Though China has made history by sending 10 boxers to fight in the Beijing Olympics, the biggest regiment ever, with several boxers hopeful of winning medals, it's still no match for the traditional boxing powers like Cuba and Russia.
Cuba has been devouring most boxing golds in former Olympics. In Barcelona, it took seven golds, Atlanta, four golds, Sydney four, in Athens, they grabbed five golds, two silvers and one bronze, the de-facto Olympic boxing "dynasty".
Yet in recent years, Cuba's amateur boxing has suffered major setbacks,with five world champions leaving the national team. Without a choice, Cuba gave up the 2007 world boxing championships, and only earned ten seats for qualified boxers in the Beijing Olympics, not all 11 seats, the first time in 40 years.
The Cuban regiment to Beijing will be "a troop of mystery", with the participating ten boxers all "freshmen". This will pose grave challenge for the once-powerful Cuban corps to keep up with its former Olympic records, yet it also poses pressure to its rivals as no one knows exactly how good or bad it will fight.
Another Olympic boxing power is Russia. In Athens, it got three golds and three silvers, just next to Cuba. Among the 11 boxers fighting in the Beijing Olympics, eight had seized medals in the 2007 world championships. It's a terrifying regiment, with many of the boxers having the ability to capture gold in Beijing.
Following the "first brigade", countries like Kazakhstan, the US and Thailand make up of the second brigade. Being called the "natural boxer", Kazaks grabbed two golds and three bronzes in 2005 boxing championships. They set a record by taking ten fighting seats for the Beijing Olympics.
In professional boxing, the US is without doubt the big brother. Yet in amateur boxing, it can only be called the second class. In Sydney Olympics, the US boxing team got nothing, while in Athens, it only earned one gold. To catch up with its professional fame, the US boxing team has taken a one-year close-door training in a bid to seize more golds in this Olympics.
As an Asian power, Thailand is another rival that China can't look down upon. Being both Asian boxers, Thai and Chinese boxers share similar physical condition and fighting style. They are also more used to Chinese fighters than Europeans are, which will bring some trouble to the Chinese regiment.
Other countries such as Italy, Britain, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Germany, Turkey and South Korea also have the power to grab medals in this Olympics.
(Xinhua News Agency July 25, 2008)