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Friday, September 22, 2000
Stunner: Viloria out SYDNEY, Australia -- He was one of the 'Golden Boys.' Painted as such by Sports Illustrated and the rest of the media.
'Hawaiian Punch' sees
gold-medal hopes dashed
by French boxerOn TV Star-Bulletin wire services
He was a heavy favorite in the 106-pound weight class. But now Brian Viloria of Waipahu is on the sidelines, having lost his bout today to his French opponent.
Viloria, the world 106-pound champion, was outpointed 6-4 by Brahim Aslouf of France, one of two U.S. boxers eliminated today.
David Jackson of Seattle was also eliminated when he weighed in 3 pounds over the lightweight limit of 132 pounds.
U.S. middleweight Jeff Lacy powered into the Olympic boxing quarterfinals, outpointing Pawel Kakietek of Poland 21-7 at 165 pounds.
The 19-year-old Viloria's loss was tough for the U.S. team, which was left with three boxers in the quarterfinals and six others still in the competition, two who were yet to compete. Only one of 12 Cuban boxers has been eliminated. Five Cubans are in the quarterfinals.
"Hopefully I can get back on my feet," Viloria said. "I'll probably turn pro now."
The difference in the outcome was three scoring right uppercuts by Aslouf, who nearly defeated Viloria in the world championships quarterfinals last year. Viloria landed at least a dozen solid body shots.
"I don't think I got enough credit for the body shots," Viloria said. He didn't get any -- not a single point.
"Body shots have been counting," said Tom Mustin, head coach of the U.S. team. "I thought he threw some great body shots, but for some reason they didn't count."
The two boxers demonstrated sound defense, blocking most of the numerous blows they threw at one another.
Before his fight, the 23-year-old Lacy got a visit from four-time heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield.
"I let him know the way to win is to outwork the guy," said Holyfield, a four-time heavyweight champion, who was a bronze medalist at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. "You should never take for granted being ahead."
Lacy went ahead to stay with a barrage of five scoring punches that broke a 2-2 tie late in the first round.
"It's going to be very hard to beat a Jeff Lacy," said Lacy, who will box Gaidarbek Gaidarbekov of Russia on Tuesday.
Jackson was to have boxed Selim Palyani of Turkey.
"We were really hoping that he would be able to maintain his weight throughout the tournament and obviously we are really disappointed," Mustin said.
Jackson, the U.S. champion at 132 pounds in 1997, didn't box in 1998-99, and he weighed 174 pounds as late as last October.
He was down to 139 when he got a silver medal at the U.S. championships in January.
The 139-pound U.S. boxer is Ricardo Williams Jr. of Cincinnati.
World 132-pound champion Mario Kindelan of Cuba outpointed Phongsit Wiangviset of Thailand 14-8 and advanced to the quarterfinals. His teammate Mairko Romero, the 1996 Olympic champion at 112 pounds, advanced to the 106-pound quarterfinals.
Also winning for Cuba was Jorge Gutierrez, who beat Antonnios Giannoulas of Greece at 165 pounds.
In one of the best action fights of the tournament, 30-year-old Rafael Lozano of Spain, boxing in his third Olympics, beat Danilo Lerio of the Philippines 17-15 in a second-round bout at 106 pounds in the afternoon.
Lozano won a controversial decision over world champion Eric Griffin of Houston at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. He won a bronze medal in 1996.
OTHER SPORTS
In other results today for Olympians with Hawaii ties:
Former University of Hawaii basketball player Tania Brunton scored 4 points and had one assist in 24 minutes of play in New Zealand's 93-42 loss to the U.S.
The U.S. assistant coach is former Hawaii resident Jeri Estes.
Hawaii's Olympians
Competing today:
When to watch
Today
10 a.m.-noon, 4-9 p.m., 9:35-11:05 p.m.
7 a.m.-2 p.m. (repeats 9 p.m.-4 a.m.)
2 -6 p.m.
Sydney 2000 Olympics