Martino seeks Olympic revival in new role as USA Boxing chief

The USA Boxing board of directors removed the interim tag Thursday from Mike Martino’s job as executive director. Now the heavy lifting begins.

Martino’s task as the permanent director? Get American male boxers winning medals again at the Olympics.

“It’s going to be a challenge, no question,” said the 59-year-old Martino, who lives in Reno and is an inspector for the Nevada Athletic Commission. “My responsibility is to make sure we get the best athletes and get them prepared the best way possible.”

At the Olympics next summer in Rio de Janeiro, it will be a new era for boxing. The International Boxing Association (AIBA) has made significant changes to the competition, including the use of professionals (anyone with 20 or fewer pro fights can qualify), no headgear, and a scoring system patterned after pro judging (10-point must system).

Martino, who will be in his position through the 2016 Olympics, said the mandate from the U.S. Olympic Committee is to get athletes on the podium. The USOC is working with USA Boxing to secure sponsorships and making sure proper funding will be available for those who represent the U.S. in Brazil to be prepared for the competition.

“We’ve got a plan in place,” Martino said. “Once we have our team set, we’ll have them in several dual meets with other countries. We want them to get as much experience as possible.”

The Olympic Trials will be in December at a site to be determined. The coaching staff is being finalized, and one possible candidate for head coach is Las Vegan Augie Sanchez. He has been working with the USA Boxing athletes, and Martino knows Sanchez well.

Whoever gets the job will have to be flexible in coaching the boxers, many of whom have their own trainers. At the 2012 Olympics, Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach offered his services, but quit because of in-fighting at USA Boxing.

“We’ve learned from our mistakes of the past,” Martino said. “We have everyone on the same page now, and it will make it easier for us to move forward.”

■ LEE SURGERY — Light heavyweight Mike Lee was scheduled to fight Friday at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center. But he hurt his back while training and plans to have surgery soon to repair two herniated disks.

Lee, a Notre Dame graduate who is 14-0 with eight knockouts, said he hopes to return to the ring this year. He has moved to San Diego from Houston and is training with retired boxer Chris Byrd, a former heavyweight champion.

“This has been frustrating,” Lee said. “My mind knows what it wants to do, but my body won’t let me. I’ve been dealing with this for about two years, so I decided to get it fixed once and for all and come back healthy and better.”

Lee worked Friday’s card as an analyst for CBS Sports Network, joining Barry Tompkins and Al Bernstein on the telecast

“It was a great experience,” he said. “I grew up watching Al, and I learned a lot in the short time I was around him.”

■ MAYWEATHER JR., PACQUIAO CLEAN — Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao passed their drug tests leading up to and after their May 2 fight at the MGM Grand Garden, the Nevada Athletic Commission said. Both fighters were tested 19 times by the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

■ RAMIREZ WINS SILVER — Yarisel Ramirez of Las Vegas won a silver medal at the AIBA Junior and Youth Women’s World Championships in Taiwan. Ramirez, competing in the junior 119-pound division, lost 3-0 in the final. The U.S. team won eight medals.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.