Fourth-Place Medal, a Yahoo! Sports blog covering the Summer Olympics in Beijing

Fourth-Place Medal

Mon Aug 25, 2008 1:49 am EDT

The Medal Stand After Dark: What happened to U.S.A. Boxing?

By Nick Friedell

A few links to get you through the night ...

Meet Deontay Wilder. He was the only member of the U.S.A. Boxing team to win a medal at the Beijing Games, earning a bronze in the heavyweight division. Considering the Americans used to dominate Olympic boxing, that stat seems unbelievable. As Joe Posnanski points out, the talent on the U.S. Boxing team has been eroding for a long time, since 1988 the team has earned just three gold medals. Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield believes the lack of success stems from an obsession with money, either way the program has a lot to fix in the next four years. [KC Star]

After a brief hiatus, the smog is already back in Beijing. [LA Times]

A journalist attempts to find out more about the protests or lack thereof in China. [Boston Globe]

It's official: the Beijing Games were the most watched event in U.S. history. [Cinema Blend]

The Chinese were finally able to loosen up a little bit at the Closing Ceremony according to Bill Plaschke. [LA Times]

Photos via Getty Images

digg delicious
more

22 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. Diehard Cat
    1. Posted by Diehard Cat Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:48 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Simple, the world has changed so much but only americvnts don't realize it because they are brainwashed by americvnt corporate media. They're still living in the past, or like ostriches bury their heads in the sand.
  2. Diehard Cat
    2. Posted by Diehard Cat Thu Sep 03, 2009 6:48 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Zippo,
    You're the ostrich I'm talking about. Americvnts got b!tch-slapped really good in Pride FC, so they have to buy it to close it down because it made americvnts look bad.
  3. Tommy fan since 1974
    3. Posted by Tommy fan since 1974 Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:37 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    "It's official: the Beijing Games were the most watched event in U.S. history."
    Not by me.
    "What happened to American boxing?"
    Third world judging.
  4. OhioBob
    4. Posted by OhioBob Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:51 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    What would be interesting is a ranking of counties in terms of their "pure amateurism" or is this factor no longer relevant or a realistic expression of today's athlete?
  5. KAO
    5. Posted by KAO Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:46 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Yup it's due to greed, abuse of prescription medication, video games and 100+ channels of HDTV, and other current waves of the future. It's just a matter of time before the rest of the world succumbs to these most recent 'Opium' like crazes as well. Better to be brainwashed by 'american corporate' media than the centralized spiritless phony emotionalism and mechanizations of 'communist' or 'religious' law. If there are heads buried in sand here it's because it was an individual's choice, not by some government's enforcement.
  6. jonah_m_h
    6. Posted by jonah_m_h Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:40 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Boxing is not the only sport that the US has lost its glory. The US campaign in the Beijing Olympics ended in a dismal and humiliating note.
    US has lost in this Olympics as evidenced by its gold medal tally. Zippo and the rest of you blind pro-American fans should take note: US dominance in the Olympics is history.
  7. KAO
    7. Posted by KAO Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:46 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    ...and then there are the haters, pro nothing, believe in nothing but hate, Total medal Count speaks for itself in spite of competing against Billions systematically assigned to slave traning camps. Best of luck there.
  8. Brian B
    8. Posted by Brian B Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:14 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    america still won the medal count
  9. bob
    9. Posted by bob Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:30 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    china's boxers must be underaged too since they won two golds, right?
  10. funfundonkey
    10. Posted by funfundonkey Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:04 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Congrats to the medal winners although I have a problem with synchro diving, synchro swimming, ping pong and trampoline! Who cares! And how many different ways can someone win in boating? with coxswain, and dingy? And to all the America bashers:
    People still want to come here in droves. Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses....
    and we'll kick your a## in the Olympics...
  11. Asleep until further notice
    11. Posted by Asleep until further notice Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:49 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Mixed martial arts. That's what happened to USA boxing.
  12. willie v
    12. Posted by willie v Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:47 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    It stems from the fact that boxing is dead. Not to mention the asinine scoring system. Who in their right mind wants to watch that. NBC absolutely sucks for showing that much garbage.
  13. Mark v
    13. Posted by Mark v Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:08 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Olympic boxing isn't real boxing. The scoring is ridiculous. American's are still at or near the top in professional boxing and that's all I care about. There is no technique used at all in Olympic boxing. It is one of the ugliest sports I've ever watched. If they ever change the scoring to regular boxing rules then the US will be closer to the top. I don't see any Americans training to box Olympic style. It does not always translate into professional success.
    Olympic boxing is a joke and should be changed or dropped from the Olympics.
  14. Dan the TEA Man
    14. Posted by Dan the TEA Man Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:34 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Boxing is dead, and Don King and his ilk have their fingerprints all over the gun. Boxers in America have long been exploited by the King monopoly to such an extent that noone cares to watch anymore. And it didn't help that the judging was so inept. How many times did you see fighters land one clean punch after another but get no credit for it?
  15. Edwin
    15. Posted by Edwin Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:51 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Our team sucked. To many show boaters and not enough fighters.
  16. granny
    16. Posted by granny Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:21 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    it was not the boxers on the U S A team that looked bad it was the crazy judging that was all wrong, our boys worked long and hard seems like they had to be cheated to be defeated
  17. blkwdow
    17. Posted by blkwdow Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Want to know what happened to American Olympic Boxing - ROY JONES JR. After he was so obviously robbed by the judges who would want to go into a sport where judges admit to giving incorrect scores and decisions. For any one who does not believe me watch the fight. It was very one sided. His opponent even acknowledged he lost and Jones was robbed. One judge admitted he did not score the fight right and it was found that two other judges where influenced by the host country. Yes all the bad calls in amateur and pro fights could make you sick. I am a huge boxing fan and believe me the fighters of years back had it right fight until one of you can not fight anymore! That is the only way you know who truly won.
  18. bigboo's bro
    18. Posted by bigboo's bro Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    USA Boxing has got serious problems at all levels. When you go into the Olympics with a top fighter who can't make weight, and then you have another fighter who doesn't listen to his corner, it means the time for a drastic change is now. The current leadership has shown they cannot lead. The current fighters have shown they will not follow. While fighting for slots should have top priority in selecting a team, there should be discretion to remove fighters who don't respect the organization and the privilege they are seeking.
  19. Soi Maccho
    19. Posted by Soi Maccho Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:43 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Olympic judging is unreliable..I saw too many bouts where fighters were not given credit for their punches and it cost them the match. Also, most boxers at the game were mediocre. A lot of bouncing around, throwing a few soft punches, a wild haymaker then grabbing the other guy. Maybe the fighters are coached to perform this way in the Olympics. There will never be an Olympic games without a political agenda in the background. So, the only sure way to win in the Olympics is to knock out your opponent.
  20. Dr.Bill/Wife
    20. Posted by Dr.Bill/Wife Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:03 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    My Wife and I were avid boxing fans. We grew up and were spoiled by an era of great, well conditioned pugilists. Roberto Duran, "Marvelous" Marvin Hagler Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, hell we even had a couple of white Heavy Weights which could fight; Jerry Quarry..Randall "Tex Cobb". But after a number of "questionable" decisions(Hearns, Hagler vs Leonard stand out) and the decline of talent and the lack of sportsmanship(Mike "The Vampire" Tyson") our enthusiasm for the sport all but died. Then came Mixed Martial Arts, the UFC in particular. Intelligent, well conditioned, fighters; repleat with good sportsmanship and well spoken. Lots of action, no hometown decisions, plenty of talent..what's not to like? We'd love to see MMA become an Olympic Sport!
  21. jacob d
    21. Posted by jacob d Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:27 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    my god chris chase are you still in undergrad school? nonsense article
  22. CasualObserver
    22. Posted by CasualObserver Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:35 pm EDT

    Report Abuse

    Show me someone who cares? It was tossed off to CNBC in the afternoons for a reason.

Fourth-Place Medal

Add to My Yahoo! RSS

The Vancouver Bloggers

Fourth-Place Medal is edited by the contributors linked below. Please send them tips and such.

Contributors:
Chris Chase, Maggie Hendricks,

Y! Sports Blogs

Yahoo! Sports Blog Recent Readers

(provided by MyBlogLog)

YAHOO! SPORTS

ALSO ON YAHOO!

THINGS YOU CAN DO

Olympic, Olympiad, the Olympic rings, Faster Higher Stronger, Citius Altius Fortius, Beijing 2008 and related marks are owned by the International Olympics Committee, the Chinese Olympic Committee, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, or their related entities. This site and this service are neither endorsed by nor affiliated with any of these entities.

- Site Map