US Marine tests out Olympic dream in boxing ring

July 31, 2012: Jamel Herring, of the United States, right, fights Kazakhstan's Daniyar Yelessinov during their men's light welter 64-kg boxing match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, in London. (AP)

LONDON – Daniyar Yeleussinov of Kazakhstan ended U.S. Marine Sgt. Jamel Herring's Olympic boxing aspirations with a 19-9 victory Tuesday in their opening light welterweight bout.

Two Cuban boxers also advanced, and the Philippines' only Olympic fighter won his opening bout in the afternoon session at ExCel.

Herring served two tours of duty in Iraq and even returned to boxing after his infant daughter's death, becoming a captain of the U.S. team while reaching his first Olympics.

But the Long Island native couldn't keep up with Yeleussinov, whose aggression and quick hands repeatedly got Herring in trouble during the first two rounds. Yeleussinov mostly spent the third round avoiding exchanges, but Herring couldn't score enough points for a comeback.