1984 OLYMPIC BOX-OFF FINALS PRESS CREDENTIAL (HOLYFIELD, WHITAKER, TAYLOR, BRELAND)

On July 6th and 7th, 1984 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas the finals were conducted for spots on the United States Olympic Boxing Team. Tyrell Biggs of Philadelphia and Pernell Whitaker of Norfolk, Va., won berths on the United States Olympic boxing team. This was on the second and final day of the Olympic Box-Offs at the Caesars Palace Sports Pavilion. Six fighters qualified Friday night, July 6th and the final six made it on the final day, July 7th. As many as 6 of the 12 were favored to win gold medals in the Los Angeles Olympics, which began three weeks from the end of the competition. In the superheavyweight class, three judges voted for Biggs and the other two for Craig Payne of Livonia, Mich. To heavy booing from the crowd of 2,894, Whitaker gained a 3-2 decision in the 132-pound class over a more aggressive Joe Belinc of Marysville, Wash. Evander Holyfield of Atlanta outpointed Ricky Womack, 4-1, in the 178-pound fight. The others who made the Olympic team by winning three-round bouts today were 17-year-old Meldrick Taylor of Philadelphia in the 125-pound class; Jerry Page of Columbus, Ohio, at 139 and Virgil Hill of Grand Forks, N.D., at 165. Pat Nappi, the Olympic coach, said Taylor was the biggest surprise of the box-offs because of his age. In each of the 12 weight divisions here, the winner of the Olympic trials in Fort Worth fought a challenger who had survived subsequent box-offs. Six Fort Worth winners won here Friday night and made the Olympic team. The six others lost and fought again with winners making the team. In all, 9 of the 12 winners in the trials made the Olympic team. The challenge system paid off for the three others - Evander Holyfield, Meldrick Taylor and Page. In the trials, Holyfield was beaten in the finals, Page in the semifinals and Taylor in the quarterfinals. The six who made the Olympic team included two world champions - Mark Breland of Brooklyn at 147 pounds and Frank Tate of Detroit at 156. The others were Paul Gonzales of Los Angeles at 106 pounds, Steve McCrory of Detroit at 112, Robert Shannon of Edmonds, Wash., at 119 and Henry Tillman of Los Angeles at 201. Offered here is a very rare, original Olympic Box-Off Press Credential which was used by Hall Of Fame sports writer Jack Fiske of the San Francisco Chronicle.
This is an original Press Credential which names the event, venue and dates. It also has a section, row and seat number and was used to gain admittance to the arena. Bold color and print. Not creased, but has compressions from handling. Some foxing of paper, otherwise clean. Staple holes at top. Minor edge and corner wear. rare, the first we have seen for this notable event. 3" x 4."