22 August 2008

Mike C Ryan writes:

8 means luck to China. This belief set the 29th Olympic Games going at precisely 8.08 on the 8th day of the 8th month of the year ’08. For 8 Australian boxers, luck went in reverse. 8 of them lost their opening bouts, while the ninth, lightweight Anthony Little, won his first but was out in the second series.

The near wipeout of our glovemen brought muttering against selection of so many boxers. It was not however lack of ability, or for that matter luck, that brought their downfall. Impartial observers laid the blame on the eyesight of the judges. In close points battles they scored the Aussies (and others) wide losers. Who is president of AIBA, the Association International de Boxe Amateur which runs the Games boxing? Why, Dr Ching Wu of Taiwan, China . . which may be a mere matter of luck.

Luckless Britain lost two boxers before the tournament began (Saunders for misconduct, Frankie Gavin too overweight to boil to lightweight). Then came the judging. Brit commentator Ron Jackson : "Most of the officials do not look as if they are in particularly good physical condition. They probably lack the ability to react quickly enough to record a scoring blow."

The United States had its worst result in Olympic boxing since 1904, only one man reached the medal level.

’ Everyone but the judges saw punches land
and not be chalked up. Especially body punches ’

Australia’s luck was out from the opening bout in Beijing’s Workers Stadium. Our deft middleweight Jarrod Fletcher was less smooth than usual but blocked most as the punches from Emilio Correa of Cuba, and landed his own share. An even match. Fletch was carded 4-17, touching off the first protest by our assistant coach Mick Daly.

Other developments in middleweight saw James Degale the Brit, who twice toured Australia, beat an American, an Egypian and a Kazak to reach tonight’s [Friday] bronze medal round against Ireland’s Sutherland; the Cuban who forked Fletcher faces the Indian model, Vijander Kumar, as second semi..

In weight order, and a run of sickening bad officiating, Australia’s super-heavyweight Daniel Beahan was bombarded early by Ruslan Myrsateyev of Kazakastan and the referee hastily stopped it inside the first minute. Ruslan’s luck was to draw a Chinese opponent subsequently. And lose.

Heavyweight Brad Pitt out-landed Mohammed Arjaoui only to see the Moroccan named winner, 11-6.

At light-heavyweight, the Samoan Tavui - who won Oceania’s spot ahead of Australia - was taken out on a stretcher after a sickener from a Croat.

Judges found punches by welterweight Gerard O’Mahony and Vitali Gusac (Moldova) hard to sight; they buttoned 7-2 the Moldovan.

They went wild for Driss Moussaid of Morocco in his bout with canny Australian light-welterweight Todd Kidd. Awarding Driss 23-2 . . before Driss went out next series to Inglisias of Cuba.

Aboriginal featherweight from North Queensland, Paul Fleming kept up a two handed attack from his portside against Khedafi Djelkhir of France, that will make Paul an heir to George Bracken when he goes pro, which suits his positive ways. Those eye-troubled judges named the Frenchman 13-9, he thereafter beat US and Mexico reps.

Bantamweight Luke Boyd from NSW was judged 18-8 loser to Khumiso Ikgopoleng of Botswana in a rugged bout, after which the Bot beat a Moroccan by rsc

Tall flyweight teenager, Steve Sutherland from bayside Melbourne used his reach to stab Tunisia shorty, Walid Cherif, with clear straight lefts that the judges missed on their buttons, scoring Cherif 14-2.

The one bright gleam for Australia was when WA lightweight aborigine, Anthony Little piled up southpaw hits on Julius Indongo of Namibia, and was rewarded, 14-2. Luck did not last and in his second outing Little lost 11-3 to the Russian world beater, Alexey Tishchenko.

So the Chinese 8 imposed itself.