Let this thread be the official thread for all the matches Fighters you need to keep an eye on: Bantamweight: - This is probably going to be the most interesting weight class. The three fighters to keep an eye one are: Robeisy Ramirez (Cuba), Michael Conlan (Ireland), Shakur Stevenson (USA). - Ramirez is the defending Olympic champion, I wish he would defect already he's very talented and also young at 22. Conlan lost to Ramirez last Olympics but he ran over the field in the world championships in 2015. Of course Ramirez didn't participate in the tournament but nonetheless a good result. The American Shakur Stevenson who everyone has high hopes for and he's America's best chance at winning a medal. But he's got his hands full with Ramirez and Conlan so he's probably looking at a Bronze at best. Heavyweight: - This is really a two person race between Evgeny Tischenko (Russia) and Erislandy Savon (Cuba). Tischenko defeated Savon in the world championships but it was a close victory and a lot of people thought Savon should have won. If you don't remember, Savon was the guy who gave Anthony Joshua a boxing lesson and got robbed in 2012. Both are talented and should turn pro after the Olympics. Light Heavyweight: - The one standout is Julio Cesar La Cruz (Cuba), he should be a heavy favorite and should win the gold this time around. Hopefully he also defects. Light Welterweight: - Yasniel Toledo (Cuba). Gave Lomachenko some of his toughest fights as an amateur. Vitaly Dunaytsev (KAZ) won the world championship. Those two you need to keep an eye on. Lightweight: -Albert Selimov (AZERBAIJAN) . The Lomachenko conqueror is probably the favorite. Look out for Lazaro Alvarez as well. He got robbed 4 years against Nevin, and he was a massive favorite then and he's also one of the favorites now. Super Heavyweight: - Look out for Ivan Dychko (KAZ), Joseph Joyce (UK) and Tony Yoka (FRA) are the favorites. The Schedule: Saturday, August 6 10:00 am ET and 4:00 pm ET Prelims: Men’s light flyweight, Men’s lightweight, Men’s light heavyweight, Men’s heavyweight Sunday, August 7 10:00 am ET and 4:00 pm ET Prelims: Men’s lightweight, Men’s welterweight, Men’s light heavyweight Monday, August 8 10:00 am ET and 4:00 pm ET Prelims: Men’s light flyweight, Men’s welterweight, Men’s middleweight, Men’s heavyweight Tuesday, August 9 10:00 am ET and 4:00 pm ET Prelims: Men’s lightweight, Men’s middleweight, Men’s super heavyweight Wednesday, August 10 10:00 am ET and 4:00 pm ET Quarterfinals: Men’s light flyweight, Men’s heavyweight Prelims: Men’s bantamweight, Men’s light welterweight, Men’s light heavyweight Thursday, August 11 10:00 am ET and 4:00 pm ET Prelims: Men’s bantamweight, Men’s light welterweight, Men’s welterweight, Men’s heavyweight Friday, August 12 10:00 am ET and 4:00 pm ET Prelims: Women’s flyweight, Women’s lightweight, Men’s middleweight Quarterfinals: Men’s lightweight Semifinals: Men’s light flyweight (10 am only) Saturday, August 13 10:00 am ET and 4:00 pm ET Prelims: Men’s flyweight, Men’s super heavyweight Quarterfinals: Men’s welterweight Semifinals: Men’s heavyweight Sunday, August 14 10:00 am ET and 4:00 pm ET Gold Medal: Men’s light flyweight (10 am) Prelims: Women’s middleweight, Men’s bantamweight, Men’s light welterweight Quarterfinals: Men’s light heavyweight Semifinals: Men’s lightweight Monday, August 15 10:00 am ET and 4:00 pm ET Gold Medal: Men’s heavyweight (4 pm) Prelims: Men’s flyweight Quarterfinals: Women’s lightweight, Men’s middleweight Semifinals: Men’s welterweight Tuesday, August 16 10:00 am ET and 4:00 pm ET Gold Medal: Men’s lightweight (4 pm) Quarterfinals: Women’s flyweight, Men’s bantamweight, Men’s light welterweight, Men’s super heavyweight Semifinals: Men’s light heavyweight Wednesday, August 17 1:00 pm ET Gold Medal: Men’s welterweight Quarterfinals: Women’s middleweight, Men’s flyweight Semifinals: Women’s lighweight Thursday, August 18 1:00 pm ET Gold Medal: Men’s light heavyweight Semifinals: Women’s flyweight, Men’s bantamweight, Men’s middleweight Friday, August 19 1:00 pm ET Gold Medal: Women’s lightweight Semifinals: Women’s middleweight, Men’s flyweight, Men’s light welterweight, Men’s super heavyweight Saturday, August 20 1:00 pm ET Gold Medal: Women’s flyweight, Men’s bantamweight, Men’s middleweight Sunday, August 21 1:00 pm ET Gold Medal: Women’s middleweight, Men’s flyweight, Men’s light welterweight, Men’s super heavyweight
I could be wrong but I think theres only 1 boxer from my country eligible to compete this year. I'm Canadian
Good thread ! Wasn't the Cuban boxing team here in the USA sharing knowledge Man ama boxing has changed a lot
Yup. Arthur Biyarslanov. Fight's at Light Welterweight. It's a tough division but he's already beaten Yasniel Toledo in the Pan American Games last year.
Eh, not really. Did Andy Cruz of Cuba not make it or what? He was competing at bantamweight last I saw of him. Maybe in a higher weight class now? I'd be surprised if he didn't make it since he really captured my eye during those Pan Am Games then a few other fights he had at the World Championships and such. With fair judging, I figured him a great chance to win gold in Rio in his weight class.
He had a poor showing at the World Championships and they decided to replace him with Ramirez. Who they feel has a better shot at winning a gold.
That wasn't a poor showing. That was poor judging. Cruz probably won all 3 rounds against that Asanau kid, and had taken the 2nd round with plenty of room to spare. Cruz clearly won that fight against Asanau, who then went on and lost to Conlan in the semis in what was truthfully a closer fight for him than the one with Cruz should have been.
Is the Savon from Cuba related to Felix Savon? He's probably the only amateur boxer I remember, hard for me to tell but he looked like he'd at least have contended for the HW strap in his day.
Also at bantam to get through is Muradjon Akhmadaliev who is a big puncher and relentless pressure figher, dropped Conlan in the finals of World Championships last year. Nikitin is also like that. Stevenson has a lot of hype but at mens level he hasn't beat a top international fighter yet. That and he likes to fight off the ropes sometimes which isn't good for judges. I remember he fought a Colombian at the qualifier and the guy kept coming and got up close, was able to land decently and give him a tough fight. Shakur can fight well on the inside too but this is arguably the most stacked weight class and there's a lot of tough outs.
It's too bad that Selimov is 30 now. He's a real talent. Talk about skill, check out his final fight (rubber match) with Lomachenko in WSB if you've never seen it. The guy is skilled as hell and slick too. Would've loved to see him turn pro around the time Loma did if not before, since Selimov is a couple years older.
If mentioning Akhmadaliev might as well add the guy I talked about who "beat" Cruz since Asanau has beat Akhmadaliev (multiple times I think) in the ammys, and has medaled at a few international tournaments including the bronze at Worlds.
I'd imagine Conceicao is the most likely to win gold in that weight class considering where the Games are taking place. All he really has to do is keep his fights reasonably close, which he should be able to do since he does have experience and quality to him. Conceicao actually got a decision over Lomachenko a few years ago at Worlds, but the decision was overturned later on for whatever reason.
