Women box at Olympics for first time

Elena Savelyeva of Russia made Olympic history Sunday by becoming the first woman to win a boxing match at the Games. Savelyeva scored a 12-9 flyweight decision over Hye Song Kim of North Korea to open the inaugural Olympic women's boxing tournament. Women are competing in three weight classes at the Olympics this year and all three were in action Sunday. The only American to enter the ring was Quanitta Underwood, who lost a 21-13 decision to Britain's Natasha Jonas in a lightweight bout Two other Americans had byes past the opening round in the flyweight and middleweight divisions. In men's bouts, the bantamweight and heavyweight classes became the first two to create semifinal matchups. Each of the boxers that won in those two divisions Sunday are assured of taking home a medal. Cuba's Lazaro Alvarez won a 16-11 decision over Robenilson Viera de Jesus in the bantamweight quarterfinals and will now meet John Joe Nevin of Ireland, who ousted Oscar Fierro of Mexico 13-7. Luke Campbell of Britain and Satoshi Shimizu of Japan will meet in the other bantamweight semifinal. In the heavyweight division, the semifinal clashes Friday will send Oleksandr Usek of Ukraine against Tervel Pulev of Bulgaria and Teymur Mammadov of Azerbaijan against Ali Mazaheri of Italy. Mazheri defeated Cuba's Jose Larduet Gomez Sunday, the third loss sustained by the Cuban team in these Olympics.