Welcome back everyone. We are at the half where the USA leads Cuba 54 to 44. Now as the centennial
games get into full swing, the boxing competition continues. American light flyweight Albert
Gardado, who was coached by his father in Topeka, Kansas, is fighting healer Modi Rodillo of Botswana
at the Alexander Memorial Coliseum. The second round is coming up. Bob Poppa and Al Bernstein are there.
We begin round number two at the Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Albert Gardado of the United States
and healer Modi Rodillo from Botswana in the light flyweight division, 106 pounds.
As you look at the scoring, you see that Guardado did get the edge. The low scores that Bob talked
about quite evident in this tournament and evident there, but a four to one lead is a decent lead over
the course of a round. And Modi Rodillo was able to string together some punches right at the end
of round number one after Guardado had unleashed a very solid flurry. One of the key punches in
this bout is the left hook from Guardado. When he lands that effectively, it's probably his best
weapon against this young man. Off the jab. See, there you see the hook on the inside.
The chant of USA, something the United States boxing team could not wait to hear when the
competition began here in Atlanta. I mentioned the left hook of Guardado. It's especially
effective when Modi Rodillo throws the overhand right and lets it sit there and then Guardado
counters with the left hook. Albert has had more international experience than many of the United
States boxers. He was in the Pan Am games, third in the world title in 1993. So he has been in
against top international competition and he was a bronze medalist at the 1993 world championships.
He told us about the long road to the Olympics and when we visited with him earlier this week,
he was just very excited and a little bit edgy about letting the competition get underway because
of all the hard work that he's put in. He was ready to stop sparring and start boxing. He
characterized the entire team as being that. We said we are ready to get into action.
And perhaps something that could go overlooked with some of these boxers. He is a national
honor society student in high school and a very good student in college as well.
At Washburn University where he is a junior studying to be a public relations major.
Modura-Dilo firing and missing with that right hand. Maybe getting a little bit frustrated
by the christiness of Guardado's combinations. Modura-Dilo has just not found a way to penetrate
the height and reach advantage of Guardado. The jabs and the hooks and the straight right hands.
But he's been a little more effective with some of those overhand rights in this round.
Final 20 seconds of round two.
Modura-Dilo has withstood some of the onslaught from Guardado.
But another good round for Albert Guardado, the light flyweight.
As round number two comes to an end.
Cecilia Guardado, CC and her husband Albert Senior watching anxiously as round number three
gets underway. She's been very emotional all day. It has been such a turbulent ride for her today
emotionally and she is hoping her son can get through this first test and move on toward what
he hopes will be an Olympic medal. These boxers in the 106 pound weight class. You can you can
tell when you talk to Albert Guardado how closely knit his family is. There is the scoring and you
see that Guardado has pretty much sustained that three-point lead that he had after the first round.
Good combination from Guardado. When he lost at the trials he and his father
went back to the dressing room to wake up from what they called the nightmare.
And before the box-offs in Augusta, Georgia, Roy Jones Jr gave an inspirational speech to the team
and Albert said that helped carry him through the box-offs in beating Joaquin Guardado twice.
And he had a very tough customer to box in Guardado. A very tall man. Here he he's facing
a smaller man and Albert has told us the guys that give him problems sometimes are the smaller
boxers. So he gets a break in the draw here in the first round of the Olympics.
Caution for hitting behind the head. And if you think having to win twice at the box-offs is
uncommon, think again Evander Holyfield, Jerry Page, Meldrick Taylor, Riddick Bowe, Andrew Maynard,
Kelsey Banks, Montel Griffin all had to win twice at the box-offs to qualify for the Olympics like
Guardado. Now there's the left hook I mentioned earlier and it hurt Madeira Dillo and made it
him step backwards. The left hook of Guardado is a very good weapon when he uses it especially when
he doubles to the body and the head. Approaching the midway point of the third and final round.
They want Guardado to use the jab and move around the box and this is the strategy that Al Mitchell
and the United States coaches have come up with. It's much like the Cubans. If you think you
have a good lead box and sit on it. Don't take any unnecessary chances. And those punches from the
outside like that one that Guardado just landed are most effective with the five judges seated
ringside in the computerized scoring. Guardado is a very good outside boxer but because he's
not the tallest in his division sometimes he's had to go on the inside and so he's
adopted those skills as well but he'd rather be in the outside.
Guardado willing to trade as we approach the final 30 seconds of round three.
Good shot by Madeira Dillo.
And even though we believe Guardado is doing quite well this one might be closer than we
anticipate. Healer Madeira Dillo coming on. The only boxer representing Botswana
but is it enough? The final seconds of the third and final round.
Albert Guardado a workman-like effort and a solid performance and give credit to Healer Madeira
Dillo from Botswana. Well Albert Guardado did most of what they wanted him to do and his mother and
dad hoping that that will be enough to get him past this first round. Al Mitchell the head coach
of team USA taking off the head gear. You see Jesse Ravello one of the assistant coaches handing
Guardado an American flag. 23 year old Albert Guardado again boxing at the age of 10 while
watching Magnum PI. He said you know what I think I'd like to do a little fighting.
Must have been a boxing scene and he's done it well. We await the decision. The winner from the
blue corner
Healer from the United States. Albert Guardado is the winner 11-9 the final score.
Team Guardado loving it. Here's how Albert Guardado was able to get it done throwing
combinations here in round three and boy he needed every one of these because the decision
was just 11-9. Closer perhaps than some might anticipate but this outside action
is ultimately what got the job done for him. Albert Guardado the winner by a final score
of 11-9 as he advances in the light flyweight division. Albert Guardado is standing by with
Beasley Reese. Thanks a lot Bob I'm with Albert and Albert it was a super first round for you.
You were up four to one. You got three big points in the finish in the final that first round.
Right I felt really good uh the first round nice and crisp just like I had planned to do
towards a couple like the last two minutes of the third round I started getting a little winded
but I tried to use my jab and move around a little bit more to retain the victory.
Yeah this ended up being a close victory though 11-9 did you know it was that close?
I knew it would be pretty close uh he got some shots that I shouldn't have let him get in
because of my hands were low but I want to go back to the gym and work on that for the next fight.
Congratulations Bob Papa back to you. Albert Guardado of Topeka Kansas a winner in his first
bout of the centennial games 11-9 the final score as team Guardado celebrates the win.
All right Bob thank you so Albert Guardado the light flyweight advances to the next round when
we return everybody back into the pool the men's four by 200 meter freestyle relay coming up from
Atlanta.