THE 1987 PAN AMERICAN GAMES : Boxing : U.S., Cuba Still Unbeaten; Action Stays in Ring

On Day 3 of the 10-day Pan American Games boxing tournament Saturday, all fights were confined to the ring, where two U.S. and two Cuban boxers advanced to quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.

In the wake of Friday night’s brawl, involving about 15 members of the Cuban boxing delegation and three anti-Castro demonstrators, added security resulted in a quiet, incident-free session in which the United States and Cuba lengthened their Pan Am winning streaks.

Michael Collins and Ken Gould of the United States both registered easy decision victories, and Juan Lemus and Felix Savon of Cuba both stopped their opponents. Cuba is 6-0, the United States is 5-0.

However, one of those streaks will end today.

Kelcie Banks, the U.S. world champion featherweight who was unimpressive in his first-round decision win Thursday, meets Cuba’s Arnaldo Mesa in the best matchup on this afternoon’s 16-bout session. The Banks-Mesa winner will be a heavy favorite to win the gold medal here.

Two other U.S. boxers make their Pan Am debuts today--light-flyweight Michael Carbajal and light-welterweight Todd Foster.

Cuban light-flyweight Juan Torres, a world champion, is an overwhelming favorite against Venezuela’s Jesus Arias, as is Cuban light-welterweight Candelario Duvergel, who meets Guyana’s Donald Allison.

Collins, the U.S. bantamweight, pounded on a brave but outclassed Dominican, Jose Pantaleon. Collins, with quicker hands, battered Pantaleon so thoroughly in the third and final round, Pantaleon was given two standing-eight counts.

Collins, from LaPorte, Tex., is a three-time national champion and a runner-up to Steve McCrory at the 1984 Olympic Trials. He meets Jamaican Patrick Stephenson on Tuesday in the quarterfinals. If he should meet Cuba’s Manuel Martinez, it won’t be until the finals.

“I was tentative at first, but once I got my jab working, that got me into my rhythm,” he said after beating Pantaleon. “When I’m into my rhythm, I’m relaxed, and when I’m relaxed, I’m at my best.”

Gould, the U.S. world champion welterweight, should also be able to cruise into the finals against a Cuban, Juan Lemus. Saturday, Gould easily beat Grenada’s Bernard Wilson, who tried to out-punch Gould.

“When I saw he wanted to punch with me, I knew eventually he’d wear down,” Gould said. “All punchers do.”

Gould won’t be a favorite should he wind up in the finals against Lemus, one of the Cuban team’s heaviest hitters. Against Lemus, Gould is 0-2.

Saturday, Lemus was the day’s most impressive winner. In the second round, he knocked out Jamaica’s Patrick Rose with one punch, a thumping left hook. For a round-and-a-half before that, he softened up Rose with overhand rights and left hooks.

In Saturday’s last bout, Cuba’s world champion heavyweight, Felix Savon, stopped Puerto Rico’s Julio Sanchez with a powerful straight right that left Sanchez crumpled on the ropes with 1:02 left in the first round.

That one punch assured Savon of at least a bronze medal, since there are only five heavyweights here. Savon advances to meet meet Michael Bent of the United States in Thursday’s semifinals. There are only four super-heavyweights. Riddick Bowe of the United States drew the favorite in the second semifinal bout Aug. 23, Cuba’s Jorge Gonzales.