Young Turk scuppers Roche

Ireland's boxing interest at the Games was ended when Cork's Michael Roche was eliminated by Turkey's Firat Karagollu in the first round.

Roche was beaten 17-4 and admitted afterwards that he had been given the run-around.

Despite having a sizeable support in the arena, Roche failed to make any kind of impression at all, suggesting that he really was not good enough for this level of competition.

The 29 year-old southpaw was obviously out of his class even in the first round when he found himself trailing 7-1.

Following the impressive start Karagollu, who won the world junior title in 1996, was able to coast home to an easy success.

Ease

The ease of his win was demonstrated by the fact that Roche failed to produce a single scoring punch in the fourth and final round.

"He was the better man," said Roche afterwards.

"With the crowd behind me I was fully confident. But he was the better boxer. I was not good enough.

"It's a pity after all the training I have put in that I should lose in this way.

"The first round scoring surprised me and that put me at a distinct disadvantage.

"I was up for the fight but that is the way it goes. He was an experienced fighter and the only time he troubled me was in the first round with a straight left."

Sensation

But it was was light middleweight Jermain Taylor who caused a sensation when he powered the United States to their eighth consecutive victory with a thunderous first round knock out at the Olympic boxing tournament

Taylor sent Bulgarian Dimitriy Usagin crumpling to the canvas with a wicked over-the-top right hand to the chin with 10 seconds left in the opening round.

The American will next fight Canada's Scott MacIntosh, who was booed after a controversial 8-5 decision over Cameroonian Sakio Bika Mbah.

Taylor was not the only successful American on the day, with flyweight Jose Navarro winning his bout against Indonesia's Hermensen Ballo on a 16-10 points decision.

Bye

With light heavyweight Olanda Anderson drawing a bye into the second round, it leaves just three of the American team needing to qualify for the second round.

Fierce rivals Cuba also have a 100% record so far at these Games and it could mean a series of attractive contests in the following days.

Cuban Manuel Mantilla Rodriguez on Tuesday set up a second round meeting with Romanian Bogdan Dobrescu with a 20-8 points verdict over South Korean Kim Tai-Kyu.

And light middleweight Juan Hernandez, who had his world championship final loss to Russian Timour Gaidalov reversed last year in Houston after a protest against the judging, breezed past Gabon's Stephane Nzu Mba with the referee stopping the fight 1:32 seconds into the third round.

France had two victories in the afternoon session. Flyweight Jerome Thomas was too polished for Australian Erle Wiltshire winning 13-1 and middlweight Esther Frederic came from behind to eliminate Russian Andrey Mishin 16-11.