This video is the gold medal fight between USA Frank Tate and CAN Shawn O’Sullivan….which was brought to the viewer by the one and only….Howaaaad Cosell.
Frank Tate was an American boxer….who was the 1983 National Golden Gloves light middleweight champion…..becoming the Light Middleweight Gold medal winner at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics….even though he had standing eight-counts administered to him twice in the second round of the gold medal bout against Canadian fighter Shawn O’Sullivan. When Tate received his gold medal….he was booed by the American audience due to the controversial decision.
Shawn O’Sullivan is a retired Canadian boxer….who won gold at the World Amateur Championships in 1981….and the light middleweight silver medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Games….as seen in this video. Leading up the 1984 Olympics, O’Sullivan and fellow Canadian Willie de Wit were both favored to win the gold medals in their classes….de Wit as a heavyweight and O’Sullivan as a light middleweight.In this gold medal bout with Frank Tate….O’Sullivan took Tate to two standing-eight-counts in the second round (and nearly a third as the round ended)….but the judges unanimously gave the decision to Tate. O’Sullivan dominated the second round….however, four of the judges (Keith Walker of New Zealand, Han Dong Jin of South Korea, Noureddine Addala of Tunisia and Muili Ojo of Nigeria) gave Tate the round by the slim margin of 20-19. Tate was booed when the gold medal was draped around his neck. Tate had won in a 5-0 decision and even his coach, Emanuel Steward, admitted O’Sullivan may have won. O’Sullivan, who himself had benefited from a controversial decision against Christopher Tiozzo in the semifinals….was gracious in defeat and called the outcome “unfortunate”.
So, see for yourself….did the judges make the right call on this fight?…..cuz Howard Cosell certainly did not think so…..nor did I.
