75kg Olympic Preview.

[donnellon]

Now that Michael O’Reilly has qualified for the Games, it is time to look at his prospective opponents.
[bBektemir Melikuziyev][/b]New kid on the block, won World silver, losing to Lopez in the final. Wins over O'Reilly and Alimkhanuly. Also Krishan and Assomo. Asian champion and former World youth gold.
Tomasz Jabłoński (POL) Reilly beat him 2-1 in Poland last year. Krishan beat him too, he beat Cavallaro but so far can’t step up despite a decent WSB resume. Won Euro silver last year. Actually beat Luke Keeler in 2011.
Ilyas Abbadi (ALG) Another WSB product, beat Fowler 2-1 there but rest of record doesn’t suggest medals.
Artem Chebotarev (Russia) Beat Darren O’Neill and John Joe Joyce-the latter in, wait for it, 2004- so a veteran. Lost to Jason Quigley in 2013 at the Worlds in Almaty in the semi-final. Beat the other top Russian Khamukov in their 2014 final. In the APB won and lost to Kilicci-now drug banned-and beat Mytrofanov. Has lost to Mytrofanov in regular boxing, Harcsa too and defeated Jablonski. Might be past his medal-winning date.
Dymtro Mytrofanon (Ukraine) In because Kilicci got banned. He has beaten Darren O’Neill and split decisions with Chebotarev but lost to Fowler and Alimkhanuly. Stopped Fred Evans in the WSB and beat Tavares , Suarez and Abdin in the APB. A dark horse for a medal.
Arlen López (CUB) The man at the weight. World Champion and unbeaten since 2014 when Alimkhanuly beat him. Beat Vivas, Delgado, Rodriguez, Abbadi, Harnouf, Minggang, Abdin and Melikuziyev. Chebotarev did beat him in the WSB back in 2014 and Nursultanov from Kazhistan in 2015 also WSB.
Zhanibek Alimkhanuly (KAZ) is the reason his excellent compatriot Nursultanov is not going to Rio. Quigley(in the World final) Lopez, Mytrofanov, Krishan and Rodriguez are in his win ledger. O’Reilly beat him in Doha and Melikuziyev also did the trick last year, both on close 2-1 decisions. Another serious gold prospect.
Hosam Abdin (EGY) Decent, experienced operator, got a dreadful decision over O’Reilly at the Worlds. Losses to Kilicci, Mytrofanov, Harcsa, but beat Abbadi on his way to becoming Africian champion and Tavares in the WSB. He also beat Krishan at the Worlds so no mug but a medal will test him in Rio.
Wilfried Ntsengue (CMR) Beat Radovan from Germany on the way to a World Military Games bronze and won the All-African Games as well as the African Olympic qualifier. A good young boxer, experience at this level may catch him out.
The other African qualifiers will be out of their depth, Merven Clair (MRI) and Said Harnouf (MAR).
Misael Rodríguez (MEX) is a good fighter but has done nothing at this level. Fowler, Harnouf, Lopez, Alimkhanuly and Vivas have defeated him. He has beaten Delgado.
Charles Conwell (USA) beat Rodrigues 2-1 and Vivas to win the American qualifier. Young and inexperienced but has a few WSB bouts and a win over usefull 69kg American Krool.
Jorge Vivas (Col) Has the upper-hand on Rodriguez but lost to Conwell, Delgado and Lopez.
Zhao Minggang (China) beat Lewis and Krishan before Alimkhanuly stopped him in the final of the Asian qualifiers. Beat Di in the Chinese finals so could spring a surprise or two. Stopped by Lopez in the WSB.
Daniel Lewis.(Australia) Beat Washeed and Krishan but lost at the Worlds 3-0 against O’Reilly but put up a good show. Lost to Minggang in the Asian qualifiers but beat Achilov and Shinebayar to secure his Olympic place.
Christian Mbilli Assomo (FRA) Won the European qualifiers and has a win over O’Reilly 2-1 from the 2014 European Union final. A top performer but a little inconsistent. Wins over Fowler, Shakhsuvarly, Cavallaro and Alimhanuly. Losses to Cavallaro and Melikuziev.
Anthony Fowler WSB wins over Rodriguez and Harnouf but a loss to Abbadi. Has a regular win over Mytrofanov but lost to Cavallaro. Plenty of Irish form, beat O’Reilly 2-0 in 2014 and also beat Adam Nolan but John Joe Joyce and Quigley had his number. Lost to Assomo in the Euro qualifier. Won World bronze in 2013 where he lost to Alemkhanuly.
Zoltán Harcsa (HUN) Wins over Abdin, Jablonski, Alimkhanuly,and Chebotarev. Lost to Krishan at the Doha Worlds and Quigley at the 2013 championships. Beat Mytrofanov on his way to qualifying at the Euros. Form dipping lately.
Vikas Krishan (India) The best of the rest from the last qualifier but so inconsistent. Wins over Harcsa, Jablonski, Waheed and Achilov. Even hammered O’Reilly back in 2010 on his way to the World youth gold. Losses to Melikuziev, Lewis, Alimkhanuly Minggang and Abdin in there too.
Arslanbek Achilov (TKM) Losses to Lewis, and Krishan but a good win over Cavallaro, however it would be a surprise if he features.
Wahid (Waheed) Abderredha (Iraq) Losses to Lewis, Krishan and O’Reilly rule him out as a serious medal contender despite a good final qualifier, where he defeated several solid boxers.
Kamran Shakhsuvarly (Azerbaijan) Outclassed by O’Reilly at the O’Rqualifier holds a win over Achilov and beat Gonzales of Venezuela in Baku. Has lost to Assomo as well.
Michael O’Reilly (Ireland) After losses to Nolan and Quigley, finally beat Darren O’Neill to get the Irish spot. Losses to Fowler, Assomo, Krishan, Melikuziev and a robbery against Abdin disguise the talent that won Euro gold and World bronze. Lewis, Alimkhanuly, Jablonski, Wahid Abderrdha and Shakhsuvarly are among his conquests.
No outstanding fighter not qualified, the erratic Juratoni, Gonzales from Venezuela and Delgado from Ecuador might be the best of the APB/WSB lot if no good pros are entered.
Lopez is the clear and deserved favourite buy any of five of the chasing pack could strike gold, O’Reilly, Melikuziyev, Alimkhanuly, Assomo or perhaps Fowler.In the top ten below I have Mytrofanov at ten but any of Minggang, Conwell, Ntsengue, Lewis or Jablonski could have that place.
1-Lopez
2-Melikuziyev
3-Alimkhanuly
4-O’Reilly
5-Assomo
6-Fowler
7-Chebotarev
8-Krishan
9-Harcsa
10-Mytrofanov

[DaveyMac]

DIdn't Lopez lose to Normatov in WSB?

Charles Conwell is the dark horse!

[donnellon]

"Arlen López (CUB) The man at the weight. World Champion and unbeated since 2014 when Alimkhanuly beat him. Beat Vivas, Delgado, Rodriguez, Abbadi, Harnouf, Minggang, Abdin and Melikuziyev. Chebotarev did beat him in the WSB back in 2014 and Nursultanov from Kazhistan in 2015 also WSB."
Interesting about Conwell, he could be anything and he is only about 18? Is he good enough to win it out?

[DaveyMac]

Normatov beat Lopez also in feb of 2015. Normatov just had his pro debut btw. Lopez has three WSB losses.

I think Conwell can do anything he wants. As an open elite fighter he's 24-1 in national, international and WSB fights, before he graduated high school! Which he only did three weeks ago. His only loss is a split decision to LeShawn Rodriguez at an Olympic Qualifier over a year ago now. Rodriguez had been on Team USA more than once and a lot of people thought was the favorite for USA at 165. Eventually Conwell beat him twice at the trials.
He gets better every day, are there enough days between now and August 6th for him to catch up with guys five and ten years older than him? I don't know. But he's something else for certain and could very well surprise.

I think this field is more wide open than it may look at first glance. Fowler is very tough. Krisham could easily win IMO. I've never seen the Kazak but if he beat Nursalatanov he has to be a contender. The Mexican kid that Conwell beat for Continental Gold is the highest volume puncher I've ever seen at this weight and I'd think that has to give him some kind of chance. Lot of good guys at 165 should be very interesting.

[donnellon]

The Kaz, O'Reilly and the Uzbek are practicable inseparable on form, it will go down to who's up for it on the day-and the judges.