TAMPA, Fla. -- U.S. heavyweights won three of eight three-round bouts against the touring Soviet team Friday night at the USA-USSR Heavyweight Invitational at the University of South Florida.
Three of the five U.S. losses proved to be highly competitive bouts.
'Some of the guys I thought were going to win didn't win, but we had some pleasant surprises too,' U.S. Coach Joe Clough said.
Clough said the biggest surprise was heavyweight Tim Igo of Binghamton, N.Y., who decisioned Vladimir Balay, 2-1. Responding to the chants of 'U.S.A., U.S.A.' in the third round, Igo outpunched the Soviet in a toe-to-toe barrage against the heavier, more experienced Balay.
Igo, 20, had announced before the bout he would be leaving the sport after Friday to pursue other interests.
'I can't train properly because I'm not totally into it. But I was going to go out tonight and give it my all,' Igo said.
Michael Moorer of Monessen, Pa., started the card before a partisan crowd of 6,042 in the Sun Dome by defeating Stanislav Smirnov, 2-1, in the 178-pound light-heavyweight class.
In a decision that created some controversy, Donald Stephens of Fort Hood, Texas, was awarded a 2-1 decision over Andrei Karavaev. The Mexican judge and U.S. judge gave the nod to Stephens. The 24-year-old U.S. Army medical specialist overcame Karavaev's 10-inch reach advantage by scoring inside with rapid combinations in the second and third rounds.
In other bouts, light heavyweight Nuragomed Shanavazov defeated Phillip Jackson, Miami, 3-0; light heavyweight Andrei Kurniavka defeated Harvey Richards, Springfield, Ill., 3-0; heavyweight Usman Arasaliev defeated Warren Williams, Memphis, Tenn., 3-0; heavyweight Alexander Zolkin defeated Charlton Hollis, Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 2-1, and heavyweight Alexander Miroshnichenko defeated Kilbert Pierce, Brockton, Mass., 3-0.
In a special light-heavyweight bout, Fabian Williams of Lansing, Mich., defeated Dwight Fleming of Tampa, Fla., at 40 seconds of the third round on a disqualification.
The program was the Soviets' second straight 5-3 victory in the series. Kurniavka was named the night's outstanding boxer.
