that faith fully regarded. More on the subject in a page or so.
As to the former mentioned surprise, having advanced eight of their ten fighters to the Medal rounds, four to the finals, Cuba left the Olympics without Gold for the first time since 1968. While eight medals is nothing to sneeze at, it remains a surprise and one many attribute to the rash of defection Cuba’s Olympic program has experienced since 2004. Had current professionals Yuriorkis Gamboa, Yan Barthelemy and Odlanier Solis competed in Beijing, and had two-time defending Gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux not attempted to defect only to be caught and shipped home, this would have been a very different Beijing.
Personally, I’d have preferred to see Rigondeaux successfully escape and ply his trade without head gear but I digress.
Cuba was not the only story of the closing weekend. The first five finals were broken down yesterday; here now are report cards on the remaining Gold Medal bouts.
Light Flyweight (106 lbs.): Zou Shiming-Serdamba Purevdorj
American followers know the 23-year old Mongolian Purevdorj well. By a single point, he was the man who ousted one of America’s then-brighter Medal hopes, Luis Yanez, in the round of 16. As noted when Yanez was still alive, it didn’t really matter who reached the B-side of this division’s bracket. It was and remained Shiming’s to lose. He did not lose and in the process the 27-year old Chinese battler added to a remarkable career. In 2004, he was the first Chinese Boxer ever to garner an Olympic medal, capturing the Bronze. Since then, he’s won the 2005 and 07 World championships. Sunday, Shiming wore the first fistic Gold ever for his nation.
All that history didn’t make for much of a fight. Shiming and Purevdorj engaged in a chess match through the opening two minute, one with few combinations and lots of jockeying for position. Shiming entered round two with a 1-0 lead and seconds later Purevdorj went lame with a right arm or shoulder injury (there was no official diagnosis). Deemed unfit to continue, that was all she wrote. Shiming received some favorable judging in both the quarter and semifinal rounds, judging which furthered the notion of his ascension as a foregone conclusion, but that can take nothing away from a remarkable amateur run. Does the run continue in London come 2012?
It might or might not. Basketball star Yao Ming provides evidence of professional sports outlets available to the Chinese in ways not previously available. As a nation looking to export its face in positive ways, Shiming could certainly cash in around the professional Flyweight ranks which have strong Asian bases. Does anyone think, say two to three years from now, that a bout between Shiming and Japan’s Koki Kameda couldn’t be huge business? There are a lot of ifs and buts on such a road; it’s still worth traveling in the mind.
Grades: Shiming A; Purevdorj Incomplete
Fight: Incomplete
Bantamweight (119 lbs.): Badar-Uugan Enkhbat-Yankiel Leon Alarcon
Mongolia’s second attempt at Gold on Sunday ended with their national anthem playing during the medal ceremony, and it was a performance that did the Chinese border state proud. The 23-year old Enkhbat was often brilliant in the bout, using movement and varied offensive tactics that kept the 26-year Alarcon off-balance throughout. There were some rough spots of course. Enkhbat built a 3-0 lead in the first, all on body shots, but received a caution for not engaging. He received a more deserved caution in the third round as he started to all but run with a six point lead. The second caution slowed him down a bit and he returned to punching, outscoring the Cuban 4-0 in both of the final two rounds. Alarcon may or may not make it back for 2012 and, under the current Cuban regime, has no ready professional options. Enkhbat will have choices to make in the days ahead.
Grades: Enkhbat A; Alarcon C+
Fight: B
Lightweight (132 lbs.): Alexey Tishchenko-Daouda Sow
It would be wonderful if, in this space, after weeks of following the Games, an accurate assessment of the 24-year old Tishchenko’s second Gold Medal win in as many Games (he captured Gold at featherweight in 2004) could be provided. Alas, it was nowhere to be found on the tube. Nope, if anyone wanted to see the Russian who also won the 2005 World’s at Featherweight and 2007 World’s at Lightweight, they had to make due with a highlight reel at http://www.nbcolympics.com/boxing/index.html titled “Boxer of the Games: Alexey Tishchenko.” Only problem with the title was it could lead fans to believe the Russian won the tournament’s Val Barker trophy for most outstanding Boxer, which he didn’t. That went to featherweight Vasyl Lomachenko.
The highlights available displayed what one might expect. Some wild swings; some lunges and clinches. Hard to say what exactly happened. The score says it was the closest contest of the day, Tischenko edging past France’s 25-year old Sow by a narrow 11-9. It would have been great to see it.
Seriously, after sometimes eight hours a day of coverage, no one saw fit to squeeze in all eleven Gold Medal matches?
Grades: Who Knows
Welterweight (152 lbs.): Bakhyt Sarsekbayev-Carlos Banteaux Suarez
Cuba’s 21-year old Welterweight hopeful Suarez gave a fine account of himself and arguably the fight should have been much close through the first two rounds as he was denied more than a couple of what appeared cleared points. By the end of four, it was hard to argue it would have mattered. The 26-year old Sarsekbayev from Kazakhstan was just a little too experienced and fast for the Cuban to deal with. Regardless, it may well have been the best fight of the day even at a final score of 18-9.
While both men looked to score the singular scoring blows that often preclude steady trading early on, there was no shortage of leather flying. The Cuban came out behind a wise, highly held defense, popping his jab against the Kazakh southpaw and working lead lefts to the head and body. Sarsekbayev fought a perfect countering strategy, scoring to the head and body while circling the ring with his arms regularly extended. The Cuban made a brave stand in the third as both men brought cheers from the crowd in a 7-5 scoring explosion. In the final two minutes, the 2-1 ratio of landed shots reflected in the final score was about right as the Cuban pressed and exposed himself, consistently outlanded down the stretch. Suarez’s consolation can come in knowing that he will enter London as a favorite four years from now with the experience of this loss and many more wins beneath his belt.
Grades: Sarsekbayev A+; Suarez B
Fight: A-
Light Heavyweight (178 lbs.): Xiaoping Zhang-Kenny Egan
It took a long time for Zou Shiming to adorn China with its first Gold Medal in Boxing. It took only hours to add number two…but not without a hint of controversy. The 26-year old Zhang may or may not have deserved the win, but it was clear that the 26-year old Egan was not receiving all of the points he earned, marking the second time in three days that Ireland fell victim to Chinese fighters in China, this time by a score of 11-7. There were at least eight scoring blows from Egan, some four late in the third alone, ignored. It’s not to say Zhang got every point either, but considering the different strategies employed based on scores, it was an egregious ending for the Irishman.
Putting aside judging issues, it wasn’t a bad fight, possessing drama from bell to bell even in awkward moments. Zhang composed himself well, blocking and moving to keep the Irishman off balance and scoring when openings were present. At the end, viewers got one of those images that stays within the mind as both men sank almost in unison to their knees, faces buried in the mat, tears of joy and victory at the end of a grueling marathon of competition. They rose from the mat, also in unison, and headed towards ring center for the official announcements.
Victory. Defeat. Dignity.
Grades: Zhang B+; Egan B+
Fight: B
Super Heavyweight (+201 lbs.): Roberto Cammarelle-Zhilei Zhang
Italy’s hopes of a clean sweep of the Heavyweight division split died on Saturday when Clemente Russo lost a narrow, two-point decision to Russia’s Rakhim Chakhiev. Fortune had a different fate in mind for Italy on Sunday as the 28-year old Cammarelle produced the biggest right hand of his amateur career, adding Gold to a 2004 Bronze and 2007 World championship. He rocked the 25-year old Zhang repeatedly in the first three rounds and into the fourth, building a 14-4 lead on the cards. All of that was set-up for the finishing touch, an overhand blow landing right on the button and collapsing Zhilei to the mat. The 6’7 Chinese battler rose on shaky legs and the referee stopped the contest.
Does Cammarelle go pro from here? He’s got decent power if not-so-great balance. It’s a decision he’ll have to make quickly. At 28, the clock is ticking. As a side note, it was a blast watching the effusive, emotional coaching of Francesco Damiani throughout the Games for Italy. Many Americans will remember Damiani best, if at all, for coughing up a massive points lead in the ninth round on a single, nose smashing uppercut against Ray Mercer, losing his WBO heavyweight belt in 1991.
Grades: Cammarelle A+; Zhang B-
Fight: B
BoxingScene’s coverage of the Olympics will continue with at least one more column, an assessment of Team USA’s professional prospects.
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Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com