Light Welterweight (64 kg / 140 lbs.)
The good news for American Javier Molina is that he won’t face the 2007 World Championships gold, silver, and one of its bronze medalists until the Olympic gold medal match. They’re all in the top half of the bracket. The bad news is that he’s drawn impressive Bulgarian Boris Georgiev, quarterfinalist at the Worlds, in the first round. Should he defeat Georgiev is almost assured a trip to the Olympic quarters.

Waiting there could be the other 2007 bronze medalist “Buzzing” Brad Saunders who defeated Molina in Chicago 24-12.

The top half of the bracket’s four stars all could advance and meet up in an exciting quarterfinals. The runaway favorite of these four is Kazakh Serik Sapiyev who destroyed his competition at Chicago 2007. He defeated Russian Gennady Kovalev 20-5 in the final and the referee stopped his semifinal bout against Japan’s Masatsugu Kawachi in the third round.

The wild card in the bracket’s top half is Cuban Roniel Iglesias. Cuba did not compete in Chicago and is looking to make an impression at Beijing 2008.

First Round
Sunday, August 10
First Session 1:30 a.m. – 3:00 a.m. EST
Second Session 7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. EST

Round of 16
Thursday, August 14
7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. EST

Quarterfinals
Saturday, August 17
7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. EST

Semifinals
Friday, August 22
2:30 a.m. – 3:00 a.m. EST

Final
Saturday, August 23
8:15 a.m. EST

Post from: EveryJoe

Olympic Boxing Draw: Light Welterweight

On Saturday night in Nottingham, England light welterweight Junior Witter lost his WBC title belt in a split decision to American Timothy Bradley. Witter, a 5:1 favorite was outworked, outsmarted, and outclassed by the unknown southern Californian who dropped the Bradford native in the sixth. Before the fight Witter, who had goldenpalace.net shaved into the back of his skull, was Ring Magazine’s #1 junior welterweight contender. Bradley was unranked.

Witter’s loss adds to the growing list of title-dropping Britons, a number that now has swollen to five in the past six months: Witter, Ricky Hatton, Clinton Woods, Enzo Maccarinelli, and Gavin Rees. The only Britons still holding titles are Joe Calzaghe and former Victoria’s Secret model David Haye.

Badlefthook.com called the fight the “early upset of the year candidate” Graham Houston at the fightwriter.com noted that “Witter did not show the authority, or the will to win, that one expects from a champion.”

I found Witter’s performance tentative, snooze-worthy, and yet another example of an over-rated British pugilist. Quit showing these English poseurs Showtime, they are not worthy of our time or our attention. And next time, please broadcast in HD.

Photo Source: Newscom.com

Post from: EveryJoe

Another Briton Loses Title Belt

The 27-year-old light welterweight Urango’s (19-1-1) bout against Argentine Carlos Wilfredo Vilches (53-7-2) is the headliner. Juan’s biggest fight came two years ago when he lost to underperforming Manchester City supporter Ricky Hatton by a wide margin. He has regrouped since then defeating a pair of designated punching bags. Tonight’s fight shouldn’t be much different.

We here at jabandgrabble.com are much more excited to see the flashy 22-year-old middleweight New Yorker Greene in action. Greene can be seen in the embedded video, his last Seminole Hard Rock fight, just demolishing fellow southpaw Darryl Salmon. The knockout comes with five seconds left in the first round accompanied by the Russian broadcasting team uttering an appropriate oy-yi-yi-yi-yi. Salmon stays down for a good minute, dazed and unsure. Salmon has not fought since.

Greene has, returning with two decisive wins (one knockout) in his hometown. His return to south Florida isn’t without some danger. His opponent Ghanian Joshua Okine is a last minute card replacement and a complete unknown. Boxrec.com has him at 18-3-1 while the Seminole Casino has him at 36-7-1l his real record is probably somewhere in between. All but two of his official bouts have taken place on African soil.

But if his recent stellar form is any indication Greene will live up his adoring blog’s name: www.joegreenewillkickyourass.com.

Post from: EveryJoe

Knockout Kings Card at Seminole Hard Rock Promises Big Action