The United States has won more Olympic boxing medals (108) than any other nation ... but took home just one Gold in 2004 and none in 2000. The 2008 team is led by flyweight Rau'shee Warren and welterweight Demetrius Andrade. Both Warren and Andrade are reigning amateur world champions and legitimate Gold medal hopefuls. Warren, 21, is the first American boxer to compete in two Olympics in the last 32 years. As a 17-year-old in the 2004 Olympics, he lost in the first round to eventual bronze medal winner Zou Shiming of China.
Cuba has dominated boxing in recent Olympic Games, winning five of 11 Gold medals at the 2004 Games in Athens (and medaling in three other weight divisions as well). This dominance has been due, in large part, to the fact that Cuban boxers don't have the option of turning pro so they become, in effect, professional amateurs. This year, however, Cuba returns none of its five Gold medalists from the 2004 Games. Two-time gold medalist Mario Kindelan retired. Yan Barthelemy, Yuriorkis Gamboa and Odlanier Solis defected in December 2006. Guillermo Rigondeaux was caught while attempting to defect and dropped from the Olympic team. As a result, Cuba heads to the Olympics with its least experienced team in many years.
Nevertheless, even in a rebuilding year, Cuba can be expected to bring a formidable team to the Games and will undoubtedly go home with some medals (if not every member of its team).
Russia stands as the other undisputed superpower of amateur boxing, winning five medals in 2004 and leading the way with seven medals in 2000. This year's team combines experienced amateurs with dynamic young talent and will contend for medals in virtually every weight division.
Thailand, Kazakhstan and Egypt - each of which claimed three medals in Athens - are also likely to field very competitive teams and compete with the United States, Cuba and Russia for medal supremacy.
China, the host country, has one strong Gold medal hopeful in the aforementioned Zou Shiming, a bronze medalist at light flyweight in 2004.
- Everything You Want to Know About Olympic Boxing
- 2008 U.S. Olympic Boxing Team
- Past Olympic Boxing Gold Medal Winners
- 2008 Olympic Boxing Schedule
