Back in the day during the Golden Age of Boxing from 1964 – 1995…..as boxing became a major programming component to dang near all television networks….especially in and around the mid-1970’s to the late 1980’s…..as they carried many live boxing events….all of which were not necessarily live professional bouts….for the networks were also shining lots of light on amateur boxing…..especially those events between the USA Boxing Team and the Cuban, Soviet Union and East German teams….which would feature future American Olympians and professionals that looked like they might turn out to be big television box office draws….cuz this was the age of boxing when television money came into play….which also attracted many great athletes to the sport of boxing.
The 1979 Pan American Games showcased some of America’s best young boxers at the time….like Jackie Beard, Richard Sandoval and Bernard Taylor….who were all selected to represent the USA at the 1980 Moscow Olympics….that is until the “peanut farming US President, Jimmy Carter” chose to not allow the US Olympic Team to go and compete for the dreams and aspirations they had been working for during the four years between the 1976 Montreal Games and the 1980 Moscow Games.
Jackie Beard was an amateur boxing standout in the late 1970’s….as he won the National AAU in the bantamweight division three times in 1978, 1979, and 1980. He also won the bantamweight championship in the 1978 National Golden Gloves Tournament….plus Beard qualified for the 1980 U.S. Olympic boxing team….but the U.S. boycott of the Moscow summer games prevented him from the international competition….which initially Beard was supportive of the boycott….but later expressed disappointment that athletes were denied the opportunity to showcase their talents.
Richard Sandoval is a retired American professional boxer and former Lineal and WBA Bantamweight Champion. Sandoval was a silver medalist at the 1979 Pan American Games and was a U.S. Olympian during his amateur career….as he was a two-time National Golden Gloves Champion….while from 1979 –1980….plus Sandoval went on to win the National AAU Championship at Light Flyweight and then in the Flyweight division.
Benard Taylor had an incredible career as an amateur boxer while compiling a record of 481-8….having also qualified for the 1980 U.S. Olympic team after winning the 1972 National Junior Olympics Light Flyweight champion….then competing in the 1976 Duel Soviet Union vs USA boxing matches in Moscow….then winning the 1976 National AAU Bantamweight championship and the 1976 National Golden Gloves Bantamweight championship….when he moved up in weight and won the 1977 National Golden Gloves Featherweight championship…..followed by the 1978 National Golden Gloves Featherweight championship….along with the 1979 National AAU Featherweight championship….and after these Pan American Games as seen herewith….he won the 1980 National Golden Gloves Featherweight championship.
All three of these young American Olympic hopefuls received one of 461 Congressional Gold Medals created especially for the spurned athletes….which is kinda like kissing your sister….it’s a kiss… but there is really nothing there….which just goes to show the sports world that THE WORST TICS ARE POLI – TICS.
