Then he dropped it, with a flurry of punches from Robeisy Ramirez in the final seconds of the final round persuading two of the three judges to give the round to the Cuban by a point, resulting in a split-decision victory that cost the US its first men’s boxing gold in 12 years.
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During his live interview on NBC right after he left the ring following his loss to Cuba’s brilliant Robeisy Ramirez – who won his second gold medal in a row following his 2012 flyweight championship at the 2012 London Olympics – Stevenson broke down.
Geno Auriemma and Diana Taurasi shared a long, emotional embrace.
The 2012 flyweight gold medallist beat 19-year-old Shakur Stevenson, the bright prospect on the USA men’s team who had reached the final after a semi-final walkover, on a split decision.
En route to the silver medal, Stevenson beat Brazil’s Robenilson de Jesus by unanimous decision in Sunday’s round of 16.
Ramirez celebrated victory with a backflip that drew more cheers from the 9,000-seat arena. And perhaps, he said, he could have a rematch with Ramirez. “It was hard to fight against him”.
Karch Kiralys top-ranked USA womens volleyball team earned an Olympic bronze medal yesterday, hardly the colour the Americans planned for when they came to Brazil chasing the programmes first gold in history.
Ramirez used his jab effectively, counter-punched well against a skilled counter-puncher and was the more active puncher overall throughout the three-round, 123-pound bout.
Stevenson was distraught after the first loss of his global career.
Floyd Mayweather has been in attendance to watch the prized fighter that Mayweather hopes to represent when Stevenson goes professional. In the end he won, 29-28, 30-27, 29-28.
“It was a close fight, I felt Robeisy won”. “I look at it as a loss”. I feel like a let a lot of people down.
Ramirez was aggressive in the third round, particularly in the final minute. Two judges saw Ramirez winning, 29-28. He showed no signs of fatigue despite fighting four times to reach the final compared to only two for Stevenson, who had a first-round bye and a walkover in the semi-final when Russia’s Vladimir Nikitin couldn’t pass his medical check.
The victory capped a cycle of redemption for Ramirez, who was kicked off the Cuban national team in 2014 for repeatedly neglecting his training.
“I’m hurt”, he said through tears. “My family, my wife, my friends”.
“I didn’t hear anything they said”, he said. When I had to take a year off, that gave me time to mature and think about what I wanted to do. Ramirez had his hand raised, while Stevenson pulled his shirt over his head. With Mayweather’s powerful backing, Stevenson will likely appear on some major cards as he builds up experience as a pro.
Stevenson later said that he didn’t recall anything anyone had said to him. “He had a better third round”.
“We thought he was a pro because he was boxing another up-and- coming top fighter, and he looked unbelievable”.
The gold medal bout crystallized this sentiment in a way that was simultaneously revealing, frustrating and impressive.
Adams completed her comfortable run through the flyweight bracket with another exhibition of her skill. “There’s definitely an air of fulfillment”. “I love you. You boxed your heart out”.
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Afterward, the 19-year-old openly sobbed at the missed opportunity.
