(LONDON, ENGLAND) – Light welterweight Jamel Herring (Coram, N.Y./United States Marine Corps) dropped his first round contest to Kazakhstan’s Daniyar Yeleussinov on Tuesday afternoon at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Yeleussinov won a 19-9 decision over Herring, a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, eliminating him from the tournament.
Herring looked to set the tone early and enjoyed some success with his jab, but Yeleussinov was able to land his strong left hand and held an 8-5 advantage after one round. The 26-year-old American looked to dent his deficit in the third round but it was Yeleussinov building on his lead. Herring faced a 15-8 deficit at the end of two and despite his best efforts couldn’t overcome it. Yeleussinov went on to win a 19-9 final decision.
Herring is the second U.S. boxer to be eliminated at the 2012 Olympic Games, following light heavyweight Marcus Browne (Staten Island, N.Y.) on Monday. Three Americans will compete in Wednesday’s afternoon action with bantamweight Joseph Diaz, Jr. (S. El Monte, Calif.) facing Cuba’s Lazaro Alvarez Estrada,heavyweight Michael Hunter (Las Vegas, Nev.) battling Russia’s Tervel Pulev and super heavyweight Dominic Breazeale (Alhambra, Calif.) taking on Magomed Omarov of Russia.
The Sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps is one of three Team Captains for the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team with three-time Olympian Rau’shee Warren and lightweight Queen Underwood. One of the oldest members of the team, he has consistently brought stability and humor to the 12-person squad with his unique sense of humor and refusal to let anyone get down. Herring joined the Marine Corps at the ripe old age of 17 and has served two daughters in Iraq during his time in the military.
U.S. Result
141 lbs: Daniyar Yeleussinov, KAZ, dec. Jamel Herring, KAZ, 19-9
Jamel Herring Quotes
“I’m gonna keep my head up as team captain. If I am down, then my team is down. It hurts to lose of course, but I’m glad I was able to come here, put on a USA uniform and represent my country. I believe that I did the best of my ability, but he was just the better man today. It’s not the end of the world. I will go back to the drawing board, stick it out and I’m going to support my team to the last man.”
“It’s a great honor to be here. Everyone, especially back at home, knows what I’ve been through. I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs and I’m proud of my accomplishments. I’m proud of how far I’ve come. I went out there, fought to the best of my abilities, listened to my coaches and did everything I possibly could, but the best man won today.
“He was starting first. I wasn’t starting first and when I did, I was successful with it. He was constantly moving as you saw in the third round but he had the better game plan for today.”
“A few times, he caught me clean and flush but most of the time, I thought my defense was tight enough. The coaches and I already talked about it, we knew he had a good left hand so we were going to move to my left, his right and keep a tight guard. He somehow got that left through there so best of luck to him in the next round. This is the way it is in sports.”
“I thought about Arriyanah (Herring’s daughter who passed away), from the first moment that I stepped in the ring until the very last moment I got out of the ring. I was thinking about her, my country, my team, the Marine Corps; a lot was going through my head. Not a lot to where I was getting sidetracked, I was just going out there to fight for everyone in my heart.”
“I said a prayer to my lord and savior to give me the confidence and abilities to get through my bout, and that’s about it.”
“You’ve got to keep them (his teammates) uplifted, I don’t want anyone to feel down. I went out there, I let my hands go. I fought, I fought hard I believe so I don’t want them (U.S. Boxing Team) to feel bad for one man going down; there’s still a whole team. We actually had the biggest team coming here so there’s a lot of great talent on the team so I’m just going to tell them, go out there and do your best. I know in my heart that I did the best I could. The people at home told me no matter the result, I am still a hero, I am still a champion and I’m going to take that confidence and uplift myself. It’s not the end of the world; people bounce back. A lot of great champions took losses and they came back so why can’t I?”
“Right now, I’m just going to take some time off and spend some time with my family and we’ll go from there. I still have a long future ahead of me. I wish I could have done better but not everyone gets to the Olympics. It’s a big accomplishment so we will just see what comes from here.”
USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States’ member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and a member of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
IABA UPDATE (BARNES AND CONLAN TO MEET AFRICAN OPPONENTS AT OLYMPIC GAMES)
Irish Amateur Boxing Association
Paddy Barnes will open his account at the 2012 Olympics versus the experienced Thomas Essomba of the Cameroon on Saturday.
Essomba beat (13-10) Abdelali Darra of Morocco this afternoon to set up the weekend’s last-16 clash with the Belfast light-flyweight.
Barnes, a bronze medal winner at the 2008 Olympics – Essomba also represented his country at the 2008 Games – received a bye into the last-16.
Michael Conlan, who also received a bye, also faces an African opponent in the last-16.
The Belfast light-flyweight meets Ghana’s Duke Akueth Micah on Friday evening. Micha saw off the challenge of Jason Olivier Lavigilante (Mauritius) on an 18-14 decision on Monday night.
John Joe Nevin is the next Irish boxer in action. The two-time AIBA World medalist meets Kanat Abutalipov of Kazakhstan in the bantamweight class on Wednesday afternoon.
The Nevin versus Abutalipov 56kg duel is a repeat of the 2009 AIBA President’s Cup semi-final in Baku, Azerbaijan which Nevin won 15-2.
Irish team captain Darren O’Neill is between the ropes versus Germany Thursday, followed by his fellow southpaw and Irish team-mate Adam Nolan, and Conlan, on Friday.
Katie Taylor makes her Olympic debut against either Great Britain’s Natasha Jonas or America’s Queen Underwood at approximately 1.30pm on Monday next.
Liverpool-born southpaw Jonas and Seattle-native Underwood clash on Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile, Irish team manager has hailed Team Ireland supporters at the ExCel venue.
“The supporters have been absolutely brilliant and they are really getting behind the team. It’s like walking into the National Stadium in Dublin.The Irish fans are creating an electric atmosphere, ” he said.
The Irish squad began a light training session at 5pm this afternoon.
2012 Olympic Games
July 28th – Last 32
56kg – Bantamweight – John Joe Nevin (Ireland) beat Dennis Villy Ceylan (Denmark) 21-6
75kg – Middleweight – Darren O’Neill (Ireland) beat Muideen Olalekan Akanji (Nigeria) 15-6
July 29th – Last 32
69kg – Welterweight – Adam Nolan (Ireland) beat Carlos Sanchez Estacio (Ecuador) 14-8
August 1st – Last 16 (1.30pm session)
56kg – Bantamweight – John Joe Nevin (Ireland) v Kanat Abutalipov (Kazakhstan)
August 2nd – Last 16 (1.30pm session)
75kg – Middleweight – Darren O’Neill (Ireland) v Stefan Haertel (Germany)
August 3rd – Last 16 (8.30pm session)
52kg – Flyweight – Michael Conlan (Ireland) v Duke Akeuth Micah (Ghana)
69kg – Welterweight – Adam Nolan (Ireland) v Andrey Zamkovoy (Russia)
August 4th – Last 16 (1.30pm session)
49kg – Light-flyweight – Paddy Barnes (Ireland) v Thomas Essomba (Cameroon)
August 6th – Quarter-final (1.30pm session)
60kg – Lightweight – Katie Taylor (Ireland) v Queen Underwood (USA) or Natasha Jonas (Great Britain)
Irish 2012 Olympic squad
49Kg (Light-flyweight) Paddy Barnes (Holy Family BC, Belfast)
52kg (Flyweight) Michael Conlan (St John Bosco BC, Belfast)
56kg (Bantamweight) John Joe Nevin (Cavan BC)
60kg (Lghtweight) Katie Taylor (Bray BC, Wicklow)
69kg (Welterweight) Adam Nolan (Bray BC, Wicklow)
75kg (Middleweight) Darren O’Neill (Paulstown BC, Kilkenny)
Team Manager: Des Donnelly
Coaches: Billy Walsh, Zuar Antia, Pete Taylor
Physio: Conor McCarthy
Strength & Conditioning: John Cleary
Performance Psychologist: Gerry Hussey