U.S. Won’t Medal In Boxing For The First Time
Fallen
The crushing defeat of Dallas welterweight Errol Spence Jr. on Tuesday night ensured that – for the first time in Olympics history – a U.S. men’s boxer will not ascend the medals podium, an embarrassment of historical proportions for the once-rich Team USA amateur program. Russia’s Andrey Zamkovoy assured a 0-for-9 medals shutout for the U.S. men when he out-boxed Spence.
Afterward, U.S. assistant coach Charles Leverette criticized Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya, two mega-stars produced by the USA amateur program, for not formally sharing their expertise. He said both had been invited to help young fighters at USA Boxing headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo.
“USA Boxing and the Olympics made Golden Boy. And it made Ray Leonard. And everyone else out there barking about that they can do,” Leverette said. “Put your money where your mouth is.”
Only four times in Olympic history has the U.S. team failed to secure a gold medal in boxing, but it has now happened three times since 2000. The only other whitewashing came in 1908 at the London Games when only 22 nations participated. The U.S. was not one of them. No nation has won more Olympic boxing medals than the U.S. 109, including 47 gold.
