RIO DE JANEIRO — American fighter Shakur Stevenson has won his first fight in the Olympic boxing tournament.
He remains the prime candidate to win the first men’s gold medal in 12 years from USA Boxing.
Stevenson defeated Brazilian fighter Robenilson de Jesus by unanimous decision 30-27, 29-28, 29-28. Stevenson was sharp in the bantamweight bout and busted de Jesus open above the right eye in the second round.
Stevenson attacked him with a series of body shots that forced de Jesus to grab and hold him through the rest of the round.
Stevenson delivered a flurry of uppercuts in the third that left de Jesus shaken against the ropes.
The Newark, New Jersey, native was soundly booed from the moment he was introduced through the final decision. He says he’s never been booed like that before.
Andre Ward won the last American boxing gold medal in 2004 in the Athens Games.