"British gold medal prospect Frankie Gavin has pulled out of the Olympic Games having failed to make his weight. The lightweight world amateur champion is now flying home from the Team GB training camp in Macau. Gavin, 23, would have needed to weigh in at 60kg (9st 6lb) on every day he competed in Beijing. British former Olympic medallist Richie Woodhall described the news as a "total let-down", with questions sure to be asked of Gavin and Team GB's planning." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/boxing/7546521.stm :doh:
Gavin needs to take a good look at himself, all that training and hard work for nothing and how did the GB team let it go on for so long.
It just seems ridiculous that a World Champion somehow manages to fail to make weight for the Olympic Games, unless there is some leverage to the claim that he is training differently, filling out and simply can't get down to lightweight anymore?
That would be the only credible excuse if he has simply grown out of the light weight division. What a disastrous way to end an Olympic bid.
It's a shame and an embarassment....not least for me cos i been telling everyone who has been willing to listen that Gavin's name will be on everyone's lips the same way Khan's and Audley's was..... .....Richie Woodhall is spot on.....the BOA is paying specialists to avoid such scenarios even becoming a possibility.....it doesn't even sound like a close run thing.....the weigh-in is tomorrow, he just knows that he has no chance in hell of making it....which probably means he is at least 5 or 6lbs out ....trying to take a positive from this.....Gavin may now decide to go pro, and although big things will be expected....the hype won't be on the level of the aforementioned
:: I know the feeling- I've been telling all and sundry to watch out for this guy, and now we have this... :doh: I agree with you on Woodhall; I've started to go off him a fair bit lately but here is on the mark. If Gavin is pulling out so early, he must be a mile away from the mark (I actually reckon 5-6lb might be generous. My gut feeling is more like 8-9lb) and someone, somewhere must have seen this coming. It is said that he has been 'training like a professional'. Why? If he has filled out, he hasn't done it since last week, has he? What a terrible shame- for Gavin and for boxing fans MTF
Unless you've cut weight, it's hard to imagine how tough it is. Doing a big cut once is one thing, but having to make weight every day of the competition is far worse. 132 lbs is not a natural weight for your average Brit citizen. Gavin outgrew it. Unfortunately, at the worst time.
Great post. Boxing needs to get with the times and change weight classes. With nutition what it is today, it is hard for even a small man to weigh 132 pounds. Cutting weight is a horrible experience. The amateur system is superior with multiple weigh ins. Basically, a person should get in good shape, eat as they would normally and see whatthey weigh and fight there.
It probably wouldn't have been that much of an issue in any other Olympic year than this. Four years ago, he would have probably just campaigned at the higher division, but Bradley Saunders, ranked 3 in the world, is already there ard can't be shifted. It's a real shame for him and the fans, though. Gavin is a real talent, and the boxing at the games will be worse without him. MTF
Agree. The Brits have very few boxers who reach the top of the am heap, and it really hurts to lose one like this.
U.S. just lost Russell for the same reason. Supposedly he was found unconscious and dehydrated after trying to make weight. http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/news/story?id=3524766
that was my first reaction, tbh. Fuck the patty cake Olympics, this will probably prove to be a great thing for him.
fucked up. Reminds me of a kid I work with sometimes, he's about 18. He's a ranked amateur boxer, he's going for the commonwealth games in 2 years and he likes his chances. He's 6ft, 5'11 at least, but I do a shit job (student, pocket money job) & we've got big high-vis jackets on & I can't tell his build. So I ask him :- Hut - 'what weight you fighting at?' Kid - 'featherweight at the moment' Hut - 'fuck right off' Kid - 'yeah I know jab n' move, jab n' move!. I think I'm gonna try get down to bantam this year' :notallthere:
