Chakhkiev books final showdown with Russo for heavyweight gold

  2008-08-22 09:23:59 GMT    2008-08-22 17:23:59 (Beijing Time)    BOCOG

  (BEIJING, August 22) -- Italy's Clemente Russo and Russia's Rakhim Chakhkiev will fight in the gold medal match of the Olympic Boxing competition's heavyweight class (91kg) after both boxers won their semifinal bouts. The gold medal match will be held tomorrow at 9:21 p.m. local time (UTC/GMT +8).

  Medal favorite Russo survived a fright before overwhelming Deontay Wilder of the United States 7-1.

  After leading with the slimmest of margins (1-0) in the first two rounds, Russo finally came out with a flurry of punches and won the final two rounds 3-0 and 3-1. Russo is one of the few world champions that have reached the gold medal match of a Boxing weight class.

  The other semifinal between Chakhkiev and Cuba's Osmai Acosta Duarte was hard-fought and thrilling.

  Both super boxers started the bout with caution and the score was tied 1-1 at the end of the first round. Chakhkiev edged ahead in the following two rounds, leading 2-1 and 3-1. The two boxers exchanged punches in the last round, but it was the Russian who managed to successfully hit the target area, winning the last round 4-2.

  Both Wilder and Acosta Duarte will receive bronze medals.