This is what happens when you meddle with the natural order of things.
Did no one explain the risk of deciding in advance an inferior fighter was to advance to the semi-final of an Olympic boxing tournament?
What if he was not good enough to make the last four of his division? What if forcing him through would see him lose six punishing rounds in a row (in reality, if not on the judges' cards)?
Well, it seems the eventual outcome is a walkover for one of Billy Walsh's boys - the new United States coach confirming to
Stiffjab.com that Shakur Stevenson has received a walkover into the gold medal bout because Vladimir Nikitin is too injured fight.
https://twitter.com/SportsJOEdotie/status/765992379904065536
According to the Wexford native, the Russian's “face was a mess” after Ireland's bantamweight world champion Michael Conlan reopened a head wound that had been originally caused by the beating (in reality, if not on the judges' cards) that Nikitin took in the previous round against Thailand's Chatchai Butdee.
https://twitter.com/sarahdeming/status/765988403653537792
It gives Walsh a brilliant chance of leading the US to a first boxing gold since Andre Ward in Athens 12 years ago, as he will be well rested for his final bout against the winner of Cuba's Robeisy Ramirez Carrazana and Murodjon Akhmadaliev of Uzbekistan.
The knock-on effects of a couple of horrendous judging decisions and Nikitin doesn't even get a shot at the gold some people seemingly thought he was worthy of.
It has left Conlan
heartbroken and disillusioned with amateur boxing. It has left the inferior Nikitin badly injured. It has left fans pissed off with a shambolic tournament.
What a clusterfuck.
