"It's a disappointing start for USA Boxing, which always seems to have be filled with its share of turmoil."
- Teddy Atlas (NBC boxing analyst)
Medal contending American bantamweight Gary Russell Jr. will miss the Olympics after collapsing Thursday night while trying to make weight.
At Friday morning's Olympic Boxing weigh-in, Russell was disqualified from the boxing tournament for being one pound over the 119-pound bantamweight limit . Russell, 20, from Capitol Heights, MD, was expected to make his Olympic debut on Tuesday, August 12 in the preliminary rounds of the bantamweight class.
U.S. coach Dan Campbell said Russell, a two-time national champion, was found unconscious and severely dehydrated early Friday morning by his roommate, light flyweight Luis Yanez.Medical personnel at the athletes' village rehydrated Russell, but he wasn't healthy enough to participate in Friday's weigh-in. Russell was resting Friday after failing in a dangerous final effort to reach the limit.
The team must move on without Russell, perhaps its most charismatic and exciting fighter. Ever since he was a 2-year-old prodigy putting on shadowboxing shows at fight clubs in Washington D.C., Russell has dreamed of wearing an Olympic medal even more than a pro career.
The last USA boxer who was disqualified after not making weight was David Jackson in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
At Friday morning's Olympic Boxing weigh-in, Russell was disqualified from the boxing tournament for being one pound over the 119-pound bantamweight limit . Russell, 20, from Capitol Heights, MD, was expected to make his Olympic debut on Tuesday, August 12 in the preliminary rounds of the bantamweight class.
U.S. coach Dan Campbell said Russell, a two-time national champion, was found unconscious and severely dehydrated early Friday morning by his roommate, light flyweight Luis Yanez.Medical personnel at the athletes' village rehydrated Russell, but he wasn't healthy enough to participate in Friday's weigh-in. Russell was resting Friday after failing in a dangerous final effort to reach the limit.
The team must move on without Russell, perhaps its most charismatic and exciting fighter. Ever since he was a 2-year-old prodigy putting on shadowboxing shows at fight clubs in Washington D.C., Russell has dreamed of wearing an Olympic medal even more than a pro career.
The last USA boxer who was disqualified after not making weight was David Jackson in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
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