18.08.04 – By Matthew Hurley: American Ron Siler advanced to the 16th round in the flyweight division of the Olympic games. The team captain scored a 32-18 decision victory over Australia’s Bradley Hore. Siler now moves into a second round bout against Tulashboy Doniyorov of Uzbekistan on Saturday.
The young American is actually the oldest member of the Olympic team at 24. Siler, a promising amateur, spent time in prison for assault but since his release has rededicated himself to boxing and his family which includes five children and a sixth on the way. The young flyweight represents one of the few hopefuls for a gold medal at this years games.
“My expectations are gold,” he said recently. “Anything else is not an option.”
Nevertheless, expectations for this Olympic team are extremely low. In fact the US has only won two gold medals in the last three Olympic games. The glory of the 1984 team is a faraway, distant memory. Famed trainer Emanuel Steward recently remarked that so many athletes are veering away from boxing and opting for basketball or football that the amateur ranks are weakening year in and year out. Also with so little coverage of amateur boxing on the airwaves potential fighters don’t see dollar signs in the fight game. Olympic boxing has been denigrated to the point where badminton is scheduled in TV Guide but boxing isn’t. The insanity of that is simply mind boggling. But such is the state of boxing’s respect in the mainstream media.
Still, Siler remains upbeat and confident. He was a bronze medallist in the 2001 world championships and since turning his life around he’s pursued his dream of gold with a passion. Trained by his father the little fighter is determined to bring the medal home and he is probably Team USA’s best hope for the ultimate glory.
Further results:
Flyweight Rav’Shee Warren was the first American to lose, dropping a 22-9 decision victory to China’s Shiming Zou.
Heavyweight Devin Vargas stopped Morocco’s Rachid El Haddak in the third round.
Tonight super heavyweight Jason Estrada takes on Tonga’s Ma’afu Hawke.