The Olympic Tournaments - Schedule, Predictions, Results

[emile]

48kg - Suban Pannon (Thailand); Pal Bedak (Hungary); Yan Barthelemy (Cuba); Sergei Kazakov (Russia); Alfonso Pinto (Italy); Raul Castaneda (Mexico); Rau'Shee Warren (USA); Lalaina Herinjaka (Madagascar); Zou Shiming (China); Alexan Nalbandyan (Armenia); Miguel Miranda (Venezuela); Hyuk Ju Kwak (North Korea); Jehun Abiyev (Azerbaijan); Jolly Katongole (Uganda); Peter Wakefield (Australia); Hong Moo-Woon (South Korea); Salim Salimov (Bulgaria); Harry Tanamor (Philippines); Suleiman Bilali (Kenya); Patricio Calero (Ecuador); Sherali Dostiev (Tajikistan); Redouane Bouchtouk (Morocco); Redouane Asloum (France); Effiong Asuquo (Nigeria); Atagun Yalchinkaya (Turkey); Ecepeth Endeikachen (Ethiopia); Carlos Jose Tamara (Colombia); Toshiyuki Igarashi (Japan); Najah Ali (Iraq)

August 18, 1:30PM – Preliminaries
August 18, 7:30PM – Preliminaries
August 21, 7:30PM – Preliminaries
August 24, 7:30PM – Quarterfinals
August 27, 7:30PM – Semifinals
August 29, 1:30PM – Final

[emile]

51kg - Lechadzani Luza (Botswana); Kim Ki Suk (South Korea); Nikoloz Izoria (Georgia); Soltani Mebarak (Algeria); Somjit Jongjohor (Thailand); Joseph Serrano (Puerto Rico); Johnny Mendoza (Venezuela); Rakhim Zanov (Kazakhstan); Jerome Thomas (France); Violito Payla (Philippines); Juan Payano (Dominican Republic); Paulus Ambunda (Namibia); Fuad Aslanov (Azerbaijan); Andrzej Rzany (Poland); Igor Samoilenco (Moldova); Oualid Cherif (Tunisia); Bato-Munko Vateev (Moldova); Ron Siler (USA); Oscar Escandon (Colombia); Rustam Rachimov (Germany); Akhil Kumar (India); Yuriolkis Gamboa (Cuba); Brad Hore (Australia); Bonix Saweho (Indonesia); Hicham Mesbahi (Morocco); Georgy Balakchine (Russia); Georges Jouvin (Madagascar); Tulashboy Donitarov (Uzbekistan)

August 17, 1:30PM – Preliminaries
August 17, 7:30PM – Preliminaries
August 21, 1:30PM – Preliminaries
August 25, 7:30PM – Quarterfinals
August 27, 1:30PM – Semifinals
August 28, 7:30PM – Final

[emile]

54kg – Abner Mares (Mexico); Gennady Kovalev (Russia); Juan Lopez (Puerto Rico); Zsolt Bedak (Hungary); Ali Hallab (France); Liu Yuan (China); A. Abdimamunov (Kyrgyzstan); Hamid Bighrad (Morocco); Guillermo Rigondeaux (Cuba); Maxim Tretyak (Ukraine); Mohammad Meharullah (Pakistan); Andrzej Liczik (Poland); Khavasi Khasigov (Belarus); Karim Bouziane (Algeria); Bahirdidjon Sultanov (Uzbekistan); Nestor Bolum (Nigeria); Joel Brunker (Australia); Argenis Mendez (Dominican Republic); Abel Aferalegn (Ethiopia); Agassi Mamedov (Azerbaijan); Kim Won-Il (South Korea); Mohamed Abdelsayed (Egypt); Worapoj Petchkoom (Thailand); Andrew Kooner (Canada); Diwakar Prasad (India); Alexander Espinoza (Venezuela); David Munyasia (Kenya); Detelin Dalakliev (Bulgaria)

August 17, 3:01PM – Preliminaries
August 17, 9:01PM – Preliminaries
August 20, 7:30PM – Preliminaries
August 23, 7:30PM – Quarterfinals
August 27, 8:01PM – Semifinals
August 29, 2:06PM – Final

[emile]

57kg – Sohail Baloch (Pakistan); Benoit Gaudet (Canada); Ryan Langham (Australia); Vitali Tajbert (Germany); Saifeddine Nedjmaoui (Morocco); Kim Song Guk (North Korea); Hadj Belkheir (Algeria); Edvaldo de Oliveira (Brazil); Kedhafi Djelkhir (France); Brayan Mayanja (Uganda); Alexei Tishenko (Russia); Viorel Simion (Romania); Bekzod Khidirov (Uzbekistan); Konstantin Kupatadze (Georgia); Luis Franco (Cuba); Galib Jafarov (Kazakhstan); Likar Ramos (Colombia); Asylbex Talasyev (Kyrgyzstan); Khumiso Igbopoleng (Botswana); Carlos Velazquez (Puerto Rico); Jo Seok Kwan (South Korea); Mikhail Bernadksi (Belarus); Shanin Imranov (Azerbaijan); Sedat Tasci (Turkey); Daniel Brizuela (Argentina); Somluck Kumsing (Thailand); Ludumo Galada (South Africa); Muideen Ganiyu (Nigeria)

August 16, 1:30PM – Preliminaries
August 16, 7:30PM – Preliminaries
August 20, 1:30PM – Preliminaries
August 20, 9:01PM – Preliminaries
August 23, 8:31PM – Quarterfinals
August 27, 2:01PM – Semifinals
August 28, 8:06PM – Final

[emile]

60kg – Jose Mosquera (Colombia); Mohammed Asheri (Iran); Ahmed Sadiq (Nigeria); Amir Khan (Great Britain); Michael Medor (Mauritius); Felix Diaz (Dominican Republic); Chen Tongzhou (China); Serik Yeleyov (Kazakhstan); Gyula Kate (Hungary); Dimitar Stilianov (Bulgaria); U Munkh Eldene (Mongolia); Bongani Mahlangu (South Africa); Mike Carvalho (Brazil); Mario Kindelan (Cuba); Baik Jong-Sub (South Korea); Domenico Valentino (Italy); Rovshan Husynov (Azerbaijan); Murat Khratchev (Russia); Taher Tamsamani (Morocco); Aydin Selcuk (Turkey); Alexander De Jesus (Puerto Rico); Vladimir Kravets (Ukraine); Vincente Escobedo (USA); Sam Lukuando (Uganda); Anthony Little (Australia); Ali Ashgar Shah (Pakistan); Taoufik Chouba (Tunisia); Marius Kaperonis (Greece)

August 16, 3:01PM – Preliminaries
August 16, 9:01PM – Preliminaries
August 20, 3:01PM – Preliminaries
August 24, 8:31PM – Quarterfinals
August 27, 8:31PM – Semifinals
August 29, 2:41PM – Final

[emile]

64kg – Mwale Davis (Zambia); Mohamed Ali Sassi (Tunisia); Faisal Karim (Pakistan); Yudel Cedeno (Cuba); Hicham Nafil (Morocco); Romeo Brin (Philippines); Isidro Mosquea (Dominican Republic); Boris Georgiev (Bulgaria); Patrick Bogere (Sweden); Abdel Marksoud (Egypt); Igor Pashchuk (Ukraine); Juan de Dios Navarro (Mexico); Alessandro Matos (Brazil); Dilshod Mahmudov (Uzbekistan); Rock Allen (USA); Michele Di Rocco (Italy); Kitso Julie (Seychelles); Anoushirvan Nourian (Australia); Alexander Maletin (Russia); Nasseredine Filali (Algeria); Vijender Singh (India); Ionut Gheorghe (Romania); Manus Boomjanong (Thailand); Mustafa Karagolu (Turkey); Willy Blain (France); Patric Lopez (Venezuela); Nurzhan Karimzhanov (Kazakhstan); Spyridon Ioannidis (Greece)

August 15, 1:30PM – Preliminaries
August 15, 7:30PM – Preliminaries
August 19, 7:30PM – Preliminaries
August 22, 7:30PM – Quarterfinals
August 27, 2:31PM – Semifinals
August 28, 8:41PM – Final

[emile]

69kg – Rolandas Jasivecius (Lithuania); Adam Trupish (Canada); Xavier Noel (France); Bulent Ulusoy (Turkey); Vanas Martirosyan (USA); Lorenzo Aragon (Cuba); Zakaria Nefzi (Tunisia); Ruslan Khairov (Azerbaijan); Benamar Meskine (Algeria); Miloud Aithammi (Morocco); Juan Novoa (Colombia); Kim Jung-Joo (South Korea); Ha Na Ti (China); Vitaly Grusac (Moldova); Aliasker Bashkarov (Turkmenistan); Vilmos Balog (Hungary); Eliss Chibuye (Zambia); Oleg Saitov (Russia); Mohammed Hekal (Egypt); Gerard O’Mahony (Australia); Jean Prada (Venezuela); Tebazawa Sadat (Uganda); Viktor Polyakov (Ukraine); Karimi Ahmedabad (Iran); Bakhtiyar Artiyev (Kazakhstan); Andre Berto (Haiti); Sherzod Khuzanov (Uzbekistan); Theodoras Kotakos (Greece); Barshamal Saltani (Afghanistan)

August 15, 3:01PM – Preliminaries
August 15, 9:01PM – Preliminaries
August 19, 1:30PM – Preliminaries
August 19, 9:01PM – Preliminaries
August 22, 8:31PM – Quarterfinals
August 27, 9:01PM – Semifinals
August 29, 3:16PM – Final

[emile]

75kg – Serdar Ustuner (Turkey); Godfrey Motau Kotso (South Africa); Juan Ubaldo (Dominican Republic); Gaiderbek Gaiderbekov (Russia); Oleg Mashkin (Ukraine); Suriya Pasathinphimai (Thailand); Hada Bateer (China); Anwar Yasser (Egypt); Lukas Wilaschek (Germany); Sherzod Rashmonov (Uzbekistan); Jean Pascal (Canada); Andy Lee (Ireland); Nabil Kassel (Algeria); Marian Simion (Romania); Glaucelio Abreu (Brazil); Christopher Camat (Philippines); Jamie Pittman (Australia); Ahmed Ali Khan (Pakistan); Karoly Balszay (Hungary); Yordanis Despaigne (Cuba); Joseph Lubega (Uganda); Gennadi Golovkin (Kazakhstan); Javid Taghiev (Azerbaijan); Andre Dirrell (USA); Alfredo Angulo (Mexico); Mahamed Sahraovi (Tunisia); Hassan Ndam Njikam (Cameroon); Giorgios Gazis (Greece)

August 14, 1:30PM – Preliminaries
August 14, 7:30PM – Preliminaries
August 21, 3:01PM – Preliminaries
August 21, 9:01PM – Preliminaries
August 25, 8:31PM – Quarterfinals
August 27, 3:01PM – Semifinals
August 28, 9:16PM – Final

[emile]

81kg – S. Kurbanchov (Turkmenistan); Isaac Ekpo (Nigeria); Beibut Shumanov (Kazakhstan); Ahmed El-Shamy (Egypt); Edgar Munoz (Venezuela); Washington Silva (Brazil); Alexei Kuziemski (Poland); Abdelkhani Kenzi (Algeria); Evgeny Makarenko (Russia); Magomed Aripgadziev (Belarus); Utkirbek Haydarov (Uzbekistan); Song Hak-Sung (South Korea); Yildirim Tarhan (Turkey); Ramiro Reducindo (Mexico); Soulan Pownceby (New Zealand); Lei Yuping (China); Ali Ismailov (Azerbaijan); Jitender Kumar (India); Clemente Russo (Italy); Andre Ward (USA); Mario Sivolija (Croatia); Andrey Fedchuk (Ukraine); Flavio Furtado (Cape Verde); Yoan Pablo Hernandez (Cuba); Mabika Taylor (Gabon); Pierre Yana (Cameroon); Elias Pavlidis (Greece); Trevor Stewardson (Canada)

August 14, 3:01PM – Preliminaries
August 14, 9:01PM – Preliminaries
August 19, 3:01PM – Preliminaries
August 24, 9:31PM – Quarterfinals
August 27, 9:31PM – Semifinals
August 29, 3:51PM – Final

[emile]

91kg – Alexander Alexseev (Russia); Devin Vargas (USA); Vugar Alakparov (Azerbaijan); Nasser Alshami (Syria); Wilmer Vasquez (Venezuela); Ertegrul Ergezen (Turkey); Igor Alborov (Uzbekistan); Vedran Djipalo (Croatia); Daniel Betti (Italy); Adam Forsyth (Australia); Mohamed Hafez El-Baz (Egypt); Viktor Zuyev (Belarus); Rachid El Haddak (Morocco); Emmanuel Izonritei (Nigeria); Odlanier Solis Fontes (Cuba); Spiridon Kladouhas (Greece)

August 18, 3:01PM – Preliminaries
August 22, 9:31PM – Quarterfinals
August 27, 3:31PM – Semifinals
August 28, 9:51PM – Final

[emile]

+91kg – Sebastian Kober (Germany); Mohammed Reda (Egypt); Jason Estrada (USA); Aleksander Povetkin (Russia); Armand Netsing Takam (Cameroon); Alexander Apanasionuk (Belarus); Michel Lopez (Cuba); Roberto Cammalere (Italy); Muftarkhan Deldebekov (Kazakhstan); Rustam Saidov (Uzbekistan); Jaroslav Jaksto (Lithuania); Olexey Mazikin (Ukraine); Douglas Hawke (Tonga); Victor Bisbal (Puerto Rico); Sergey Rozhnov (Bulgaria); Oloakun Gbenga (Nigeria)

August 18, 9:01PM – Preliminaries
August 23, 9:31PM – Quarterfinals
August 27, 10:01PM – Semifinals
August 29, 4:26PM – Final

[emile]

Does anyone know when the draw will take place?

One change to note is that Iraqi Najah Ali is apparently the replacement for Nauman Karim, based on the excitement of having an Iraqi apparently. The IOC, flying by the seat of its pants as usual

Of course you put the most corrupt sport in the hands of the most corrupt organization and you get controversy. Already some interesting things happening.

-Soulan Pownceby, New Zealand's only entry, was convicted of killing his infant daughter and beating his girlfriend five years ago. Some in NZ tried to stop him from representing, but he is going.
-Trevor Stewardson, mentioned above, was dropped from the Canadian team, because his own federation felt he was not good enough. So some other county's fighter, presumably less skilled, will take his place. Canada is trying to increase its ratio of medals/athletes for reasons I don't understand. Stewardson is devastated, of course.
-An Australian is challenging the entrant Douglas Hawke of Tonga, saying he is actually a professional K-1 fighter from New Zealand with a different name.

[Broncano]

Great work emile!

I know for a fact that Spanish-language network TELEMUNDO will be broadcasting matches were Latin American fighters are involved, although they haven't specified how many or which stages of the competition.

[emile]

Thanks Broncano. I don't feel like I'm just talking to myself now (although that is usually some good conversation). Sorry that the Peru contingent got shut out.

Found some better info - btw, could the AIBA have a worse site? I guess it could load a dangerous virus on your computer, whereas now its only ugly and without much useful content.

The actual replacement for Nauman Karim is Toshiyuki Igarashi (Japan's only entrant, which makes me think he was chosen for that reason), while Najah Ali got the popular 'your authoritarian country was invaded wildcard'. Also added at 69kg was Barshamal Sultani of Afghanistan, for the same reason. If I'm San Marino or Djibouti, I'm calling up the US State Department and looking for some military intervention before the 2008 games.

Is the draw a totally blind draw? Looking at the 2000 results, it looks like it was. I'm surprised they would not at least keep fighters from the same continent from meeting in the first and second round.

[Freiheit]

The draw is random, the two biggest favorites in a division can meet each other in the first round.
The japanese qualified because he was Asia's reserve in that division

[Broncano]

Thanks Broncano. I don't feel like I'm just talking to myself now (although that is usually some good conversation). Sorry that the Peru contingent got shut out.

Yes, our biggest hope was lightweight Jonathan Maicelo, a real talented kid, but he fell one win short of Athens when he lost a very close decision to colombian Jose Mosquera in the prelims of Rio.

while Najah Ali got the popular 'your authoritarian country was invaded wildcard'. Also added at 69kg was Barshamal Sultani of Afghanistan, for the same reason. If I'm San Marino or Djibouti, I'm calling up the US State Department and looking for some military intervention before the 2008 games..

I'll be looking forward to those Navy Seals and Marines pillaging the shores of Peru before the next olympics

[Lefthookhappy19]

Vitaly Tajberts gonna win a gold at 57Kg, 85% sure.

[emile]

Some updated news.

Trevor Stewardson won his appeal and will fight for Canada. Thank goodness this real injustice was overturned. Stewardson probably wont go far, but that's hardly the point.

Australian strawweight Peter Wakefield is off to the Olympics on bail, but will have to report right when he gets back, for suspicion of being involved in a brutal home attack.

If the draw is done like it was last it time, all of the byes in each weight class will be loaded on one side of the bracket. This seems to make a good possibility that one quarter of the bracket will be much easier than the rest, but maybe that is intended, so that small countries can get bronzes.

I was going to say that the four best bets for golds were Kindelan, Rigondeaux, Saitov and Tajbert. But I'm not as convinced about Tajbert, considering he lost to Galib Jafarov in the World Championships last year. 57kg is pretty wide open, and Tajbert has no doubt improved, but Jafarov is in there.

[emile]

Still talking to myself here.

One of Africa's top medal hopes - Kenyan flyweight Suleiman Bilali, has had to pull out because of a leg injury originally suffered when a bus driver closed the door on him, and made worse when he was attacked while training. Poor guy. The likely person to replace him is Joseph Jermia of Namibia, who bronzed at the All-Africa Games.

Also, on the list of Gold Medal probables, I think I left off perhaps the best prospect out there - 81kg Evgeny Makarenko, who stopped every single opponent on his way to the European Championship. Andre Ward has to hope he can get him in the final.

Sports Illustrated came out with their medal predictions, heavily favoring the Russians. Everybody seems to agree that the US' best hopes for medal come from Ward, Dirrell and Estrada. I think Vargas could bronze if he gets a good draw because it seems like a weak class. Teddy has Siler as a medal hope, but I think he is doomed in a storng class. SI has Rock Allen medalling, but that seems unlikely to me as well. I think the fast-rising Martirosyan has the next best chance. It all depends on the draw of course.

MSNBC and CNBC will be showing all American fights live in their entirety. I don't know who Telemundo will show - at least the Mexicans, probably the Dominicans and Puerto Ricans, and maybe some other Latins as well. It looks like this might be the year in which NBC does not massively f*ck up their Olympics coverage. They are expanding their coverage greatly, and I think they might be showing a much greater number of fights than in the past.

US TV SCHEDULE
August 14 - MSNBC (5-8PM), Telemundo (1-8PM)
August 15 - MSNBC (4-7PM), Telemundo (12-7PM)
August 16 - CNBC (5-8PM), Telemundo (1-8PM)
August 17 - CNBC (5-8PM), Telemundo (1-8PM)
August 18 - CNBC (5-8PM), Telemundo (1-8PM)
August 19 - CNBC (5-8PM), Telemundo (1-8PM), Telemundo (1:30-3:30AM)
August 20 - CNBC (5-8PM), Telemundo (11AM-8PM)
August 21 - MSNBC (5-8PM), Telemundo (10:30AM-8PM)
August 22 - MSNBC (4-7PM), Telemundo (12-7PM), Telemundo (1:30-3:30AM)
August 23 - CNBC (5-8PM), Telemundo (11AM-8PM)
August 24 - CNBC (5-8PM), Telemundo (11AM-8PM)
August 25 - CNBC (5-8PM), Telemundo (1-8PM)
August 27 - CNBC (5-8PM), Telemundo (1-8PM)
August 28 - MSNBC (12-5PM), Telemundo (12-8PM), Telemundo (1:30-3:30AM)
Augsut 29 - NBC (10AM-6PM), Telemundo (2-6PM), Telemundo (1:30-3:30AM)

[Sherlock]

I'm just starting to get into amateur boxing. It's hard to find records or info. But I have heard and read a lot about Yan Bartelemi, Cuba's 48 KG representative.

[emile]

I didn't know a thing a few months ago, but after I couldn't find any information about it I started looking around and got very interested in it. The EABA website is probably the best source I have found for looking at results.

Here are my projections, based on a random draw to make it interesting, like the real thing. I think my heart probably favors fighters from the Americas too much, rather than the array of Eastern Europeans/Central Asians who will probably win everything.

48kg
Gold - Sergei Kazakov (RUS)
Silver - Yan Bartelemy (CUB)
Bronze - Suban Pannon (THA)
Bronze - Alexan Nalbandyan (ARM)

51kg
Gold - Yuriolkis Gamboa (CUB)
Silver - Jerome Thomas (FRA)
Bronze - Somjit Jongjohor (THA)
Bronze - Kim Ki Suk (KOR)

54kg
Gold - Guillermo Rigondeaux (CUB)
Silver - Bahirdidjon Sultanov (UZB)
Bronze - Maxim Tretyak (UKR)
Bronze - Zsolt Bedak (HUN)

57kg
Gold - Vitali Tajbert (GER)
Silver - Likar Ramos (COL)
Bronze - Luis Franco (CUB)
Bronze - Kedhafi Djelkhir (FRA)

60kg
Gold - Mario Kindelan (CUB)
Silver - Ahmed Sadiq (NIG)
Bronze - Ali Ashgar Shah (PAK)
Bronze - Aydin Selcuk (TUR)

64kg
Gold - Patric Lopez (VEN)
Silver - Alexander Maletin (RUS)
Bronze - Dilshod Mahmudov (UZB)
Bronze - Romeo Brin (PHI)

69kg
Gold - Oleg Saitov (RUS)
Silver - Ruslan Khairov (AZE)
Bronze - Vanas Martirosyan (USA)
Bronze - Bakhtiyar Artiyev (KAZ)

75kg
Gold - Gaiderbek Gaiderbekov (RUS)
Silver - Juan Ubaldo (DRP)
Bronze - Javid Taghiev (AZE)
Bronze - Andre Dirrell (USA)

81kg
Gold - Evgeny Makarenko (RUS)
Silver - Andre Ward (USA)
Bronze - Elias Pavlidis (GRE)
Bronze - Yildirim Tarhan (TUR)

91kg
Gold - Odlanier Solis Fontes (CUB)
Silver - Alexander Alexseev (RUS)
Bronze - Emmanuel Izonritei (NIG)
Bronze - Devin Vargas (USA)

+91kg
Gold - Alexander Povetkin (RUS)
Silver - Roberto Cammalere (ITA)
Bronze - Jason Estrada (USA)
Bronze - Victor Bisbal (PUR)

[Grey]

Emile, thanks for all the updates and previews. I'm a bit sad that I don't get Telemundo

[Onekrazyrican]

Thanx for all that info. i hope i had Telemundo :(

ide luv to get some insight from the diferent teams so i can get to know more of the competiton. heres a bit on the puerto rican team.
This is the first cycle since we started paying some of our athletes to train full time. Juan M Lopez at 54kg and Victor Bisbal super heavy spent the full 4 years training full time and are among our medal hopes. Bisbal has beaten Estrada a couple of times and Juanma beat USA's Benitez the last time they fought.

Im thinking them and Carlos Velazquez at 57 are our bests bets. Velazquez is tall and rangy with a decent pro like style.

Theres 51kg Joseph Serrano i had posted about him before hes there cuz the national champ had an accident and couldnt go to the mexico tournament they sent joseph who was the champ at the lower weight moving up and he qualified in mexico at Valcarcel's weight. Valcarcel beats Serrano everytime so we are obviously not sending our best at 51kg
Our best man allready has a 1-0 record as a pro cuz he couldnt get into the olimic games.

Theres also Alex de Jesus at 60 kg we call him Withaker cuz of his flashy style but he has lotz of troubles to make weight so ide be surprised if he can get past the first round.

One othe rthing our team has had this year and hadnt had before is some quality sparring with the european teams as well as tournaments.
If we had this kind of preparation back when we had Daniel Santos, Alex Trujillo, Omar Adorno and and Jose M. Cotto in our team im sure we wouldof gotten more than Santo's bronze medal.

[Ulysses]

That's a good list, emille.

I'll have a crack at naming two fighters in each division who I think are capable of winning the gold, with my pick first then another...

Light-fly (51kg's): Sergey Kazakov (RUS) and Pal Bedak (HUN) 25:16

Fly (51kg's): Jerome Thomas (FRA) and Georgi Balakshin (RUS)

Bantam (54 kg's): Guillermo Rigondeaux (CUB) and Agassi Mamedov (AZE)

Feather (57kg's): Vitlati Tajbert (GER) and Luis Franco (CUB)

Light (60kg's): Mario Kindelan (CUB) and Amir Khan (ENG)

Light-welter (64kg's): Juan de Dios Navarro (MEX) and Willy Blain (FRA)

Welter (69kg's): Oleg Saitov (RUS) and Lorenzo Aragon (CUB)

Middle (75kg's): Gennadiy Golovkin (KAZ) and Gaidarbek Gaidarbekov (RUS)

Light-heavy (81 kg's): Evgeny Makarenko (RUS) and Andre Ward (USA)

Heavy (91kg's): Odlanier Solis (CUB) and Alexander Alexeev (RUS)

Super-heavy (91+kg's): Alexander Povetkin (RUS) and Roberto Cammarelle (ITA)


There's a good mix there, but i'm sure that politics will dictate that there's bound to be more than one gold medallist from Asia.
I'd like to see a South American win at 64. Either Venezuela's Pan-Am games winner Patric Lopez or De Dios Navarro who bested both America's Rock Allen and top Cuban Yudel Jhonson this year.
Makarenko at light-heavy is probably the clearest cut favourite, whilst Kindelan, Rigondeaux and Kazakov are close behind in their respective divisions.
Toughest weight has to be 75. Any number from 6 or 7 are talented enough to scoop gold.
I've got a real good feeling about Amir Khan at lightweight...
This is the first Olympics with the new weight classes and Cuba also had to qualify after normally being given automatic spots due to their strength.

[and_the_NEW]

Thankyou very much for all the great info!! I am very excited and looking forward to the olympic boxing!