August 23, 2008	Saturday	Sha'aban 20, 1429

BEIJING, Aug 22: Asia demonstrated itself to be the emerging power in Olympic boxing as eight fighters from the continent reached finals on Friday.

Cuba still led the way despite a disappointing return from their eight semi-finalists, with only half reaching gold medal bouts.

China was next with three fighters reaching a final but Mongolia and Thailand also managed two with Kazakhstan providing the eighth for the continent.

China can count themselves a little lucky, though, as super-heavyweight Zhang Zhilei qualified when his last four opponent Vyacheslav Glazkov, who had beaten Zhang at last year’s World Championships, pulled out injured.

Zhang Xiaoping at light-heavyweight was also fortunate squeezing past Kazakh favourite Yerkebulan Shynaliyev on a highly contentious decision.

Both China and Mongolia made history by qualifying fighters for an Olympic boxing final for the first time — and in Mongolia’s case it was at a Games where judoka Tuvshinbayar Naidan won the country’s first ever Olympic gold.

Badar-Uugan Enkhbat at bantamweight and Serdamba Purevdorj at light-flyweight will hope to become Mongolia’s first ever boxing Olympic champions.

Serdamba will face Zou Shiming, the third of China’s finalists, who as double world champion will start as favourite.

Badar-Uugan will come up against Yankiel Leon of Cuba.

Thailand’s gold medal hopes Manus Boonjumnong and Somjit Jongjohor both kept their Olympic dreams alive.

Reigning champion Manus produced an at times ragged performance in beating Cuban light-welterweight Roniel Iglesias while Somjit, world champion in 2003, outclassed Italy’s Vincenzo Picardi at flyweight.

Cuba had a mixed bag with Leon, welterweight Carlos Banteaux and middleweight Emilio Correa, whose father won Olympic boxing gold in 1972, all making it through as well as Andris Laffita, who faces Somjit next.

But 2005 lightweight world champion Yordenis Ugas lost to France’s Daouda Sow, who will fight former featherweight world and Olympic champion Alexey Tishchenko of Russia in the final.

Iglesias, heavyweight Osmai Acosta and light flyweight Yampier Hernandez, who lost to Serdamba, also missed out.

Acosta was bludgeoned by heavyweight favourite Rakhim Chakhkiev of Russia, who will face world champion Clemente Russo of Italy in that final.

Russo was giving away eight inches to his American opponent Deontay Wilder but was never in trouble as he used his speed to prevail.

Wilder’s bronze medal is the only one for the US boxing team in what has been their worst ever performance at an Olympics.

Correa will face Britain’s James DeGale in the middleweight final.

The Briton beat Ireland’s Darren Sutherland in the semi-final but in another British-Irish semi, Kenny Egan comfortably defeated Tony Jeffries in the light heavyweights.

Italy were another country to qualify two fighters for finals with another world champion Roberto Cammarelle stopping Britain’s David Price in the second round to reach the super-heavyweight final against Zhang.—AFP