Philadelphia Trio Seeks to Make History

The tradition began more than 30 years ago when a Philadelphia-trained fighter named Joe Frazier won a gold medal at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

It continued in 1984 when two more Philadelphia boxers, Meldrick Taylor and Tyrell Biggs, took home gold from the L.A. Olympics.

It could reach new heights this summer in Atlanta.

With their victories in the U.S. Box-Offs Thursday night at the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center, Philadelphia fighters Zahir Raheem, Terrance Cauthen and David Reid took a step toward achieving a shared goal.

“We’re going for three gold medals,” said Raheem. “We’re going for the record.”

Their victories Thursday marked the first time that three U.S. fighters from the same city have made the Olympic team in the same year.

Raheem scored a 16-4 decision over Steven Carter of Norfolk, Va., in the 119-pound class; Cauthen earned an 11-6 decision over Jermaine Fields of Washington, D.C., in the 132-pound class, and Reid scored a lopsided 20-5 victory over Darnell Wilson of Lafayette, Ind., in the 156-pound class.

Also qualifying for the team were Rhoshii Wells of Riverdale, Ga., in the 165-pound class and Nate Jones of Chicago in the 201-pound class. There will be six more bouts tonight.