David Reid is looking forward to a medal ceremony where he won't have to duck.
"At least the crowd won't holler at me in Atlanta like they did in Argentina," Reid said, recalling how the crowd booed and threw things when he got his boxing gold medal last year at the Pan American Games.First, of course, the 22-year-old Philadelphian has to make the U.S. Olympic team. Reid took a big step in that direction when he won the 156-pound title Saturday at the Olympic boxing trials.
Now Reid and the 11 other trials champions each need one more victory at the box-offs April 18-20 in Augusta, Ga., to make the Olympic team.
The trials champions must box the winners in the losers' bracket here. Should a trials champion lose to a challenger, they will box again, with the winner going to Atlanta.
In the past three Olympics, seven boxers beaten in the trials made the team through two wins in the box-offs. Montell Griffin, 178, did it in 1992. Kelcie Banks, 125; Andrew Maynard, 178-pound gold medalist, and Riddick Bowe, super heavyweight super medalist, did it in 1988. It was accomplished by gold medalists Meldrick Taylor, 125, and Jerry Page, 139, and bronze medalist Evander Holyfield, 178, in 1984.
Reid put on a power-punching display in winning the trials title on an 18-13 decision over Jeffrey Clark of the Army at Fort Bragg, N.C.
While Reid blasted his way to Augusta, Antonio Tarver of Orlando walked into the box-offs.
The 27-year-old Tarver, also a world champion at 178 pounds, won his final on a walkover when Glenn Robinson of New York failed to appear for the bout at the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center. Robinson, who was at the morning weigh-in, said he thought the bout was at night.
Robinson was disqualified from the tournament, and Anthony Stewart of Chicago thereby won the loser's bracket and the right to fight Tarver in the box-off.
"I was looking forward to it (meeting Robinson)," Tarver said. "It would have been a good fight."
But, Tarver was not unhappy about Robinson's absence. "We're trying to make it to the Olympics," he said. "We hope the rest of the world doesn't show up."
Whatever happens in the box-offs, the 1996 Olympic team will be much less experienced in international competition than any team since the 1972 squad at Munich.
Lack of money has limited the number of international competitions that USA Boxing can send competitors to. The organization has no funds-providing television contract.
Tarver and Reid have the most international experience among the 12 trials champions. Tarver has won nine bouts against international opposition and lost three. Reid is 6-4.
Reid is one of three trials champions from Philadelphia. The other two are Zahir Raheem, 119, and Terrance Cauthen, 132.
Also winning titles were Jauquin Gallardo, San Leandro, Calif., 106; Eric Morel, Madison, Wis., 112; Augustine Sanchez, Las Vegas, 125; David Diaz, Chicago, 139; Fernando Vargas, Oxnard, Calif., 147; Rhoshii Wells, Riverdale, Calif., 165; Nate Jones, Chicago, 201, and Lawrence Clay-Bey, Hartford, Conn., super heavyweight.