USA finally wins boxing gold

ATHENS, Greece, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- American light-heavyweight Andre Ward, who has not lost a bout in six years, finally won an Olympic boxing medal for the United States Sunday.

Ward defeated Magomed Aripgadjiev of Belarus, giving the American team its first boxing gold since the Atlanta Games of 1996.

The American trailed in the second round, but began to reach his opponent in the third and pulled out a 17-11 triumph. Aripgadjiev was left with a bloody nose.

"I got a thumb in my eye during the contest and that acted as a wake up call," Ward said. "I was able to work inside and avoid his punches."

The only other medal won by the United States in Olympic boxing this year was a bronze from middleweight Andre Dirrell.

Cuba had chances for four gold medals Sunday and made good on three of them.

Yan Bhartelemy Varela won the light-flyweight division, Guillermo Ortiz Rigondeaux took gold in the bantamweight class and Mario Kindelan Mesa was the lightweight champion.

In the other two finals contested Sunday, Russian Alexander Povetkin won the super-heavyweight gold and Bakhtiyar Artayev of Kazakhstan handed Cuban Lorenzo Aragon Armenteros a setback in the welterweight division.