Last month when SaddoBoxing got the opportunity to meet with the U.S. Olympic boxing team at a workout session at Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, New York, I have to admit I did a little research on the various fighters to get myself more familiar with the team. I, of course, knew the East Coast amateurs pretty well, but needed to brush up on the rest of the team.

After reading up on all the athletes, one of the more publicized media highlights was that Luis Yanez had been dismissed from the team. The particular workout session I attended was just after he had been dismissed from the team and before his return, so he was not available for an interview, not to mention unavailable to sign a boxing glove the rest of the team signed, but I digress.

The background story was that Yanez left the Olympic training facility in Colorado Springs and did not return. He was originally leaving to attend his high school graduation and never returned, breaking off all communication with his coaches. Yanez was kicked off the team on July 1 after missing three weeks of mandatory training and refusing to respond to a letter from USA Boxing that insisted he return or risk expulsion.

Yanez was reinstated two weeks later with an agreement that overturned the decision to dismiss him from the team. Yanez released the following statement, “I want to thank USA Boxing for its understanding and sense of forgiveness. I sincerely apologize to head coach [Dan] Campbell , to my teammates, and to USA Boxing for not only breaking the rules of the Athlete Code of Conduct, but also for my lack of candor regarding the circumstances of my absence from the Resident Program.”

In the agreement, Yanez had to meet specific stipulations including a financial penalty for his absence. Although he was reluctant to specify a reason for his actions, he later stated he had been caring for his sister and her four children while she was undergoing medical treatment. More...

© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

Deontay Wilder was born on October 22, 1985 and lives in his hometown of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He began boxing in 2005 and is coached by Jay Deas. He has a two-year old daughter, Naieya, who suffers from the medical condition Spina Bifida and serves as his biggest influence and motivation.

Wilder, who has only been boxing for less than three years, has already accomplished a lot by winning several local and national amateur titles. His career highlights include: two-time Alabama Golden Gloves Champion, Southern Golden Gloves Champion, Nation Golden Gloves Champion, Southeastern District Champion and National Champion.

To qualify for the U.S. Olympic boxing team, he not only had to overcome his opponents but also being under the weather. “Every major tournament I went to, I seemed to get sick; I caught the flu or something,” said Wilder. “At the second qualification, I said I’m claiming it right here no matter what happens.” More...

Despite the disappointment that Olympic Medal contender and current world lightweight champion Frankie Gavin was sent home for being three pounds overweight in Beijing, the remaining ‘Boxing Brits’ have gotten off to great start.

The first to box was middleweight James DeGale. The 22 year old DeGale had declared that ‘a medal would be lovely’ but that this was ‘all preparation for 2012’.

DeGale faced Egyptian Mohamed Hikal and after a tough start- losing the first round 3-2 to his opponent - DeGale settled in and dominated the second round to score 5-3 at the half-way point.

Gaining in confidence, DeGale looked to be enjoying the second half of the contest as he relaxed into the fight, finally winning by 13-4 after four rounds.

DeGale is now scheduled to fight American boxer Shawn Estrada.

It's been a tough Olympics for Team Germany as three of the four German boxers have now gone down to defeat, leaving just one man to carry the hopes of the country that has won 28 medals in the sport since 1896.

Things started off badly on Saturday as middleweight Konstantin Buga lost to Ecuador's Carlos Gongora.

Born in Kazahkstan but residing in Germany since 1996, the 23 year old Buga was a German welterweight champion in 2005 but did well as a middleweight at the 2007 World Championships, shocking America's Shawn Estrada before losing to eventual Silver Medallist Alfonso Blanco of Venezuela.

But Buga couldn't master the 19 year old Gongorga at Worker's Gymnasium, losing to the South American 14-7.

On Sunday, aggressive welterweight Jack Culcay-Keth tangled to a standstill with Korea's Jungjoo Kim on a score of 11-11, only to lose a controversial decision when Kim was judged to be the more effective fighter. More...

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...

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© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

Raynell Williams credits his being part of the U.S. Olympic boxing team to his mother. He qualified at the final possible event for the U.S. Championships, the lone qualifier for the Olympic Team Trials after considering quitting boxing. His mother insisted that he compete in the final event and raised the money for him to do so.

In the U.S. Championships, Williams went through some big amateur names, winning decisions against Luis Del Valle from Newburgh, New York and Hylon Williams of Houston, Texas. In the finals, he won a decision against Rico Ramos for first place.

After winning a decision against Shemuel Pagan during the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Williams faced Hylon Williams three times, winning two of the three matches for first place. He then earned his spot internationally by reaching the quarterfinals of the AIBA World Championships.

Williams' career highlights include: two-time USA Boxing Athlete of the Month, National Champion and Olympic Test Event Champion. More...

© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

The veteran of the U.S. Olympic boxing team, Rau’shee Warren is the only member of this year's squad that was also on the 2004 team in Athens, Greece. In 2004, Warren was not only the youngest member of the boxing team but also the youngest male athlete on the U.S. team. During the Athens Olympic Games, Warren lost in the first round draw to one of the top favorites, Zou Shiming of China, who went on to win the Bronze Medal.

Unlike most of the 2004 U.S. Olympic boxing team, Warren decided not to turn professional so he could fulfill his dream of putting an Olympic Gold Medal around his mother, Paulette’s neck. Since the 2004 Olympics, Warren has stayed busy, winning the U.S. Championships three years in a row (2005-2007), the 2004 World Championships as a Bronze Medallist and won the 2007 World Championships.

Warren is the first U.S. boxer since Davey Lee Armstrong in 1972 and 1976 to compete in two Olympic Games and is a top favorite to win gold in the flyweight division. More...

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© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

For Javier Molina, the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic boxing team, theentire experience has been a dream come true. From watching the Olympics as a child and being inspired by one of the 2000 Olympians, he could not be happier about his achievements.

“In 2000, when I first watched the Olympics, there was a guy from my gym, Francisco Bojado, who was on the Mexican team that worked out at my gym,” said Molina.

“I would always watch him fight and as a kid, I always dreamed that I was going to go to the Olympics. I would picture myself going, so when I actually made the team, it was a dream come true. I’m so excited about going, I can’t wait to walk in the opening ceremony and have my first fight there.” More...

The sole hope of Canada's Olympic boxing program was overwhelmingly defeated today in Beijing as Adam Trupish absorbed a 20-1 loss at the hands of Kazkhstan's Bakhyt Sarsekbayev at welterweight.

The 29 year old from Tecumseh, Ontario came into the contest as an eight time Canadian champion and had reached the quaterfinals at the 2007 World Championships in Chicago but none of that mattered once the bell rang at Worker's Gymnasium in Beijing.

Facing Turpish was one of favorites to medal in 2008 and Bakhyt Sarsekbayev showed why he won gold at the 2006 Asian Games, canvassing the Canadian in the first round before putting Turpish under pressure behind a pelting two-handed attack over the next three rounds.

Turpish showed his toughness in the bout but only managed one point, in the third round, and as in the 2004 Olympics, was defeated in his opening match of the games.

Day two of the Beijing Olympics proved as fruitless as day one for Team Australia as two more lads from Down Under were sent home without getting near a medal of any kind.

Team Captain Gerard O'Mahony had the experience of competing in the 2004 Olympics but lost a tough one at welterweight to Vitalie Grusac of Moldova while light welter Todd Kidd was badly outpointed by Morocco's Driss Moussaid.

29 year old O'Mahony of Canberra waged a gritty defensive battle against Grusac, using his impressive countering skills to keep the Moldovan honest but couldn't generate the offense necessary to win and suffered a 7-2 loss as a result.

23 year old Kidd was making his Olympic debut but the Caboolture man ran into a buzzsaw in the form of Moussaid as the experienced Moroccan campaigner painted the Aussie by a wide margin of 23-2, although much of Kidd's efforts over the first three frames seemed to be discounted by the judges.

Team Australia's ability to improve upon the five Olympic medals won since 1908 is getting dimmer but still to compete are super heavy Dan Beahan, heavyweight Brad Pitt, lightweight Anthony Little, featherweight Paul Fleming, bantamweight Luke Boyd and flyweight Stephen Sutherland.

Middleweight Jarrod Fletcher lost on day one of the competition to an opponent he beat just months ago in prior competition, Emilio Correa, by a score of 17-4.

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© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

It wouldn’t be fair to say that Demetrius Andrade had an easy time on his road to the Olympics, but that’s exactly how he made it look and why he is favored to win a Gold Medal in Beijing, China. The 20 year old stormed through both the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and dominated the AIBA World Championships last year.

Back in August, 2007, Andrade stopped his first two opponents to get through the quarterfinals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He then won both the semi-final and final match by a wide decision for first place. Just two months later, he won the finals at the AIBA World Championships, winning each of his five bouts by double-digit margins.

“It was good competition but I basically went through it,” commented Andrade on his qualification process. “I was working hard and I was focused. I didn’t let anybody stop me. I worked hard and I ran through it.” More...

Queensland boxer Jarrod Fletcher had the misfortune of drawing 2005 and 2008 Pan-American Champion, Cuba's Emilio Correa, on the first day of the 2008 Olympics in Bejing, China and the 24 year old Hervey Bay middleweight was outpointed by the Cuban by a score of 17-4 today.

Fletcher won Gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne by beating current professional hot prospect Adonis Stevenson as well as British southpaw and fellow 2008 Olympian, James DeGale.

But the Australian slugger came up short against one of the stars of the Cuban team as Correa, who's father won Gold at the 1972 Munich Olympics as a welterweight, simply had too much movement and skill in the arsenal.

As British hopefuls prepare for the boxing in Beijing this weekend, today it seems that ʼfavouriteʼ Frankie Gavin is struggling to make the lightweight limit and may not get his olympic-shot at a medal. The Birmingham man has 106 wins to his name out of 127 bouts and was considered a leading candidate for a Gold Medal in Beijing.

Other medal contenders include Joe Murray - brother of John Murray, the recently crowned British Lightweight Champion. Joe - a tall boxer for a bantamweight, has plenty of experience but knows this will be a tough test for him.

Khalid Saeed Yafai, another Birmingham man, appears confident at ʽFlyweightʼ. Stockton-on-Tees boxer Bradley Saunders knows the competition is high in his weight division, but with 146 bouts under his belt - the light welterweight remains calm and focussed.

Youngest of the bunch - Billy Joe Saunders - has bags of confidence. Seeking perfection, this young welterweight will have his sights set on a Gold.

Middleweight James DeGale is looking to prove himself to the UK audience. Tony Jeffries of Sunderland is the light heavyweight contender and David Price of Liverpool, the eldest of the eight Olympic contenders, fights at super heavyweight.

The opening ceremony was last night and the boxing begins today.

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© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

Shawn Estrada is not one to shy away from a challenge. He was announced as part of the U.S. Olympic boxing team in August, 2007 after defeating two of the favorites in the US. Olympic Team Trials, Fernando Guerrero and Danny Jacobs, who both turned professional after their loss to Estrada.

Just to provide an idea of the level of competition they offered, they currently hold a combined record of 17-0 (17) in only eight months as professional fighters.

Estrada was one of three teammates that had their last opportunity to qualify nationally for the U.S. Olympic boxing team at the final Americas Olympic Qualifier in April of this year in Guatemala City. More...

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© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

Gary Russell, Jr. who was one of the favorites to win a medal at the Olympic Games, unfortunately will not get that opportunity in Beijing, China. He collapsed on Thursday night after running, trying to lose weight before Friday morning’s weigh-in.

The bantamweight Russell, Jr needed to meet the limit of 119 pounds but weighed 121 on Thursday before his run. He was treated with fluids for dehydration by doctors, but was not hospitalized.

In a statement released by USA Boxing, Russell, Jr stated, “I’m extremely disappointed, competing in the Olympic Games has always been one of my dreams, and I wish I would have been able to represent my country alongside my teammates.” More...

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© Jim Everett / Saddo Boxing

When I had the opportunity to meet the U.S. Olympic boxing team at a workout session at the famous Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, New York, I was thrilled with the opportunity. The chance to meet all of the athletes and have a chance to speak with them was thrilling, but I must admit I was especially excited to get a chance to speak with local favorite Sadam Ali.

New York is probably one of the best places to reside if you are a boxing fan outside of living in Las Vegas, of course. You have big fights in New York City, Atlantic City and even the Connecticut casinos that you can look forward to watching. But, you also have a strong amateur program with the New York Golden Gloves.

Several amateur champions turned into successful professional fighters, such as Emile Griffith, Floyd Patterson, and Sugar Ray Robinson. Other greats include Riddick Bowe, Mark Breland, Gerry Cooney, Joe Mesi, Mike Tyson and current Junior Welterweight Champion, Paulie Malignaggi. More...

As Professional Boxing enjoys a long overdue resurgence and our current champions finally receive the exposure they deserve, there are other men who anonymously prepare to become champions themselves. These men are the less famed and less credited amateur boxers who toil at their trade without payment or recognition.

As the final qualifiers draw to a close, the men fortunate enough to have qualified, begin to undergo intense training in anticipation of their opportunity in the Beijing Olympic Games this year.

With boxing enjoying a huge influx of new fans and much of the attention being bestowed upon the glorious profession welterweights, middleweights and bantamweights, it is not surprising that the amateur game has been lost from the radar slightly and there is a lack of knowledge on Olympic Boxing.

However, in the hearts of many, these games mean as much as a world titles in the paid ranks and the rules, requirements and demands of the competition have been studied in acute detail. This after all, is the pinnacle of amateur boxing.

First introduced to the games in the St. Louis Olympics back in 1904, boxing had a turbulent honeymoon phase, being disallowed in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. It was 1920 before the event became a permanent fixture in the games, but since that time, the event has produced volumes of itʼs own heroes, idols and legends.

Qualification for the tournament is a hotly contested privilege, to be earned rather than won. Regional tournament in Europe, Asia, the Americas, Africa and Oceania all serve as obstacle-laden routes toward their dream destination; the Olympic Games. More...