Let The Games Begin

13.08.04 – By Frank LotierzoGlovedFist@Juno.com – Tonight marks the opening ceremonies kicking off the start of the 2004 Summer Olympics. For the next two and a half weeks, sports fans will have a million feel good stories thrown at them about many of the competing athletes. We’ll also have Politics thrown at us regarding Iraq and Global Terrorism. On top of that, Swimming, Track and Field, Gymnastics, Soccer, and Diving will most likely be the thrust of the coverage. Did I leave anything out?

If you’re anything like me, which you probably are if you’re reading this, the best reason to watch the Summer Olympics is because of the Boxing, or at least it used to be. From about 1960 through 1988, Boxing was a prime time event at the Summer Olympics. Today that is no longer the case, Boxing is now regulated to the off peak viewing hours, despite always getting good ratings. NBC, the network broadcasting the Games, will only show Boxing on their cable networks MSNBC & CNBC on week day afternoons and weekends. I think that is sad because it cheats the younger and potential future Boxing fans out of getting a glimpse at some of tomorrows greats, today!

Olympic Boxing is what introduced many great fighters to a majority of fans. How many fans would’ve known about a 17 year old Middleweight Gold Medalist from the 1952 Olympics, named Floyd Patterson, had they not seen him win that Medal on television? I wonder how many knew of an 18 year old Light Heavyweight named Cassius Clay, or cared about him before seeing him fight at the 1960 Olympics? When 19 year old Heavyweight George Foreman stopped 29 year old Ionas Chapolus of Russia at the 1968 Games, he had only been Boxing slightly over a year and a half. Wonder how many hardcore Boxing fans even knew of Foreman before watching him win a Gold Medal.

Not only do the Olympics give the fans their first look at some of Boxing’s future stars and greats, but it’s fun to cheer your fellow Countrymen on. Regardless of the fighter, if he’s representing your homeland, you’re usually rooting for him. I was never a big Tyrell Biggs fan, but I loved it when he beat Lennox Lewis in the second round of the 1984 Games, and actually saw it on T.V. Also at the 1984 Games, I was a big Evander Holyfield fan. Holyfield won me over when he upset Ricky Womack, the top seed at the 1984 U.S. Trials. However, I hated it when he was DQ’d for knocking out New Zealand’s Kevin Barry with a left hook as they broke.

From 1972 through 2000, Cuba and the United States have won the most Gold Medals, 24 for Cuba and 20 for the U.S. Cuba didn’t participate in the 1984 Games in Los Angeles and the 1988 Games in Seoul Korea, the U.S. missed the 1980 Games in Moscow. Heading into the 2004 Games, Cuba and Russia are the two World powers, and are favored to take home the most overall Medals.

Since the 1988 Games, when American Boxers won 8 Medals, (3-Gold, 3-Silver, and 2-Bronze) the U.S. has fallen on hard times regarding Medals, especially Gold. The 1992 U.S. team only won 3 Medals and only one Gold, (Oscar De La Hoya). The 1996 squad won 6 medals and only one Gold, (David Reid). At the 2000 Games in Sydney, the U.S. won 4 Medals. However they were shut out of a Gold Medal for the first time in 52 years.

During the next two plus weeks I will try to catch as much of the Olympic Boxing as I can, as hard as that will be. I’m sure at some point during the coverage, Boxing will probably be pre-empted by Table Tennis or something like that. Hopefully, by the end of the 2004 Games we’ll have seen a few fighters who we don’t know right now, but will want to watch out for down the road. I don’t care what Country he’s from, as long as he’s good!

Writers Note

The top 5 Countries who have won the most Olympic Medals in Boxing.

1-U.S. (102) 2-URSS (51) 3-Britian (45) 4-Poland (43) 5-Cuba (41)

GOLD

47-US
24-CUBA
14-URSS
12-BRITIAN
8-POLAND

SILVER

21-US
19-URSS
13-CUBA
10-BRITIAN
9-POLAND

BRONZE

34-US
26-POLAND
23-BRITIAN
18-URSS
4-CUBA