Olympic Update: USA's Escobedo Eliminated

By Scott Shaffer

22/08/2004

Olympic Update: USA's Escobedo Eliminated

Friday’s Olympic boxing action featured lightweights,featherweights and flyweights, and the United States team lost one of its fan favorites to a more experienced foe. At lightweight, California’s Vicente Escobedo’s Olympic dream ended in front of his family against Azerbaijan’s Rovshan Huseynov, who won by 36-18. Britain’s lone boxer did not seem hindered by his inexperience, as Amir Khan decisioned Dimitar Stilianov of Bulgaria, 37-21. The favorite in the weight class, Mario Kindelan of Cuba, also advanced easily. At featherweight, Luis Franco Vazquez of Cuba and Alexei Tichtchenko of Russia moved into the round of eight against a Brazilian and an Azerbaijani, respectively. Canadian Benoit Gaudet came out on the wrong side of a 28-16 decision to Seok Hwan Jo of Korea). Gaudet’s teammate, bantamweight Andrew Kooner, fared better, defeating Venezuela’s Alexander Espinoza Hernandez 37-20. Also advancing at bantam were Gennady Kovalev of Russia (decision over an Algerian) and defending gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux of Cuba (TKO’d a Pakistani).