2008 Olympic Games page

It was a day of heavyweight action on Wednesday at the Olympic Games boxing competition with the 91kg and +91kg making their first appearances in the Workers' Indoor Arena in Beijing, China while Chinese 48kg superstar Zou Shiming made a winning start.

With Cuban Heavyweight legend Teofilo Stevenson and American basketball stars Kobe Bryant, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul cheering in the evening session, AIBA World Championships Chicago 2007 silver medallist Vyacheslav Glazkov (UKR) kicked off proceedings by defeating Stevenson's compatriot Robert Alfonso Acea 7:5 in the +91 category.

Pic: Alfonso Acea (in blue) looked to not throw enough scoring punches

Alfonso Acea's coach Pedro Roque blamed the defeat on inexperience. "It's not that he didn't fight well," he said. "He just fought someone with much more experience than him. I am very proud of him. He is actually one Olympic cycle ahead so he will better prepared for the next Olympic Games."

In other action, Super Heavyweight world champion Roberto Cammerelle (ITA) outclassed Marko Tomasovic (CRO) 13:1 while the Heavyweight world champion Clemente Russo (ITA) comfortably beat Viktar Zuyeu (BLR) 7:1.

Earlier in the day, two-time 48kg world champion and Athens bronze medallist Zou started his march to gold successfully, much to the delight of the vocal local crowd, orchestrating a well worked 11:2 victory over Venezuela's Eduard Bermudez Salas - keeping Salas scoreless until the final round in the process.

"I was a little bit nervous before the bout but when I got into the ring, I heard all the spectators cheering for me and then I forgot about the pressure," Zou said. "I really love this feeling, I felt like a man in the ring."

Pic: AIBA President Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu with Olympic boxing legend Teofilo Stevenson
 
In other key results in the 48kg class, AIBA World Championships Chicago 2007 silver medallist Harry Tanamor, the Philippines only boxing representative at the Games, lost to Manyo Plange (GHA) 6:3 while the two AIBA World Championships Chicago 2007 bronze medallists Nordine Oubaali (FRA) and Amnat Ruenroeng (THA) beat Rafikjon Sultonov (UZB) 8:7 and Jack Willie (PNG) 14:2 respectively.

In the 91kg class, AIBA World Championships Chicago 2007 bronze medallist John M'Bumba beat Blanco Julio (COL) 11:5 while silver medallist Rakhim Chakhkiev (RUS) beat Ali Mazaheri (IRI) 7:3.

The Olympic Games boxing competition continues on Thursday with the 64kg, 69kg and 81kg divisions starting at 13:30.