Eric Griffin, a three-time 106-pound world champion and the best hope for a U.S. gold medal in Barcelona, won a 70-16 decision over Mario Bueno Saturday to win the U.S. Olympic Boxing Trials.
Griffin was among six winners in finals Saturday, with the other six finals scheduled for Sunday. The 12 trials winners will advance to the Box-Offs June 28-29 in Phoenix against the "most worthy opponent" in each weight class. Unless the challengers selected by the U.S. Amateur Boxing Association defeat the trial winners twice, the trial winners will go to the Barcelona Olympics.Also Saturday, Sergio Reyes defeated Paul Ayala 71-20 at 119 pounds, Pepe Reilly defeated Jesse Briseno 34-27 at 147, Chris Byrd defeated Michael DeMoss 41-17 at 165, Jeremy Williams defeated Montell Griffin 36-17 at 178 and Darnell Nicholson defeated James Johnson 47-17 at 201.
Griffin, who was disqualified from the 1988 Olympic Box-Offs because he tested positive for marijuana, defeated his opponents 164-28 in his last two fights.
"No one in the world can compete with me," said Griffin, of Broussard, La.
Griffin will meet quarterfinals loser Bradley Martinez in the Box-Offs.
The scoring of Reyes' victory over Ayala was booed, and even the winner agreed the bout was closer than the judges' computer scores indicated.
"I won the fight but not by 50 points," Reyes said. "The American judges have less experience, they score a lot higher. But to me the computers are better than pencil and paper. There is no cheating."
Ayala will get another shot at Reyes in the Box-Offs.
In the closest fight of the day, both boxers were surprised at Reilly's decision over Bresino.
"I thought I got in more blows," Briseno said.
Briseno and Reilly will meet again at the Box-Offs.
Johnson said Nicholson was too strong for him in the 201-pound final. Johnson was coming off a tough 37-31 victory Friday night over hometown favorite Bobby Harris.
"Last night it was man against man but today it was man against mountain," Johnson said. "He (Nicholson) is a lot stronger than any other U.S. fighter in our weight class."