RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Coaches Billy Walsh and Kay Koroma realize the daunting nature of the task they face at USA Boxing. Once the gold standard of the Olympic sport, the American men fell to the nadir of a medal-free trip to London four years ago.
It got so bad at the last two Olympics that when American fighters faced trouble, they would often look to the stands — where their fathers or home coaches were screaming to them — instead of listening to the U.S. coach in their corner.
Walsh and Koroma have the attention of the American team this time around, and the results are already quite encouraging.