Boxers from Alhambra and S El Monte out of Olympics

It was a sad day for the San Gabriel Valley's Olympic contingent.
Dominic Breazeale, a former Alhambra quarterback who represented Team USA in heavyweight boxing, fell behind early in a brutal match to Russia's Magomed Omarov which he lost 19-8.
"Playing the catch-up game is tough at this level," Breazeale, 27, said, according to the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin. The Northern Colorado graduate only began training 3 1/2 years ago, after not making it to the NFL draft. Instead, he was recruited to box at a Carson gym called "The Rock" and quickly climbed the ranks as a super heavyweight. "I'm learning, definitely, from this experience," Breazeale said. "The trainers did a great job. Every time I came back to the corner, they said, `Stick to the game plan.' It's my fault, not sticking to the game plan. In the middle of a bout, you can't second-guess yourself."
Bantamweight Joseph Diaz, Jr., of South El Monte, fell to Cuban World Champion Lazaro Alvarez Estrada 21 – 15. The third US heavyweight boxer, Michael Hunter of Las Vegas, also lost.
The Los Angeles Times sports writer Bill Plaschke, in a column "US Boxing Heavyweights Come Away Battered," blamed poor coaching and that American heavyweight athletes are more attracted to the NBA or NFL where they earn millions — and do not get punched.
Breazeale, Diaz, and Hunter will likely turn pro in the fall, according to the Bulletin.
Congratulations to these young men on their outstanding accomplishment. To have participated in the Olympics representing the USA is a dream of many, achieved by a select few.