October 25, 2007	Thursday	Shawwal 12, 1428

CHICAGO, Oct 24: Bantamweight Gary Russell Jr and light welterweight Javier Molina took steps forward in their quests to qualify for the Beijing Olympics with victories in the preliminary round of the World Boxing Championships on Tuesday.

Russell started things off for the US team when he soundly defeated Slovakia’s Rudolf Dydi. Molina defeated Jamaica’s Rikardo Smith.

Russell looked cautious during the first two rounds, despite catching Dydi with a solid left hook in the first.

He took control of the bout in the third round, becoming more aggressive and battling Dydi with strong combination punches to win 13-6.

Russell has performed under pressure this year, winning a spot on the US boxing team by fighting his way through the challenger’s bracket in Houston. He can qualify for a trip to Beijing in 2008 by making the quarter-finals.

The crowd roared behind Molina as he jumped out to an 8-4 lead in the first round. Molina kept Smith at bay in the second, then started to run away with the match in the third round, just like his team-mate Russell had done earlier in the day.

In the fourth round, Smith came after Molina with several straight rights, but Molina bobbed and weaved around them. Molina completely outclassed his opponent, winning 37-16.

The US team drew several tough opponents in the opening round.

Flyweight Rau’shee Warren, who is attempting to become the first US boxer in more than 20 years to compete in two Olympics, is scheduled to fight Tulashboy Doniyorov of Uzbekistan, who also fought in the Athens Olympics, on Thursday morning.

Warren was 17 and the youngest member of the 2004 US Olympic boxing team in Athens. He lost 22-9 in his first match to China’s Zou Chiming at 48 kilograms. The last US boxer to compete in two Olympics was Davey Lee Armstrong in 1972-76.

There also will be two continental qualifiers early next year, so the Chicago tournament will not be the last chance to make the Olympics.

Chicago is hoping to use the World Boxing Championships as a boost in its bid for the 2016 Olympics. The city didn’t get the championships until May after it was pulled from Moscow.—AP