01/Oct/2000
Boxing
BRITAIN'S HARRISON TAKES SUPER-HEAVY GOLD

SYDNEY, Australia (Oct. 1)--Audley Harrison won the Olympic super-heavyweight boxing title on Sunday for Britain's 10th gold medal of the Games.

Audley Harrison (Reuters Photo)

The giant Harrison beat Kazakhstan's Mukhtarkhan Dildabekov 30-16 to become the first British boxing gold medallist since bricklayer Chris Finnegan won the middleweight division in Mexico in 1968.

He was also the first Briton to win in the maximum weight class since Ronald Rawson's knockout win in 1920.

Uzbekistan's Rustam Saidov and Italy's Paolo Vidoz won bronze medals as losing semifinalists.

Harrison was up for the fight from the start, jogging out of his corner as his opponent sauntered to the centre and took charge of the opening round with a savage jab that rocked Dildabekov and forced a standing eight count.

Harrison led the first round 3-2 and pounded to a 9-4 lead after the second as the Union Jack flags came out and fans chanted his name.

He used his jab and quick combinations well in the third to lead 18-12 going into the final round, which turned into a rout. Harrison even felt comfortable enough to drop his guard and invite the Kazakh to come at him.

Terra Sports/AP