Boxing at the Olympics '08 *Beijing* Let's talk here! Post videos & pictures!!!

[Mikkel_K]

Flyweight (51 kg)

Olympic champion 1992: Choi Chol-Su, North Korea (never turned pro)
Olympic champion 1996: Maikro Romero, Cuba (never turned pro)
Olympic champion 2000: Wijan Ponlid, Thailand (never turned pro)
Olympic champion 2004: Yuriorkis Gamboa (pro record)

Reigning champions:

World, USA 2007: Raushee Warren, USA (+)
European C., Bulgaria 2006: Georgy Balakshin, Russia (+)
European Union C., Poland 2008: Rafal Kaczor, Poland (+)
Asian Games, Qatar 2006: Violito Payla, Phillipines (-)
Asian C., Mongolia 2007: Mirat Sarsanbayev, Kazakhstan (+)
All-Africa Games, Algeria 2007: Abderahim Mechenoai, Algeria (-)
African C., Madagascar 2007: Walid Cherif, Tunesia (+)
Pan-American Games, Brazil 2007: McWilliams Arroyo, Puerto Rico (+)
Pan-American C., Ecuador 2008: Andry Laffita, Cuba (+)
Oceanian C., Samoa 2008: Stephen Sutherland, Australia (+)
Commonwealth Games, Australia 2006: Don Broadhurst, Great Britain (-)

Participants 2008:

Africa:
Walid Cherif, Tunesia
Abdelillah Nhaila, Morocco
Molla Getachew, Ethiopia
Cassius Chiyanika, Zambia
Bernard Ngumba, Kenya
Jackson Chauke, South Africa

America:
Raushee Warren, USA [2]
McWilliams Arroyo, Puerto Rico [7]
Juan Carlos Payano, Dominican Republic [5]
Andry Laffita, Cuba [10]
Eddie Valenzuela, Guatemala
Robenilson Vieria, Brazil

Asia:
Somjit Jongjohor, Thailand [3]
Arunudha Rathnayake, Sri Lanka
Anver Yunusov, Tadjikistan [12]
Lee Ok-Sung, South Korea
Mirat Sarsembayev, Kazahkstan [11]
Tulashboy Doniyorov, Uzbekistan [14]
Jitender Kumar, India

Europe:
Vincenzo Picardi, Italy [8]
Samir Mammadov, Azerbaidjan [4@54]
Georgy Balahkshin, Russia [4]
Rafal Kaczor, Poland [16]
Norbert Kalucza, Hungary
Khaleed Saeed Yafai, Great Britain
Furkan Ulas Memis, Turkey [/font]
Jerome Thomas, France [3@54]

Oceania:
Stephen Sutherland, Australia

Preview:

This division sure looks like a treat! You've got Raushee Warren, the first American boxer to contest two OG's in 30 years and at 21 the reigning world champ. Obviously, he will be gunning for the gold medal. Then you've got McWilliams Arroyo, the biggest Puerto Rican hope (according, also, to Macho on this very thread), looking to win the island's first ever gold. You've got Jerome Thomas (France), veteran of two Olympics already, in which he won medals both times. Last time out he lost the final to Gamboa - not much shame in that. You've got another two former World Champions (Thomas won in 2001) in Somjit Jongjohor (Thailand), 2003, and Lee Ok-Sung (South Korea), 2005. You've got a previous WC silver medallist (Andry Laffita) as the token Cuban outsider, a world ranked Dominican (Juan Carlos Payano) in Joan Guzman's old amateur division, a couple of guys with secondary medal experience they look to at least repeat and then finally Khaleed Saeed, the first ever English World Junior Champion (2006), is in the mix as well. Interesting - and wide open? - stuff! Do expect Warren to enter as favorite though - and if thngs go accordingly to be a feature on most p4p-lists by the time London 2012 rolls around.

Bonus info:

Youtube links:

2004 Olympic final Yuriorkis Gamboa (Cuba) - Jerome Thomas (France) 1
2004 Olympic final Yuriorkis Gamboa (Cuba) - Jerome Thomas (France) 2
2007 WC final Raushee Warren (USA) - Somjit Jongjohor (Thailand)
2006 World Cup Georgi Balakshin (Russia) - Andry Laffita (Cuba)
US Olympic trials - Raushee Warren
'Promo vid' Juan Carlos Payano (Dominican Republic)