Mixed fortunes for British boxers

Updated 08.53 Thu Aug 14 2008
Keywords: billy joe saunders, tony jeffries, beijing olympics, boxing, olympic games, olympics, sport

British teenager Billy Joe Saunders is out of the Olympic boxing competition but Tony Jeffries won his bout.

Saunders was beaten 13-6 by Carlos Banteaux of Cuba in the second round of the welterweight competition.

"The scoring here is so bad for an Olympic Games" - Billy Joe Saunders

The 18-year-old said: "The points didn't go for me today. In the last round I knew I wouldn't get the decision unless I knocked him out. The scoring here is so bad for an Olympic Games. It's unbelievable."

Light-heavyweight Jeffries fought out a 5-5 draw with Eleider Alvarez of Colombia in his first match after receiving a first-round bye and the result was decided by the total number of scoring punches scored by the judges.

Jeffries said: "It was a horrible fight but the build-up was so long and I'm just glad I got rid of this pressure.

"I've been spurred on by all the messages of support I've received here in Beijing and back home. I've only ever dreamed of winning an Olympic medal since I was six years old, and I'm so close now."

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