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Errol Spence, who has been the dominant welterweight on the U.S. amateur scene for the last three years, rather easily got past his opening round opponent at the 2012 Olympics. Spence scored a decisive 16-8 decision over Myke Ribiero de Carvalho of Brazil and gets to face Krishan Vikas of India, who will be fresh as he was awarded a first-round bye.
Spence got off to a two-point lead in the first round and then built on it. Carvalho gave him some help; apparently being frustrated because he was unable to mount much of a consistent offense, he began to grab and was warned for excessive holding. In circumstances like this the judges have an option to take points. Although Carvalho came alive in the third round, he was not able to sustain it, as Spence was simply too quick and too busy.
Spence, who is rated #19 in the world by AIBA, is well-decorated, for sure. He is a mainstay, having won the U.S. amateur welterweight crown in each of the last three years. When he first put on gloves, his intention was to become a professional, but he fell in love with the amateur game and stuck with it.
The 27-year-old Carvalho was representing Brazil in his third straight Olympics and was a two-time bronze medalist in the Pan American Games.
Spence will have his hands full in the next round of action. Vikas, who is rated sixth in the world by AIBA, is a gold medalist from the 2010 Asian Games, and a former Youth Olympics gold medalist as well. His style assures that he will be in Spence’s face a lot more than Carvalho was.
In other welterweight action from Sunday’s card, Custio Clayton of Canada scored a 12-8 decision over Oscar Molina Casillas of Mexico; Cameron Hammond of Australia, the #5-ranked welterweight by AIBA, defeated Moustapha Abdoulaye Hima of Niger, 13-6; and Vasilii Belous of Moldova registered a 20-7 win over Selemani Kidunda of Tanzania.
Tuvshinbat Byamba of Mogolia, who is the #13 AIBA welter, dominated Yannick Mitoumba Mbeny of Gabon 17-4, Alexis Vastine of France won a 16-12 verdict over Patrick Wojcicki of Germany; Freddie Evans of Wales, who is #2 in the AIBA ratings but didn’t get a bye, beat Ilyas Abbadi of Algeria, 18-10, Adam Nolan of Ireland beat Carlos Sanchez Estacio of Ecuador 14-8, and Yashiro Suzuki of Japan edged Mehdi Khalsi of Morocco 14-13.
