Pro Prospects of 2008 U.S. Olympic Boxers
The 2008 Beijing Olympics were a bitter disappointment for American boxing fans. Trouble started when the United States team failed to qualify boxers in two of the weight classes: light heavyweight and super heavyweight. Things went from bad to worse during the actual competition as the team could manage just one bronze medal. It was the worst performance by a U.S. team in history and forced the resignation of the head of the boxing team.
It was clear from the end of the Olympics that this team would not match up with some of the legendary U.S. Olympic boxing teams of the past in terms of immediately creating top professional talent. The 1976 team was responsible for legendary fighters such as Sugar Ray Leonard and brothers Michael and Leon Spinks. The 1984 U.S. Olympic team also produced many top champions who would rule boxing in the 1980s and 1990s including Evander Holyfield, Pernell Whitaker, Meldrick Taylor and Virgil Hill.
As a collective unit, it’s doubtful that the members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic boxing team will come close to matching the achievements of the 1976 or 1984 squads. However, that isn’t to say that there might not be some individual stars within the class. Here are some of the most recent American Olympians who have turned professional and a look at their prospects moving forward.
Deontay Wilder (11-0, 11 KOs): The Alabama native was the only success story for the Americans at the 2008 Summer Olympics, earning a bronze medal in the heavyweight division. That also earned him the nickname “The Bronze Bomber” and increased expectations coming out of the gate. So far, Wilder has delivered, running up a perfect record while ending eight of his first 10 bouts within the first three minutes. Despite the fact that the heavyweight division is desperate for young, talented Americans, Wilder’s management team is slowly building him up by working him against less-than-stellar talent.
Shawn Estrada (6-0, 6 KOs): The middleweight from Los Angeles has seen his promising career be plagued with numerous injury setbacks since turning pro in 2008. He had recurring back injuries which forced him to back out of a bout on the undercard of the Vitali Klitschko vs. Chris Arreola fight in September 2009 and then ruptured a tendon in his hand in November 2009 while training for his next bout. Subsequent surgery and rehab have kept him out of the ring since then, although he hopes to return to the ring by the end of this year.
Demetrius Andrade (9-0, 7 KOs): Other than Wilder, Andrare came closest to medalling for the United States, as he was stopped in the quarterfinals of the welterweight tournament in a close fight against South Korean Kim Jung-Joo. He turned professional two months after the Olympics, stopping Patrick Cape in the second round of his pro debut. He has fought the highest calibre of opposition of any of the 2008 U.S. Olympians, earning victories over prospects like Tony Hirsch and Chris Chatman.
Gary Russell Jr. (10-0, 7 KOs): In terms of Americans boxers at the 2008 Summer Olympics, there were no hard-luck stories more devastating than Russell Jr. The bantamweight came into the bout as a two-time national champion and a top contender for an Olympic medal. However, his tournament would end before it would begin, as he collapsed in his dorm room ahead of the weigh-in, possibly suffering from dehydration. Russell turned pro at the beginning of last year and has a perfect record, most recently stopping Rodrigo Aranda in the second round of a featherweight bout in Los Angeles on June 24.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics were a bitter disappointment for American boxing fans. Trouble started when the United States team failed to qualify boxers in two of the weight classes: light heavyweight and super heavyweight. Things went from bad to worse during the actual competition as the team could manage just one bronze medal. It was the worst performance by a U.S. team in history and forced the resignation of the head of the boxing team.
It was clear from the end of the Olympics that this team would not match up with some of the legendary U.S. Olympic boxing teams of the past in terms of immediately creating top professional talent. The 1976 team was responsible for legendary fighters such as Sugar Ray Leonard and brothers Michael and Leon Spinks. The 1984 U.S. Olympic team also produced many top champions who would rule boxing in the 1980s and 1990s including Evander Holyfield, Pernell Whitaker, Meldrick Taylor and Virgil Hill.
As a collective unit, it’s doubtful that the members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic boxing team will come close to matching the achievements of the 1976 or 1984 squads. However, that isn’t to say that there might not be some individual stars within the class. Here are some of the most recent American Olympians who have turned professional and a look at their prospects moving forward.
Deontay Wilder (10-0, 10 KOs): The Alabama native was the only success story for the Americans at the 2008 Summer Olympics, earning a bronze medal in the heavyweight division. That also earned him the nickname “The Bronze Bomber” and increased expectations coming out of the gate. So far, Wilder has delivered, running up a perfect record while ending eight of his first 10 bouts within the first three minutes. Despite the fact that the heavyweight division is desperate for young, talented Americans, Wilder’s management team is slowly building him up by working him against less-than-stellar talent.
Shawn Estrada (6-0, 6 KOs): The middleweight from Los Angeles has seen his promising career be plagued with numerous injury setbacks since turning pro in 2008. He had recurring back injuries which forced him to back out of a bout on the undercard of the Vitali Klitschko vs. Chris Arreola fight in September 2009 and then ruptured a tendon in his hand in November 2009 while training for his next bout. Subsequent surgery and rehab have kept him out of the ring since then, although he hopes to return to the ring by the end of this year.
Demetrius Andrade (10-0, 7 KOs): Other than Wilder, Andrare came closest to medalling for the United States, as he was stopped in the quarterfinals of the welterweight tournament in a close fight against South Korean Kim Jung-Joo. He turned professional two months after the Olympics, stopping Patrick Cape in the second round of his pro debut. He has fought the highest calibre of opposition of any of the 2008 U.S. Olympians, earning victories over prospects like Tony Hirsch and Chris Chatman.
Gary Russell Jr. (10-0, 7 KOs): In terms of Americans boxers at the 2008 Summer Olympics, there were no hard-luck stories more devastating than Russell Jr. The bantamweight came into the bout as a two-time national champion and a top contender for an Olympic medal. However, his tournament would end before it would begin, as he collapsed in his dorm room ahead of the weigh-in, possibly suffering from dehydration. Russell turned pro at the beginning of last year and has a perfect record, most recently stopping Rodrigo Aranda in the second round of a featherweight bout in Los Angeles on June 24.
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