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Ward saves US team from historic failure
Andre Ward saved the American boxing team from an historic failure and aims to heal his country's battered pride by pursuing gold.
Andre Ward saved the American boxing team from an historic failure and aims to heal his country's battered pride by pursuing Olympic gold.
The light-heavyweight's convincing quarter-final win over Russian world champion Evgeny Makarenko on Tuesday secured him at least a bronze and means the U.S. squad will not leave the Games without a boxing medal for the first time.
With just another fighter left in the quarter-finals, middleweight Andre Dirrell, the Americans are still about to suffer their worst Olympic performance.
Four years ago, the Americans won four medals but failed to win a gold for the first time since the 1948 London Games.
But at least they still have a chance of winning a title in Athens.
The fact that their best boxers are impatient to turn professional and never stay in the amateur ranks long enough to learn all the tricks is the main reason for the Americans' Olympic decline.
The U.S. fighters' tendency to opt for a flashy, aggressive style which does not meet the requirements of the electronic system is another handicap.
The situation is a major embarrassment for a country who produced such great Olympic champions as Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Sugar Ray Leonard.
CARELESS ESTRADA
Super-heavyweight Jason Estrada, one of the team's best hopes, did not help when he appeared not to be trying very hard in a quarter-final defeat on Monday and said afterwards he did not really care.
"He didn't take pride in representing the United States," American coach Basheer Abdullah said of Estrada's attitude.
"He basically said the defeat didn't mean anything to him. He did not show any pride or respect. He embarrassed our country, our governing body and the U.S. Olympic committee."
Ward, who has not lost a decision in six years, then stepped into the ring and lifted some of the gloom with a great fight against the favourite in his weight class.
"He patched up the wound," said Abdullah. "He felt the pain and gave us some relief."
Ward, who suffered from depression after his father died two years ago, is relatively short for his weight and faced the tallest boxer in the tournament in Makarenko but he did everything right.
"I see myself as a 21st century David," he said. "The other guys are all bigger and stronger and are all expected to beat me."
Two more Goliaths now stand in Ward's way to the gold medal but the way he overcame Makarenko suggested he could give the American team the title they so desperately want.
