The big fight -- Savon versus Bennett

The big fight -- Savon versus Bennett
Robert Smith

Sydney, September 25: It's the fight of the Olympics: Cuba's two-time gold medallist Felix Savon against US world champion Michael Bennett on Tuesday with much to lose for the vanquished. Savon, an imposing 1.98-metre colossus with a career to match, is amateur boxing's greatest current warrior who is pursuing a hat trick of Olympic titles to emulate countryman Teofilo Stevenson's achievement.

In the opposite corner is inexperienced but talented 29-year-old world champion Bennett, who was serving time in an Illinois prison for armed robbery when Savon won his second Olympic title in Atlanta four years ago.

Bennett has had fewer than 40 fights since his release from prison in July 1998, but in quick time he fought his way into the finals of last year's World Championship in Houston.

He was scheduled to face Savon in the final last August but the Cuban defaulted in protest against a disputed decision that went against a teammate. Bennett will be the first American to fight a Cuban here, and it could be a gauge to the chances of the other six US boxers who could face Cubans in either semi-final or gold medal fights.

In the last two Olympics, the US are 2-7 against Cubans, who have ruled amateur boxing for much of the last quarter century. Cuba have 10 of their 12 fighters in the quarter-finals, while US have had five casualties in the preliminary rounds. If Bennett can topple Savon, 33, a man who has previously won six consecutive world titles, a fortune beckons in professional boxing where the the heavyweight game is desperate for new promotable talent.

The loser of Tuesday's showdown bows out with nothing while the winner presses on for the gold medal. The Bennett camp believe Savon is an ageing boxer, on the downside of his fabulous career. "We've been watching tapes and we have a game plan against Savon," said US head coach Tom Mustin Monday. "If he follows the plan and doesn't get caught up in the hype, I believe he'll do it."

For his part, Bennett is supremely confident of ending Savon's Olympic era. "I have all the confidence in the world, I'm desperate for the title," said Bennett, who has had Savon scouted by current WBA heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield. "It was disappointing that I didn't get to compete against him (at the worlds) and now I'm competing against him and I want to fight my best.

"I'm going to do what my coaches tell me to do, keep my hands up, keep moving, stay inside and I'm hoping of reaching a long distance. My eyes will be on the gold medal just like it was in the world championships."

Straight-shooting Mustin says of the big fight: "Michael's probably thought about this bout for a year since winning the world championship. He's talked about it a lot, and it's too bad they couldn't meet then, but this is going to be the gold medal fight."

What Savon is thinking is not known. Coach Alcides Sagarra forbids his boxers to speak to the media during tournaments, and Savon has kept a low profile at the Olympics.