De la Hoya, Bray Lose Decisions at World Boxing Championships

SYDNEY, Australia — U.S. gold-medal hopes at the World Amateur Boxing Championship were dimmed today when Oscar de la Hoya of East Los Angeles lost a 17-13 decision to Marko Rudolph of Germany in a second-round match at 139 pounds.

It was the first defeat in international competition and the first loss since 1987 for the 18-year-old de la Hoya, a two-time national champion.

It was a battle of jabs, and the American appeared to have an edge. The difference could have been in the in-fighting, where Rudolph seemed busier.

De la Hoya appeared momentarily stunned at the decision against him, but admitted later that, “I felt like I lost.”

For a boxer to be credited with a point for a blow under the computer scoring system, three of the five judges must record the blow within one second.

“My timing was off,” said de la Hoya, who had drawn a first-round bye. “I wasn’t able to get my punches off. His style was really awkward. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The loss gave the U.S. team a 7-3 record in these championships at the State Sport Centre.

John Bray of Van Nuys continued to struggle, losing his first match Saturday to Bert Teuchert of Germany, who won a 14-6 decision in the 201-pound division. Bray also lost in the first round of the 1989 World Championships.