U.S. middleweight Dirrell wins first bout

SportsTicker

ATHENS, Greece (Ticker) – American middleweight Andre Dirrell won his
first bout as the Olympic boxing tournament opened Saturday, defeating
Dabateer Ha of China after a slow start.

Dirrell, one of the few true medal hopes for the United States, lost
the first round before using his tremendous hand speed to record a
25-18 four-round decision over the Asian.

“It was not a good start,” he admitted. “I should start faster, but I
always come on strong at the end.”

Making his Olympic debut, Dirrell admitted to some nerves as the
reason for his early tentativeness.

“Getting nervous is a tradition for me, but I think it is good because
I am more aware in the ring when I am nervous,” he said.

United States boxers were shut out of gold medals in Sydney four years
ago and won just one each in 1992 and 1996.

Dirrell was the only American in action Saturday. The Michigan native
owns victories over reigning 165-pound world amateur champion Gennadi
Golovkin of Kazakhstan and Cuban Olympic representative Yordanis
Despaigne Herrera.

Dirrell will have a week off before his next bout against Nabil Kassel
of Algeria, who fought off Gaucelio Abreu of Brazil, 41-36.

Herrera also was in the ring Saturday, advancing with a 36-24 decision
over Jean Pascal of Canada.

Among 12 middleweight bouts, medal contender Gaydarbek Gaydarbekov of
Russia got past Christopher Camat of the Philippines, 35-13.

There also were a dozen light heavyweight bouts, none involving any
serious medal contenders. American Andre Ward could surprise in that
weight class.

American welterweight Vanes Martirosyan faces Benamar Meskine of
Algeria on Sunday. The 18-year-old Martirosyan was born in Armenia
and moved to the U.S. when he was 4.

08-14-04 16:52 ET