Amateur Olympic Boxing

Any predictions or talk here?

http://2016riopreviews.sportsblog.com/posts/22949379/rio-2016-boxing-preview.html?_ga=1.183090543.8552740.1470082130

To me looks like the Cubans are going to dominate

Once every four years everyone misses Goldenbhoy.....

Joyce interesting for GB at superheavyweight. Though I'll be keenest following possibly my favourite GB athlete - Nicola Adams.

Paddy Barnes & Katie Taylor for Ireland obviously (praying the failed PED test that's just come up isn't one of those two).

Michael O'Reilly was the boxer who failed

GB have had a nightmare draw. Ireland have had it tough too but not as bad.

At Light -Flyweight, Galal Yafai, Kal and Gamal’s younger brother, drew Cameroon and should he come through that he will face the Cuban World Champion. The Cuban beat him in the WSB final recently but it was close. Will do well to get through that. Potentially could meet Paddy Barnes in the Semi Final. Barnes received a bye and will face the winner of Armenia and Spain. He is two wins away from a medal. After two bronze medals in previous games he is a strong favourite for gold for me. Look out for boxers from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia and Azerbaijan to provide strong opposition.

At flyweight, Ireland’s Brendan Irvine has it tough. He has drawn Uzbekistan in the first round which is a difficult draw. Six Uzbeks reached the semifinals at the most recent World Championships. Should he win that he faces the Azeri No 1 seed. Muhammad Ali has a nice route to the semis and I can see him winning a medal. He was a dark horse for me before to win a medal and the draw sees him receive a bye. He faces the winner of Venezuela or the Dominican Republic and should face the Algerian for a medal. He could meet Irvine in the Semi finals. Russia and Cuba both have strong medal contenders.

At Bantam, Ireland’s first World male World Champion, Michael Conlan, receives a bye and will face the winner of Armenia or Japan. He should win a medal and is a contender for Gold. Britain's Qais Ashfaq has it tough. To win gold is likely to have to defeat an experienced Thai fighter in his first round. After that it is most likely he will then face Russia, Ireland, USA and finally Cuba. The Russian, Vladimir Nikitin, is the WSB no 1. Shakur Stevenson from the USA is being hotly tipped as is Robeisy Ramirez from Cuba. Another to look out for is the Uzbek, Akhmadaliev.

At Lightweight, Britain’s Joe Cordina faces Suarez of the Philippines in a very winnable fight. To win a medal though, he is likely to face Robson Conceicao from Brazil. He is my favourite for gold in this division with the home crowd behind him. He ‘beat’ Lomachenko in the 2011 World’s only for the result to be overturned. He was 16/1 with Paddy Power so get on it. Ireland’s Davey Oliver Joyce faces the Seychelles in his first bout but will then face the 2007 World Champion Seimov of Azerbaijan, formerly of Russia. Selimov seems to be given rounds for nothing but reputation these days and was close to robbing Lazaro Alvarez in the World Championships final before the Cuban stopped him on a cut. Expect the Cuba to be a contender here. A dark horse could be the French boxer who is a tidy little fighter. Joyce and Cordina cannot meet until the final.

Pat McCormack has a nightmare draw. He faces Kazakhstan first and should he win he faces the Cuban, Yasnier Toledo Lopes in the next round. Should he win that he then faces the Cuban representing Azerbaijan, Lorenzo Sotomayor for a medal. I really like McCormack and would have favoured him to win a medal but this is a seriously tough ask. Other to watch out for are the Russian as well as well as the German. Interestingly Gary Russell Jr’s brother,Gary Antuanne Russell, represents the USA. He is one of six brothers, all called Gary. Ireland did not qualify a fighter in this division.


At Welterweight, Ireland’s Steven Donnelly faces Algerian opposition first and should he win that and his following bout, he is likely to face World Champion Rabii from Morocco. Rabii is a class act and also qualified through the WSB. Britain’s Josh Kelly first comes up against Egypt which he should win but would then face the Kazakh World Gold and Silver Medallist and two time AIBA boxer of the year, Daniyar Yeleussinov, who has a bye. Others to look out for are Iglesias the Cuba as well as Azerbaijan and Canada. Donnelly and Kelly are on opposite sides of the draw.

At Middleweight, Anthony Fowler opens up against former World Champion, Alimkhanuly of Kazakhstan. He is really up against it in that one. He is likely to face the Russian, Chebotarev, for a medal and the Cuban, Lopez for a spot in the final. Good luck to him. Michael O’Reilly has failed a drugs test so he probably won’t be involved, but if he is then he faces the winner of Mexico vs Iraq. Other than the Egyptian, he looked to have a straightforward draw to the semifinals and a medal. The Cuban is the big favourite for me in this division. Watch out for the Uzbek too.

At Light Heavy, Joe Ward faces the winner of Germany v Ecuador. Should he win then he is likely to face the Frenchman who stopped him in an APB bout. The Cuban La Cruz, the clear favourite in this division, is the likely Semi Final opponent. Tough draw for Joe. Britain’s Joshua Buatsi faces the Uganda who used to represent Sweden, Katande in his first bout. Should he prevail then he faces the Uzbek no 4 seed in the next. He will then have to face the Albergian or the Russian. Again, a really tough draw. Italy, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are all expected to feature.

At Heavy, Lawrence Okolie, faces Poland in the first fight before coming up against Erislandy Savon. Savon stopped Okolie in the first round when the last fought and so is really up against it. He’s done well to reach the games with only 25 amatuer fights but will have to perform spectacularly to win a medal. Other to look out for are Russia, Kazakhstan and Argentina. Ireland did not qualify anyone at this weight.

Joe Joyce faces a boxer from Cape Verde first up in what could be a massacre. I like big Joe and expect him to win a medal. He should be there or there abouts for gold. Opposition comes in the shape of Tony Yoka from France, Kazakhstan and Croatia. Romania could also feature. Ireland did not qualify a boxer at this weight.

Apologies to any female boxing fans, I'll try and preview the draw sometime over the weekend.

My Pick’s for Gold:

Light Flyweight: Paddy Barnes (Ireland)

Flyweight: Misha Aloyan  (Russia)

Bantamweight: Michael Conlan (Ireland)

Lightweight: Robson Conceicao (Brazil)

Light Welterweight: Yasnier Toledo Lopes (Cuba)

Welterweight: Daniyar Yeleussinov (Kazakhstan)

Middleweight: Arlen Lopez (Cuba)

Light Heavyweight: Julio La Cruz (Cuba)

Heavyweight: Erislandy Savon (Cuba)

Super Heavy: Joe Joyce (GB)


Ladies

Flyweight: Nicola Adams (GB)

Lightweight: Katie Taylor (Ireland)

Middleweight: Claressa Shields (USA)

Well it looks like that Moroccan LH won't be winning anything after being arrested on suspicion of sexual assault on two maids at the Olympics

Jeez, what is wrong with these guys....?!



PS: great post Goldenbhoy, gonna enjoy having you back whilst the Olympics is on!!

Cheers, Tophat.

Yafai, Cordina and Okolie are all boxing today. Should be two straightforward wins at least. Okolie has it slightly tougher but it's hard to call as he is improving all the time.

3 good bouts yesterday, although dunno if it's just me but the boxing seems a lot untidier than it used to be (or am i looking through rose tinted glasses?)

All 3 have got room for improvement and could go far i hope, anyone know when Conlans fighting?

Joshua Buatsi has been the standout of the British lads so far, put his punches together really well.

Draw was awful for the Brits. Expect Fowler, Yafai and Okolie to be beaten today.

Yafai has Argilagos who I think is one of the standout boxers in the tournament and will once again overcome Barnes in the semi finals

For those who agree that Barnes and Conlan look good for medals. Doubling the pair on Paddy Power to medal gives you £23 back on £10. Seems a good thing to me

That'll be a great semi to watch though, excited for it.

CJB wrote:Draw was awful for the Brits. Expect Fowler, Yafai and Okolie to be beaten today.

Yafai has Argilagos who I think is one of the standout boxers in the tournament and will once again overcome Barnes in the semi finals

When has Barnes boxed Argilagos? I know Argilagos has split a pair of wins at Light Flyweight with Brendan Irvine, but was unaware that he has ever faced Barnes.

The only link I know of is that Argilagos lost in the 2015 WSB to Zhussupov, Barnes beat him in  the same year.

Paddy Barnes v Spain

Yafai V Cuba

Kelly V Egypt

Fowler V Kazakhstan

Okolie v Cuba

If Britain get two wins today then it must be seen as a great result. Kelly should come through but the others are up against it.

Barnes will be fancied to come through but I liked the look of the Spanish boxer against Armenia. Barnes may be slightly rusty too but he should prevail.

Massive shock as Paddy Barnes is defeated by Spain on a split decision.

Yafai lost on a split to Cuba as well.

6oldenbhoy wrote:Massive shock as Paddy Barnes is defeated by Spain on a split decision.

Yafai lost on a split to Cuba as well.

Hardly fair they have to take on whole countries by themselves

marty2086 wrote:

6oldenbhoy wrote:Massive shock as Paddy Barnes is defeated by Spain on a split decision.

Yafai lost on a split to Cuba as well.

Hardly fair they have to take on whole countries by themselves

Should have taken on Spain at around 2pm when they were having their siesta

Thought Yafai looked pretty good although to be honest it also looked like the cuban could have stepped it up if he wanted. Barnes looked shattered (not surprising, cracking fight) and he reckons it was a couple of issues making weight.
No idea how the others went and will hoepfully get to watch them today. Peed off the womens 7's went as bad as it did but hey ho

Is the draw completely random, seems to have been a few match ups early on between the top seeds; Tojibaev (5) vs Cordina (8) in the last 16 seems a bit odd.