Wilder Unable to Connect
U.S. Boxer Hardly Throws a Punch in Loss to Russo, but Still Earns a Bronze

By Les Carpenter
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, August 23, 2008

BEIJING, Aug. 22 -- The Italian in the ring boasted of years of international experience. He had a square jaw and a prominent nose, neither of which looked like they had ever met a fighter's gloves. His back rippled with muscles. On his side was tattooed what appeared to be some kind of a screaming beast wearing boxing gloves. Clemente Russo looked every bit of what he is: the reigning amateur heavyweight champion of the world.

Still, Deontay Wilder, with about 30 lifetime fights and more moxie than refined skill, wallowed into his Olympic semifinal match with Russo on Friday with what they like to call in boxing "a puncher's chance." He was, after all, the hardest puncher on the U.S. team.

If only he threw a punch.

This he seemed unable to do. Wilder, at 6 feet 7, was by far the taller fighter and probably the possessor of the more dominant right hand. Yet neither seemed to be any use. For more than 3 1/2 rounds of the four-round bout, Wilder did everything but punch. He danced, he posed with his fists in front of his head, he put his arms around Russo and clung to his neck. A couple of times he even picked up the other fighter, lifting him a good five inches off the ground.

He just never landed a punch.

So went the last American fighter in these Olympics, a 7-1 loser, the score probably generous to the disparity between the wizened, experienced Russo and the wild, unrestrained Wilder. Despite the loss, Wilder still earned a bronze medal, the only one won by the U.S. team at these Olympics -- which makes it easily the worst showing ever for the Americans. In 1948, when the United States also won only one boxing medal, it was a silver.

A fact U.S. Coach Dan Campbell did not want to address after Wilder left the ring and was standing in the mixed zone. After a question about the Americans' performance here, a spokeswoman said Campbell wasn't going to address the subject. Not that there was much to say; the lone U.S. boxer to make the semifinals looked beaten from the start.

Nonetheless, Wilder smiled and declared, "I think it was a good fight."

He went on to add that he was sure he landed more punches than the one for which he ultimately got credit.

"It was closer than the score showed," he said. "But what are you going to do about it?"

Wilder had probably come as far as he could. When he showed up at the U.S. Olympic boxing trials last August, an unknown, he tore through a week of competition despite the fact he had only been fighting for a little more than two years. The fact he was able to qualify for the Olympics and then win two fights here to earn one of the two bronze medals said much about his resolve.

Russo didn't think much of Wilder as a fighter, though. In the mixed zone, the winner preened before the admiring members of his country's media, ripping off his jersey to reveal his tattoo as the reporters murmured their approval.

"I thought it would be harder work," he said through an interpreter. "He was slow but he's tall and I needed time to find the right way to shorten distances between us. . . . I thought he would be a very technical boxer but I was wrong."

Russo was right. Once Wilder started throwing punches, they flew hard but just never came close to landing in a place that could do damage. One punch went over Russo's head and crashed against the ropes. It wasn't until the fight was nearly over that something connected and he was given a point.

By then it was too late. As the last four seconds ticked down and Russo backed away, Wilder didn't swing, He looked ready to punch then threw nothing. The bell rang and he walked toward Campbell, his arms spread wide in confusion.

"It is difficult to hit me," Russo said.

Later, after he had time to absorb the defeat, Wilder seemed to understand this. He was not upset. He told the story again of his daughter, born 3 1/2 years ago, with spina bifida and how he gave up his dream of playing college basketball to get a job and help raise her. He said, as he has said for the last year, how he is boxing to make himself into a somebody, to make her proud.

Now he is an Olympic medalist. He is somebody.

"Look at where I am after three years [of boxing]," he said. "What do you think what would have happened if I had international experience?"