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

[Mikkel_K]

This thread is meant as the thread about the upcoming Olympics. I will try to post previews on each division, using the same formula. I'm hoping people are willing to contribute to this, giving feedback, comments and info on the boxers – to be honest there is a lot of people, I've never heard about before.

For each of the 11 divisions I will post the participants of this years contest. Links will be given (click on the name) to wikipedia-pages, wherever those are available. To be honest a lot of the information here will be more or less copied directly from wikipedia, but this is not meant to be academic, so I can simply give credit where credit is due. The numbers in paranthesis name refer to ABA's rankings (here). ABA's site (here) is a wonderful site for information btw. I have no clue, whether the rankings in any case reflects reality – truth is that most amateur boxers are quite young anyway, and someone without too much of a senior boxing pedigree might burst onto the scene (see: Amir Khan) – but I hope they do give some sort of idea of who to watch out for.

I will also name the reigning champions from the last world championship as well as the most important regional championship. (+) after the name means they are competing in Beijing.

I might attempt to do some written previews, but dont count on them as more than educated guesses at best – however, if people provide good information, I will try to update where possible. I will also leave room for bonus info, so bring it on guys (and Diane).

I will post the Light Flyweight (-48 kg) today, and will create the posts for the rest of the divisions. It will be long posts, but I think there is a certain benefit in keeping them together. This is meant as a preview, so hopefully all the division-posts can be up in due time before the fighting starts. I am hoping the conversation can go on during the competition, and I think for future reference it will be cool to keep to one thread.

I'm thinking how cool it would be now to see what a likewise most knowledgable boxing forum in the world would have written then-and-there on gold medallist like Cassius Clay (1960) or Wladimir Klistchko (1996), silver medallists like Lennox Lewis (1984) or Roy Jones Jr (1988 ), bronze medallists like Evander Holyfield (1984) or Floyd Mayweather Jr, (1996) or even first round losers like Joan Guzman (1996), Ivan Calderon (2000) or Miguel Cotto (2000). Surely I'm not the only one who can see this potential?

Competition schedule

Saturday, August 9th 2008:
- Middleweight (75 kilo) preliminaries
- Light Heavyweight (81 kilo) preliminaries

Sunday, August 10th 2008:
- Light Welterweight (64 kilo) preliminaries
- Welterweight (69 kilo) preliminaries

Monday, August 11th 2008:
- Featherweight (57 kilo) preliminaries
- Lightweight (60 kilo) preliminaries

Tuesday, August 12th 2008:
- Flyweight (51 kilo) preliminaries
- Bantamweight (54 kilo) preliminaries

Wednesday, August 13th 2008:
- Light Flyweight (48 kilo) preliminaries
- Heavyweight (91 kilo) preliminaries
- Super Heavyweight (+91 kilo) preliminaries

Thursday, August 14th 2008:
- Welterweight (69 kilo) preliminaries
- Light Heavyweight (81 kilo) preliminaries
- Light Welterweight (64 kilo) preliminaries

Friday, August 15th 2008:
- Featherweight (57 kilo) preliminaries
- Lightweight (60 kilo) preliminaries
- Bantamweight (54 kilo) preliminaries

Saturday, August 16th 2008:
- Flyweight (51 kilo) preliminaries
- Light Flyweight (48 kilo) preliminaries
- Middleweight (75 kilo) preliminaries

Sunday, August 17th 2008:
- Light Welterweight (64 kilo) Quaterfinals
- Welterweight (69 kilo) Quaterfinals
- Heavyweight (91 kilo) Quaterfinals

Monday, August 18th 2008:
- Bantamweight (54 kilo) Quaterfinals
- Featherweight (57 kilo) Quaterfinals
- Super Heavyweight (+91 kilo) Quaterfinals

Tuesday, August 19th 2008:
- Light Flyweight (48 kilo) Quaterfinals
- Lightweight (60 kilo) Quaterfinals
- Light Heavyweight (81 kilo) Quaterfinals

Wednesday, August 20th 2008:
- Flyweight (51 kilo) Quaterfinals
- Middleweight (75 kilo) Quaterfinals

Thursday, August 21st 2008:
- Day off.

Friday, August 22nd 2008:
- Flyweight (51 kilo) Semifinals
- Featherweight (57 kilo) Semifinals
- Light Welterweight (64 kilo) Semifinals
- Middleweight (75 kilo) Semifinals
- Heavyweight (91 kilo) Semifinals
- Light Flyweight (48 kilo) Semifinals
- Bantamweight (54 kilo) Semifinals
- Lightweight (60 kilo) Semifinals
- Welterweight (69 kilo) Semifinals
- Super Heavyweight (+91 kilo) Semifinals

Saturday, August 23rd 2008:
- Flyweight (51 kilo) Final
- Featherweight (57 kilo) Final
- Light Welterweight (51 kilo) Final
- Middleweight (75 kilo) Final
- Heavyweight (91 kilo) Final

Sunday, August 24th 2008:
- Light Flyweight (48 kilo) Final
- Bantamweight (54 kilo) Final
- Lightweight (60 kilo) Final
- Welterweight (69 kilo) Final
- Light Heavyweight (81 kilo) Final
- Super Heavyweight (+91 kilo) Final