Coach takes a shot

BEIJING - Luis Yanez came out for Round 1 with one glove at his waist and another near his ear.

To those who knew how to spot it, the light flyweight was essentially making an obscene gesture directed at United States boxing coach Dan Campbell.

"He basically did the opposite of what we asked him to do," said Campbell, shaking his head for the last time over his smallest fighter and biggest problem on an American team that has foundered in yet another Olympics.

The tumultuous nine-man US squad was down to just two boxers last night after Yanez, whom Campbell temporarily kicked off the team last month for skipping training, spent every minute of his 8-7 loss to Mongolia's Serdamba Purevdorj ignoring everything Campbell told him.

When Campbell told Yanez to keep his hands close, Yanez left them low. When Campbell visibly pleaded with Yanez to attack his opponent, the boxer sat back with inexplicable caution, eventually waiting until it was too late.

But Campbell couldn't have been terribly surprised to see Yanez doing his own thing in the ring. Last month, Yanez told the Associated Press that if he got reinstated to the team, he wouldn't be listening to Campbell in his corner, anyway.

Earlier, Campbell had told the AP that Yanez was "one of the biggest liars I've ever met." Too bad Yanez wasn't lying about ignoring him.

A team that could have used some good news from Yanez, the talented teenage 106-pounder, instead got a bizarre episode.

"[Campbell was] telling me to just go at him, go at him," Yanez said. "I'm not that type of fighter. If I do that, I'm going to take [big punches] . . . My dad told me to call him as soon as I'm done. I feel like I let him down."

Yanez trusts his hometown supporters in Duncanville, Texas, more than Campbell, and he isn't alone on the US team. Yanez acknowledged he spoke to his father, Bulmaro, and coach Dennis Rodarte - who both can't stand Campbell - shortly before both of his Olympic bouts.

Campbell said he believes Yanez has been getting bad advice from his friends and family, but he was unable to break through that bond with several of his boxers.

"These kids have been calling home so often," Campbell said. "What happens is they get instructions all the way from the United States, and you can tell the difference because once the bell rings, they start to do other things." (AP)