By The Associated Press
Professional boxer Hassan N’Dam has ended the Olympic hopes of U.S. light heavyweight Jonathan Esquivel with a victory at the final qualifying tournament in Vargas, Venezuela.
N’Dam won a narrow decision Tuesday in his first Olympic-style bout since 2004.
N’Dam is a 32-year-old French-Cameroonian veteran who fought at the Athens Olympics. He briefly held two interim middleweight championship belts during his 11-year pro career.
He is one of just two prominent boxers taking advantage of the International Boxing Association’s (AIBA) decision to allow pros to compete for Olympic spots.
The 21-year-old Esquivel won a round on all three judges’ scorecards in the three-round bout, but lost the decision.
The U.S. team in Rio de Janeiro will have six men and two women after four American men failed to qualify.