Juan Carlos Payano of the Dominican Republic dusted off two-time Olympic flyweight medalist Jerome Thomas yesterday, before bantamweight Gu Yu extended China’s impressive first-round success with a victory that left Joe Murray of Britain crying foul over the judges’ decisions.
World champion flyweight Rau’shee Warren of the US was upset 9-8 by 2005 world champion Lee Ok-sung of South Korea, a stunning end to a four-year wait for the first two-time US boxing Olympian in 30 years.
Payano secured a big Chinese flag to the back of his robe like a red cape. The stunt thrilled the crowd during his walk to the ring, but the 23-year-old Dominican had more than the fans’ support behind him at Workers’ Gymnasium as he won 10-6. He was quicker and flashier than his seasoned French opponent, who won a silver medal in Athens, a bronze in Sydney and a world championship in 2001.
Murray, the bantamweight on the resurgent British team, left the ring incensed after falling behind early against Gu, the fifth member of China’s relatively inexperienced team to win an opening-round bout. Murray won a three-point decision over Gu in the quarter-finals of last year’s world championships in Chicago, where Murray went on to win bronze.
“I knew they were going to give him everything he wanted,” Murray said of his 17-7 defeat. “I’ve been watching the scoring here the first four days, and I knew it was bad, so I was expecting it.”
Gu also had a winning strategy, repeatedly getting inside on Murray before the British fighter’s superior reach could hurt him.
Neither fighter landed many clear blows, and US referee James McNally penalized both fighters two points apiece for holding in the second round.
British coach Terry Edwards felt Murray lost the bout, but echoed Murray’s belief that Gu got far ahead more quickly than he deserved.
“I thought they were very generous to the Chinese,” Murray said. “You expect a slight bias [for the home team], but you come to the Olympic Games and expect a level playing field. Joe didn’t box the best I’ve seen him, but the scoring makes a difference, and the tactics had to be changed because of the scoring. Everything the Chinese guy touched, they pressed the button for him.”
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