Mark Breland

............The mantle of greatness actually preceded the Olympics for Breland. He didn't look like a killer necessarily in the Olympics, but he got the gold, so there ya go.

Yes, he was pretty much expected to be a savior for boxing, as Leonard was gone by then and a new idol seemed to be needed. Tyson only grabbed people's attention about mid-85'. Until then, Biggs was actually the one that everyone was watching as far as heavyweights go (and being subsequently being disappointed in).

 

I don't recall him featured on any Ring covers, but I do recall one issue of KO Magazine from just before the Olympics that featured Breland on the front cover in, I believe, a daydreaming looking pose with Ray Leonard up above him in a faded cloud.

Well, I maybe off a little with how I'm remembering the cover because it's obviously been nearly 25 years, but the cover photo and story was indicating that Breland was thought to be the next mega star of boxing.

 

.............I had a Ring issue with him on the cover; blue background, with coverage inside of the fights between Hatcher-Bumphus and Bramble-Mancini I.

 

You're right, Sal;

http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/The_Ring_Magazine_Covers:_1984

He was on there for their August issue for that year, which would have been right around the time he was featured on the cover of KO. Unfortunately for me, none of the stores in my hometown were stocking The Ring during the 83-85 years (thereabouts), so I wouldn't have remembered that one even if I tried.

 

.........Yeah, that was the one; I had every issue shown there, and about 300 others, and one year decided to throw every one of them out, because I thought I wasn't into boxing anymore.


I am a complete tool. atsch

 

Been there, my friend.

I mean, half of my magazines didn't even have the covers on them anymore and the other half were probably bent all up, but I still kick myself for all the boxing reads I threw out during those years.

Just looking back to the year previous to that, the last issue I bought before 1986 (Dec with Rosario) came around was the July 1983 issue with Chandler on the front, but I can remember having to go out of town on a baseball tournament to pick up that one. Had quite a few issues of The Ring from the few years before that, though, after basically being a Boxing Illustrated guy for some time.

 

Did Breland come out of the Olympics that
the Soviets boycotted?

 

Yes, but Breland was considered the best amatuer welterweight in the world. He had beaten the top amatuers from the soviet Union and Cuba for quite awhile.

 

Yes, Breland came out of the '84 Olympics in Los Angeles where the Russians, Cubans, and East Germans boycotted, but even without some possibly top competitors, Breland still struggled some to take the gold against the likes of Gordon and Obreja in some less than stellar performances from what was considered the best amateur in the world.

 

i would have loved to see him fight ike quartey, to of the best jabbers in boxing history.

breland was not a strong or as tough but i would have been a good fight, quartey had his problems against slick fighters like oba carr and dela hoya so brelands pedegree may carry him at least to a lossing decision im thinking.

 

Breland did have a couple of really nice showings during those Games, I agree, with his performance against Leon being an excellant showing considering he blasted Leon with what was probably the first right hand he threw in the fight and put him down with it before finishing Leon off later in the round. Also, his showing against Bruno was a pretty nice showing considering Bruno was likely the best guy entered into that weight division besides Breland. That fight is up on YouTube, and Breland did have control of it for most of the three rounds fought in taking a clear decision against a tough adversary.

But the two fights I alluded to in that previous post, Breland didn't look nearly as good, as he looked a little lackadaisical against Gordon, who gave him a close & tough fight, and even rocked Breland and wobbled his knees for a standing eight count in the second round. His fight against Obreja was also a lacklustre performance from Breland, as he didn't do a whole lot in the fight besides throw a few long distance jabs in another fight that was close (and boring), which is also a fight that Breland was boo'd quite a bit during the fight and also when the decision was announced in his favour.

If you watch the Breland/Bruno fight on YouTube, Howard Cosell refers to a "different" (or something like that) Breland in that one due to him looking much better in it, and I'm sure Cosell's reference was made due to those above two fights that I allude to.

 

At the time , many considered Mark Breland to be arguably the best amateur boxer the United States ever produced. He bolstered those claims by dominating the psestigious Daily News Golden Gloves for several years and winning a gold medal in the 1984 Olympics. So the expectations for him as a pro were very high, like hall of fame material. He did end up winning a title, but never had the illustrious pro career many would expect from such a decorated amateur,

 

He reminded me of a larger Nana Konadu, though Konadu was tighter technically.