FOREMAN AND TRELA IN RING; FOREMAN ATTACKING; REFEREE WARNING BOTH; SECOND ROUND; REFEREE DECLARES WINNER. (NATURAL SOUND)




Initials GEP/VS/BOB/SC



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Background: GEORGE FOREMAN, THE UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING FAVOURITE OBSERVERS HAVE BEEN COMPARING TO CASSIUS CLAY, HAD TO WORK HARD FOR A POINTS VICTORY OVER POLAND'S LUCJAN TRELA IN HIS FIRST BOUT IN THE OLYMPIC BOXING TOURNAMENT.

GEORGE FOREMAN, A POTENTIAL WORLD CHAMPION HEAVYWEIGHT BOXER, HOPES TO EMERGE FROM THE OLYMPICS WITH A GOLD MEDAL REPEATING CASSIUS CLAY'S PERFORMANCE AT THE ROME OLYMPICS IN 1960, WHICH BROUGHT HIM TO THE TOP. BUT HE WILL FACE TOUGH COMPETITION FROM THE RUSSIANS, AND HE WAS ALWAYS SLOW AND PONDEROUS IN HIS BATTLE WITH POLISH LUCJAN TRELA, WINNER OF 107 OF HIS 141 BOUTS.

THE POLISH SOUTHPAW SCORED HEAVILY IN THE FIRST ROUND WITH A SERIES OF RIGHT CROSSES. INDEED, HE THREATENED TO TAKE THE BOUT BY AGGRESSION AND WAS PERHAPS UNLUCKY TO GET THE WORST OF A 3-2 DECISION FROM THE JUDGES. FOREMAN SELDOM FOUND A CHANCE TO LAND HIS PILEDRIVER RIGHT AND WHEN HE DID CONNECT IN THE SECOND ROUND HE RECEIVED A WARNING FROM THE REFEREE FOR HITTING WITH THE INSIDE OF THE GLOVE.

FOREMAN, UP TILL THE GAMES, HAD FOUGHT 21 BOUTS, WINNING 18, INCLUDING 11 KNOCKOUTS AND LOOSING THREE. HE WON THIS YEAR'S GOLDEN GLOVES TITLE. 19-YEARS OLD, HE IS 6FT. 3 INCHES TALL. WEIGHS 218 LBS. BORN IN TEXAS, CURRENTLY LIVING IN CALIFORNIA, HE IS EMPLOYED AS AN INSTRUCTOR AT JOBS CORPS TRAINING CENTRE AT PLEASANTON IN CALIFORNIA.

IF HE WINS THE GOLD MEDAL, FOREMAN IS EXPECTED TO FOLLOW CASSIUS CLAY IN TURNING PROFESSIONAL, HAVING WON THE TOP AMATEUR PRIZE.