De la Hoya, Bray Lose Decisions at World Boxing Championships
U.S. gold-medal hopes at the World Amateur Boxing Championship were dimmed today when Oscar de la Hoya of East Los Angeles lost a 17-13 decision to Marko Rudolph of Germany in a second-round match at 139 pounds.
It was the first defeat in international competition and the first loss since 1987 for the 18-year-old de la Hoya, a two-time national champion.
It was a battle of jabs, and the American appeared to have an edge. The difference could have been in the in-fighting, where Rudolph seemed busier.
De la Hoya appeared momentarily stunned at the decision against him, but admitted later that, “I felt like I lost.”
For a boxer to be credited with a point for a blow under the computer scoring system, three of the five judges must record the blow within one second.
“My timing was off,” said de la Hoya, who had drawn a first-round bye. “I wasn’t able to get my punches off. His style was really awkward. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
The loss gave the U.S. team a 7-3 record in these championships at the State Sport Centre.
John Bray of Van Nuys continued to struggle, losing his first match Saturday to Bert Teuchert of Germany, who won a 14-6 decision in the 201-pound division. Bray also lost in the first round of the 1989 World Championships.
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