WHO ARE THE FAVORITES FOR THE OLYMPIC TEAM NOW
WHO ARE THE FAVORITES FOR THE OLYMPIC TEAM NOW
a lot of the weight classes look very stacked. is there any suprises we should look out for??
Mel - would you even dare to guess who will make it to the Olympic Trials?
Except for the Nat'l PAL and Armed Services Champs, I think it would be difficult to select 8 boxers who will make the quarter-finals at the US Championships. There are still some very good boxers who have yet to qualify for the US Championships and some of them will be at the 3 remaining qualifiers.
Except for the Nat'l PAL and Armed Services Champs, I think it would be difficult to select 8 boxers who will make the quarter-finals at the US Championships. There are still some very good boxers who have yet to qualify for the US Championships and some of them will be at the 3 remaining qualifiers.
Last edited by Dennis on 07 May 2007, 17:10, edited 1 time in total.
To add to what Mel said - the Trials winners along with all the regional winners (plus the 4 military branch winners, NMU team and the at-large boxers) will compete for 5 quarter-finals spots. The other 3 quarter-final spots are awarded to the Nat'l PAL, Nat'l GG and Armed Services champion/representative in each weight class.
Sigh. Way too many boxers to try and name them all. BTW, Golden Gloves winners also automatically advance to the U.S. Championships quarterfinals.Mel - would you even dare to guess who will make it to the Olympic Trials? Except for the Nat'l PAL and Armed Services Champs,
Two out of the 8 are already selected (3rd will be determined at the National GG). It would still be difficult to try and pick 5 or 6 from the Championships, especially since all the qualifiers aren't completed.I think it would be difficult to select 8 boxers who will make the quarter-finals at the US Championships.
Rau'shee might be considered a shoo-in but, in my eyes, only because of his speed (he does slap a lot). Doesn't mean he'll do well at the Olympic qualifiers or Games. Will be interesting to see how he does at the Worlds, providing he wins the U.S. Championships. Will also be interesting to see how Gary Russell, Jr. does through the qualifying process.
The biggest drawback for most of our boxers is their lack of international experience. Being the best in the U.S. doesn't quarantee them a World or Olympic medal.
Those 9 guys are all capable of making the U.S. Olympic team. However, I would guess that only 3 or 4 will make the team and possibly only 1 or 2. There are too many intangibles that come into play. Many U.S. Olympic boxers had at least one bout during the qualifying process that was very close and could have gone either way.
I saw it live and he should be H'd. He was knocked flat on his back didn't get up until after the 8 count then his legs betrayed him and he fell back down in his corner.boxmel wrote:I was looking at those names that have the most international experience; Shawn and Andrade were not among that group.
Re Willis - USAB web site does not show he was stopped on an RSCH - says RSC???
After the GG tournament and various other qualifiers, I'm feeling like things are firming a bit. Here are my totally unqualified impressions (results based only since I haven't really seen any of these guys).
106 - Yanez is clearly the guy. He hasn't yet had a lot of success internationally as far as I can tell, but given his age I have hopes he can medal in China with the right draw.
112 - Obviously Warren having outclassed Qa'id Muhammad at the PAL Championships. Perhaps Alafa has settled at #2, but there is no reason to think he can come close to Warren. Rau'Shee also looks like the best chance for gold in China, with a beatable international field.
119 - Nothing at GG made me think that Gary Russell Jr still won't take this weight. Marroquin may be closing the gap a little and Jorge Diaz gave him a close fight at the PALs, but Russell still looks like the best bet to me.
125 - Still looks wide open to me. Luis Del Valle keeps getting beat, and I wonder if he's plateaued. Selfishly, I'd like to see a new talent beat him out because Del Valle also hasn't done that well internationally, losing to Abner Cotto in a Pan Am Qualifier and getting swept in the World Cup in Baku. Rico Ramos has had a pretty good string of results, but Hylon Williams is coming on strong and might be able to time it right to steal the spot.
132 - Sadam Ali had a good run at the GG's, but I don't see any reason to not think Terrence Crawford still has the lead here, given his wins over Magdaleno at the PALs and in the Pan Am Box-offs. I'm also encouraged by Crawford's fairly solid loss in Pan Am quallies against Yordanis Ugis of Cuba. There are a buch of dark horses at 132 though, so Crawford will have to be at his best.
141 - Strikes me as one of the most unsettled divisions. Dargan has been the putative favorite, but he and Hector Ramos haven't shown much consistency or done anything internationally. Michael Dallas won the PALs in an upset and Brad Solomon is the three-time GG champ, but neither has the experience or track record. Wide open, and likely an early Olympics loss.
152 - Demetrius Andrade is a best bet for the team and an Olympic medal, along with Yanez and Warren (and maybe Russell). The only banana peel I can see might be Keith Thurman, who is even younger than Andrade and only lost 11-7 to him in the Pan Am boxoffs. Good shape for the US to have two such talented 18-19 year olds at this weight class.
165 - Danny Jacobs was a buzzsaw at the PALs and Shawn Porter came into his own a bit by beating Estrada at the box-offs and winning the GGs. Porter being so short worries me, that his style will not succeed at the high international level. He did win over the Ukraine in a dual meet, but was beaten fairly easily by a Venezuelan at the Pan Am Q's and also lost to Fernando Guerrero at the Midwestern Trials. He seems too inconsistent, so I'd like to see Jacobs come through. Edwin Rodriguez doesn't seem to be able to get over the hump.
178 - The GG's didn't tell me much, except I guess to put Shabazz above Crane above Garza above Rosinsky. But it still looks like it will come down to Downs or Riley. Downs has the advantage at the moment, given his win over Riley in the Pan Am boxoffs, but he was beaten fairly badly by a Puerto Rican in the qualifiers, so this does not look like a likely strong weight for the Olympics.
201 - Still looking for an identity. Willett is still the leader I guess, but he was completely erased by the Cuban at the Pan-Am qualifiers and got swept at the World Cup in Baku. For me, Willett doesn't show a lot of international potential, and I would like to see one of the young up and comers surpass him - to get the international experience if nothing else. Shimmell might be #2 at this point, and even Wilder, Thomas, and maybe Dorsett Barnwell have a shot if they can improve greatly over the next year. Its a shame Eric Fields went pro (and hasn't done much so far), because I think he would have had a shot. This weight certainly looks unlikely to have any success at the Olympics.
201+ - Mike Hunter or Mike Wilson? Hunter had some momentum, but lost to Jonte Willis in the Pan Am boxoffs and has only had moderate luck internationally. Wilson has been around a while but hasn't improved much to my view. Willis appears to be out of the picture. Nate James is maybe the wildcard, given his great size, but hasn't really accomplished all that much yet (and the 2007 GG field wasn't terribly strong). Maybe Felix Stewart or one of the other names can catch fire, or Hunter can make a step. Doesn't look likely to see a medal here either in China, unless someone gets a favorable draw against the small field.
106 - Yanez is clearly the guy. He hasn't yet had a lot of success internationally as far as I can tell, but given his age I have hopes he can medal in China with the right draw.
112 - Obviously Warren having outclassed Qa'id Muhammad at the PAL Championships. Perhaps Alafa has settled at #2, but there is no reason to think he can come close to Warren. Rau'Shee also looks like the best chance for gold in China, with a beatable international field.
119 - Nothing at GG made me think that Gary Russell Jr still won't take this weight. Marroquin may be closing the gap a little and Jorge Diaz gave him a close fight at the PALs, but Russell still looks like the best bet to me.
125 - Still looks wide open to me. Luis Del Valle keeps getting beat, and I wonder if he's plateaued. Selfishly, I'd like to see a new talent beat him out because Del Valle also hasn't done that well internationally, losing to Abner Cotto in a Pan Am Qualifier and getting swept in the World Cup in Baku. Rico Ramos has had a pretty good string of results, but Hylon Williams is coming on strong and might be able to time it right to steal the spot.
132 - Sadam Ali had a good run at the GG's, but I don't see any reason to not think Terrence Crawford still has the lead here, given his wins over Magdaleno at the PALs and in the Pan Am Box-offs. I'm also encouraged by Crawford's fairly solid loss in Pan Am quallies against Yordanis Ugis of Cuba. There are a buch of dark horses at 132 though, so Crawford will have to be at his best.
141 - Strikes me as one of the most unsettled divisions. Dargan has been the putative favorite, but he and Hector Ramos haven't shown much consistency or done anything internationally. Michael Dallas won the PALs in an upset and Brad Solomon is the three-time GG champ, but neither has the experience or track record. Wide open, and likely an early Olympics loss.
152 - Demetrius Andrade is a best bet for the team and an Olympic medal, along with Yanez and Warren (and maybe Russell). The only banana peel I can see might be Keith Thurman, who is even younger than Andrade and only lost 11-7 to him in the Pan Am boxoffs. Good shape for the US to have two such talented 18-19 year olds at this weight class.
165 - Danny Jacobs was a buzzsaw at the PALs and Shawn Porter came into his own a bit by beating Estrada at the box-offs and winning the GGs. Porter being so short worries me, that his style will not succeed at the high international level. He did win over the Ukraine in a dual meet, but was beaten fairly easily by a Venezuelan at the Pan Am Q's and also lost to Fernando Guerrero at the Midwestern Trials. He seems too inconsistent, so I'd like to see Jacobs come through. Edwin Rodriguez doesn't seem to be able to get over the hump.
178 - The GG's didn't tell me much, except I guess to put Shabazz above Crane above Garza above Rosinsky. But it still looks like it will come down to Downs or Riley. Downs has the advantage at the moment, given his win over Riley in the Pan Am boxoffs, but he was beaten fairly badly by a Puerto Rican in the qualifiers, so this does not look like a likely strong weight for the Olympics.
201 - Still looking for an identity. Willett is still the leader I guess, but he was completely erased by the Cuban at the Pan-Am qualifiers and got swept at the World Cup in Baku. For me, Willett doesn't show a lot of international potential, and I would like to see one of the young up and comers surpass him - to get the international experience if nothing else. Shimmell might be #2 at this point, and even Wilder, Thomas, and maybe Dorsett Barnwell have a shot if they can improve greatly over the next year. Its a shame Eric Fields went pro (and hasn't done much so far), because I think he would have had a shot. This weight certainly looks unlikely to have any success at the Olympics.
201+ - Mike Hunter or Mike Wilson? Hunter had some momentum, but lost to Jonte Willis in the Pan Am boxoffs and has only had moderate luck internationally. Wilson has been around a while but hasn't improved much to my view. Willis appears to be out of the picture. Nate James is maybe the wildcard, given his great size, but hasn't really accomplished all that much yet (and the 2007 GG field wasn't terribly strong). Maybe Felix Stewart or one of the other names can catch fire, or Hunter can make a step. Doesn't look likely to see a medal here either in China, unless someone gets a favorable draw against the small field.
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112 - Obviously Warren having outclassed Qa'id Muhammad at the PAL Championships. Perhaps Alafa has settled at #2, but there is no reason to think he can come close to Warren. Rau'Shee also looks like the best chance for gold in China, with a beatable international field.
119 - Nothing at GG made me think that Gary Russell Jr still won't take this weight. Marroquin may be closing the gap a little and Jorge Diaz gave him a close fight at the PALs, but Russell still looks like the best bet to me.
Regarding your predictions, I know Warren won the PAL @ 112 lbs. but he also won the trials @ 119 lbs. so, is he going @ 112 or 119? ( @ 112 he is favor, but @ 119 can be more challengin for him, lets wait and see.
112 - Obviously Warren having outclassed Qa'id Muhammad at the PAL Championships. Perhaps Alafa has settled at #2, but there is no reason to think he can come close to Warren. Rau'Shee also looks like the best chance for gold in China, with a beatable international field.
119 - Nothing at GG made me think that Gary Russell Jr still won't take this weight. Marroquin may be closing the gap a little and Jorge Diaz gave him a close fight at the PALs, but Russell still looks like the best bet to me.
Regarding your predictions, I know Warren won the PAL @ 112 lbs. but he also won the trials @ 119 lbs. so, is he going @ 112 or 119? ( @ 112 he is favor, but @ 119 can be more challengin for him, lets wait and see.