Team Australia's last hope in boxing at the 2008 Olympics walked into a Russian buzzsaw yesterday as Anthony Little was put out of the games by Alexey Tishchenko.

The Perth lightweight was outclassed from the start by the 2004 Olympic Gold Medallist at super featherweight but things got a whole lot worse for Little when he was nailed flush by a right hand that impaired his vision for the rest of the way.

Little's power game was no match for Tischenko's finely honed skill and the man that many are tipping to win the Beijing Gold Medal cruised to an 11-3 victory after four rounds.

Australia's Cinderella hopes are crushed as all of the fighters from Down Under have been defeated with the 27 year old Little the only one to have made it into the second round of competition.

Yesterday at Worker's Gymnasium in Beijing, Australian super heavyweight Dan Behan suffered a referee stoppage at 0:49 of the first round as the team from Down Under has now completed their initial round of competition.

It's been a withering frame as every one of Team Australia's boxers, with the exception of one, has been ushered out of these Olympic Games.

Yesterday, Kazakhstan's Ruslan Myrsatayev went after Behan from the start and his heavy shelling strategy had an almost immediate effect as the Gladstone man was sent reeling from big shots, forcing a referee stoppage at 0:49 of the first round.

This leaves one man to carry the hopes and dreams of a nation on his shoulders but lightweight Anthony Little of Team Australia has the difficult job of facing the 2004 Olympic Gold Medallist at super featherweight, Russia's Alexey Tishchenko on Friday as the second round of competition commences.

Tishchenko is favored to win gold at Beijing at lightweight but Little's rough and tough style could put the Siberian on his heels if he can smother Tishchenko's offense with an inside attack.

Worker's Gymnasium continues to represent hostile territory for Team Australia as three more boxers from Down Under have been defeated in Beijing.

On Tuesday, 17 year old flyweight Stephen Sutherland of Melbourne had difficulty scoring points against Tunisian veteran Walid Charif and was beaten 14-2. As with the defeat of boxer Todd Kidd earlier this week, Team Australia coaches have questioned what they see as blatant one-sided scoring by the Olympic judging.

Also yesterday, bantamweight Luke Boyd of Sydney gave a good performance but came up short on a score of 18-8 to Botswana's Khumiso Ikgopoleng.

Today in Beijing, the difficulties continued for Team Australia as the man considered the best hope to medal was turned back.

Melbourne heavyweight Brad Pitt put up a good fight but couldn't get past the efforts of Morocco's Mohammed Arjaoui, losing 11-6 after four rounds.

Only super heavyweight Dan Behan has yet to compete at the games as the Gladstone based boxer will meet Kazakhstan's Ruslan Myrsatayev later today and will hopefully join team mate Anthony Little in staying alive for the second round.

The victory drought in Beijing is finally over for Team Australia as Western Australian lightweight Anthony Little outclassed Namibian boxer Julius Indongo today by a score of 14-2 but team mate Paul Fleming fell short in a hard fought featherweight clash with France's Khedafi Djelkhir

It wasn't pretty but Little managed to nullify the height and reach advantages enjoyed by the African, proving a hard target to hit while landing solid counters and generally out-hustling Indongo.

The Perth based 27 year old brought a good deal of experience to the table, having won the Chemistry Cup in Germany and Oceania Championships already this year as well as making it into the second round of the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The 25 year old Indongo took Bronze at this year's AIBA African qualifying tournament but wasn't ready for the busy Australian.

Next up for Little is a much higher hurdle in the form of Russia's Alexey Tishchenko, the 2004 Olympic Gold Medallist at featherweight now campaigning as a lightweight, who outpointed Tunisian boxer Saifeddine Nejmaoui today by a score of 10-2.

Brisbane featherweight Paul Fleming took the fight to French opponent Khedafi Djelkhir earlier in the day and while the gritty southpaw ruled the first round, the European boxer adjusted and won the next three frames. More...

Step-up fight for undefeated Featherweight highlights a big night of boxing on June 6th

On Friday night, June 6th, undefeated Featherweight, Jules Blackwell will be in with his toughest test as he takes on Tyrell Samuel in an eight round bout that will headline a big night of boxing promoted by Vernoca L. Michael and Blue Horizon Boxing Promotions Inc. More...