XXVIII Olympic Games in Athens, Greece-Brave Kitson Julie, puts up good fight, but eliminated |17 August 2004

Inside the Peristeri Boxing Hall in Athens, Greece, Julie, making his debut at the Olympic Games, had no solution for Australian Anoushirvan Nourian in the light Welterweight (64-kg) fight.

After having earned his qualification for Athens with a gold medal in the 15th African Boxing Championahip in Gaborone, Botswana earlier this year, Julie battled with Iranian-born Australian Nourian and traded punches with him for the full four rounds.

But the more experienced and technical Nourian built an early lead and as the horn was about to signal the end of the third round, Nourian connected with left combination to force the referee to make a standing eight count on the Seychellois.

At the end of the four rounds of two minutes each, Nourian was declared the winner on a 51-22 score with the judges scoring the bout 12-6, 12-7, 12-5 and 15-4 in the Australian’s favour.

“It is true that I wanted to get more than one fight, but I’m not disappointed despite losing.  My opponent was much better than me and of a much higher level.  I felt during the bout that he was leading all along but I tried my best to contain him and I’m happy I lasted all four rounds.  This is my first Olympics and I know that I can do a lot more with more training” said 21-year-old Julie.

As for Nourian he had this to say: “The first fight is always very hard.  I can box better”.
It is to note that Nourian first represent his country of birth Iran before choosing to represented Australia two years ago.

With more that 300 bouts under his belt, 32-year-old Nourian told yours in writing that he was ranked fourth at the 1995 World Championship in Berlin, Germany.

A three-time bronze medallist at the Asian Boxing Championship in 1990, 1991 and 1992, Nourian won gold at the East Asian Games in 1996, a bronze medal at the Asian Games in 1992 in Japan, a gold medal at the King’s Cup in Thailand in 2000 and gold again at the President’s Cup in Bali, Indonesia, in 2001.