Duke Ragan (Cincinnati, Ohio) W3 Kurt Walker (Ireland)... USA's Duke Ragan (Cincinnati, Ohio) scored a 3-2 decision victory over Kurt Walker of Ireland to secure USA Boxing’s first medal of the day. Ragan become the first USA Boxing featherweight to medal at an Olympic Game since Ricardo Juarez won silver at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Ragan began the bout extremely strong to take all five judges’ cards after strong use of his jab to control the fight. The second round saw Walker come out much stronger, even with a cut over his eye seeming to open, leading to Irelands top featherweight to take three out of the five cards and closing in on the American. Heading into the final round, two judges had Ragan up 20-18, while the other three had the fight tied. With a medal on the line, both boxers knew they had to give it their all to be victorious. The round, which was giving to Walker by a 4-1 score, was not enough for the Irishman to take the win, as the lone judge to give the round to Ragan had it tied after two, giving Ragan the winning end of the split decision. Ragan, who becomes USA Boxing’s first professional boxer to medal at an Olympic Games, will look to improve his already guaranteed bronze medal to silver or gold with a win in Tuesday’s semifinal bout with Samuel Takyi of Ghana, the African Olympic Qualifier Tournament champion.

 

Richard Torrez Jr. (Tulare, Calif.) W3 Dainier Pero (Cuba) ... Super heavyweight Richard Torrez Jr. (Tulare, Calif.) grabbed Team USA’s third medal of the Tokyo Olympics, and first super heavyweight medal for Team USA since 1988, with a 4-1 decision over Cuba’s Dainier Pero. [Oshae Jones also has a medal clinched for the USA]. Down 4-1 after the first round, Torrez increased his output in the second round, throwing and landing numerous punches that were visibly taking a tole on the Cuban. At the end of the bell, the American super heavyweight grabbed three cards that round, leaving the score tied on four of the five judges’ cards and one in favor of Pero. Torrez showed his conditioning and heart during the third round, landing more punches and keeping constant presser on his opponent, who seemed to be fading quickly. Torrez was awarded in the end, winning all five judges’ cards in the third round, leaving him victorious. The American will have a few days of rest before taking to the ring on Wednesday, August 4th against Kazakhstan’s Kamshybek Kunkabayev, who is 3-0 as a professional cruiserweight