Local boxer on cusp of Olympics
CHICAGO -- Las Vegan Michael Hunter is one win from earning an Olympic boxing berth.
Hunter, a U.S. super heavyweight, won a 19-13 decision over Jasem Delavari of Iran on Wednesday in the World Boxing Championships at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
The 19-year-old Hunter, whose father was a professional boxer, needs one more win to qualify for Beijing. To get it, he'll have to beat imposing Russian Islam Timurziev, who had an easy night Wednesday when Azar Mammadov's corner threw in the towel in the first round.
"I'm not even worried about it," said Hunter, a 2006 Palo Verde High School graduate. "He's just another person. He bleeds just like us."
The top eight finishers in the light flyweight to light heavyweight divisions and the top four from the heavyweight and super heavyweight classes qualify for the Olympics.
U.S. flyweight Rau'shee Warren of Cincinnati overcame a sore shoulder and bloody nose to earn another trip to the Olympics. He beat Violito Payla of the Philippines 25-11 to make the quarterfinals of the World Boxing Championships, earning him a spot in Beijing.
When he competes in the 2008 games, he will become the first American boxer since Davey Lee Armstrong in 1976 to participate in two Olympics.
Warren was 17 and the youngest member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic boxing team when he traveled to Athens in 2004 and lost in his first match. Eschewing a professional career, Warren has a chance to get what he says he's always wanted.
"For me to come back to the Olympics and get a gold medal. Like in 2004, that's what I wanted, and now I'm back to get it," he said.
Two other Americans won a berth in the Olympics on Wednesday: light flyweight Luis Yanez, who overwhelmed Stephen Sutherland of Australia with the referee stopping the fight in the second round; and welterweight Demetrius Andrade, who pounded out a 26-6 decision over Magomed Nurudinov of Belarus.
