|
|
Tuesday, September 26
Americans won't match medal take of Atlanta
Associated Press
SYDNEY, Australia -- Felix Savon's big right hand spoiled
Michael Bennett's big Olympic moment.
|  | | Clarence Vinson, right, outpointed Romanian Olteanu George-Crinu in a high-energy bout. |
The most anticipated fight of the Olympics turned instead
Tuesday into a showcase for Savon, the fearsome Cuban heavyweight
who has dominated amateur boxing for the last decade with a right
hand that lands with devastating frequency.
Savon landed enough on Bennett's head to keep the American
heavyweight from getting inside, finally stopping him on the
15-point mercy rule in the closing seconds of the third round to
win the first U.S.-Cuba boxing matchup of the games.
"I'm not ashamed of my performance," Bennett said. "Savon was
the better warrior for the day."
Clarence Vinson, meanwhile, became the first U.S. boxer to be
guaranteed a medal by beating Romanian world champion Olteanu
George-Crinu 26-19 in a 119-pound slugfest later in the day. Vinson
moved into the semifinals against Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba.
Vinson fell behind early but came on strong in the final two
rounds in a fight that was in doubt until the final minute. Both
boxers traded punches nearly non-stop, much to the delight of the
big crowd at the Sydney Exhibition Center.
"I knew he was a world champion," Vinson said. "I figured I
was faster and I was able to throw a lot of combinations."
Vinson got a hug and some advice before the fight from Bennett,
his best friend on the team.
"I fell off the ship. You handle it," Bennett told Vinson.
Bennett, an ex-convict who began boxing in prison, became the
seventh American to be eliminated from medal contention, leaving
just five U.S. boxers still fighting. Two bouts before Bennett
fought, 165-pound Jeff Lacy was stopped in his quarterfinal fight
with Russia's Gaidarbek Gaidarbekov.
The defeats mean the U.S. team will not match its medal total in
Atlanta, where American boxers won one gold and five bronze medals.
"The main thing I wanted to do was make it here," Lacy said
after his defeat.
With several pro boxing promoters looking on, Bennett -- with
just two years of amateur experience -- tried to pull off an upset
and beat the 33-year-old who has two Olympic and six world titles
to his credit.
The game plan was to use movement to get inside the 6-foot-6
Savon's reach and land scoring blows. The problem was that every
time Bennett tried to do so he usually ended up taking a right hand
to the head.
Savon led 7-2 after the first round, and it was only a matter of
time before he had piled up enough points to finish the fight
before the four-round limit. Although the crowd booed when it was
stopped with Savon ahead 23-8, Bennett offered no protest.
"I'm still happy," he said. "I've been able to live a lot of
men's and women's dreams by coming here and competing."
Considering where Bennett was only a few years ago, he had every
reason to be happy.
The 29-year-old spent seven years in Illinois prisons for
robbing a toy store. Behind bars he learned to fight from some
fellow inmates and won his first prison boxing tournament.
Bennett was released from prison in July 1998, and 13 months
later won the amateur world championship after Savon boycotted the
final because of a Cuban team scoring protest. He waited another
year to face him in the Olympics, and the results were predictable.
"I reached for my star and I just fell short," Bennett said.
"I can't be anything but pleased with myself."
U.S. coaches had thought Savon might be vulnerable after
watching his opening fight against a Nigerian. And Evander
Holyfield was on hand to scout Savon and offer Bennett advice on
how to beat him.
In the end, though, Bennett's inexperience and Savon's right
hand simply wouldn't allow him to execute the perfect game plan he
would have needed to win.
"I gave him too many straight shots," Bennett said. "He's a
one punch guy and I just stood there. I was a target."
Savon, who declined to talk about the fight, guaranteed himself
at least a bronze medal with the victory. He fights Thursday in the
semifinals against Germany's Sebastian Kober.
The two defeats further depleted a U.S. team that had advanced
seven boxers to the quarterfinals. Lacy, who had stopped his two
previous opponents within the distance, had been considered a medal
favorite at 165 pounds.
Lacy was never in his fight with Gaidarbekov, who landed an
assortment of jabs and right hands and was dominating the American
when the fight was finally stopped on the 15-point rule, 18-3, with
a few seconds left in the third round.
"There was nothing wrong with me," Lacy said. "The guy was
just a very good boxer."
|  | |
ALSO SEE
Navarro clubs way into flyweight quarterfinals
Juarez, Taylor make it five U.S. boxers into the quarters
Boxing official says Viloria didn't get points he deserved
Vinson makes second round as U.S. boxers go 11-for-12
Williams falls behind early, but then advances as well
Taylor right on target for U.S. boxers
Juarez, Lacy latest U.S. boxers to advance
Viloria holds on after almost blowing lead
Craig, Vinson get first wins for U.S. boxing team
|
