This 1970 edition of ABC’s Wide World of Sports with host Vern Lundquist….a future broadcasting legend….especially with SEC college football broadcasts….as the USA Boxing Team takes on the USSR in Moscow….as both the USA and USSR teams prepare for the upcoming 1980 Moscow Olympics.
The Americans brought their “young team” to this international amateur boxing competition….leaving most of their boxers earmarked for Moscow at home….as USA Coach Pat Nappi wanted to give the youngest in his stable some international experience….as there were 11 boxers in 11 weight divisions that would be competing during this box-off.
In the light flyweight division (106 lbs)….USA Robert Shannon, a 17 year old, would lose to USSR Kamil Safin in a unanimous decision…..while bantamweight (119 lbs) USA Vincent Christian would be TKO’d in the 2nd by USSR Samson Khatrjan…then in the featherweight (125 lbs) clash, USSR Victor Rybakov would defeat USA Lionel Johnson in the 2nd round also….when in the lightweight bout (132 lbs), 17 year old USA Pat Jefferson would go down by a unanimous decision to USSR Juri Prokhorov…which was followed by a split decision victory in the light welterweight class by USSR Serik Konokbaev over USA Darrel Chambers.,,,,and that is when USA Ed Green lost a unanimous decision to Alexander Koshkin to give the Russians a 6 – 1 lead in the competition. The USA would notch another victory in the light middleweight class bout between USA Alex Ramos vs Ramon Filimonov, with a 3rd round TKO…..which was followed by 18 year old USA Jose Cruz getting KO’d in the 1st round by the Soviet’s best fighter, Victor Savchenkov….when light heavyweights USA Lee Roy Murphy fought USSR Nicoli Erosteev to a close split decision….and then heavyweights USA David Bey vs USSR Alexander squared off for a split decision in the heavyweight division fight.
All in all, this 1979 International Competition between the USA Boxing Team and the Soviet Union boxing team ended up with the USSR winning 8 bouts to the USA’s 3 wins…..and sadly enough, these two teams didn’t face each other again in competition until the 1988 Seoul Olympics….cuz our “peanut farming” US President Jimmy Carter decided to use the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games as “political pawn” in not allowing the USA Olympic Team to compete, when he decided to boycott the 1980 Games….so, when the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics rolled around….the Soviets decided to boycott our Olympics…..which only goes to prove when it comes to sports….THE WORST TICS ARE poliTICS.
