Goodwill Games -- `Showtime' Wins U.S. Boxing Gold -- Army Enlistee Breaks Cuba-Russia Domination

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia - It was "Showtime" for the U.S. boxing team at the Goodwill Games.

Benjamin "Showtime" McDowell, a 24-year-old U.S. Army enlistee at Fort Bragg, N.C., broke the Cuban-Russian domination in boxing by winning the only gold medal for the Americans yesterday.

McDowell, a light heavyweight, scored a surprising 9-7 decision over Cuban Dihosvany Vega.

"This is my biggest international win," said McDowell, the 1994 U.S. champion. "I was the underdog and I like being the underdog.

"Maybe I can realistically think about the Olympics now, but first I want to take a vacation. I don't want to get burned out on boxing."

While McDowell saved the U.S. team from a shutout, three Americans lost - two by shutouts.

Flyweight Carlos Navarro of Los Angeles was outpointed by Waldemar Font of Cuba 18-14. Middleweight Shane Swartz of Fort Collins, Colo., was beaten by Olympic gold medalist and world champion Ariel Hernandez of Cuba 8-0. And 6-foot-8 super heavyweight Lance Whitaker of Northridge, Calif., who has boxed for only a year, lost 17-0 to Alexi Lezin of Russia.

Overall, the powerful Cuban boxing team finished with six gold medals and the Russians had five in the 12-division boxing competition.

Wrestling

The U.S. also picked up a gold and silver in wrestling. Townsend Saunders, a 149 1/2-pounder from Phoenix, took the gold, rallying to beat Vadim Bogeev of Russia 6-5. World champion Melvin Douglas, a

198-pounder from Mesa, Ariz., got the silver, losing to two-time Olympic gold medalist and five-time world champion Makharbek Khadartsev of Russia 1-0 in a referee's overtime decision in the final.

In the other wrestling final, Magomed Azizov of Russia pinned Carlos Castillo of Cuba at 4:05 in the 136.5-pound class.

Water polo

Russia won the gold medal, beating Germany 11-9 and Italy took the bronze, defeating Spain 9-8.

Gymnastics

Russia won the women's team title with 113.375 points, with Romania taking the silver medal with 116.000 and Ukraine the bronze with 115.650. The United States was fourth with 115.375. Russia's Dina Kochetkova had the top score, 39.15 points, with world champion Shannon Miller third with 38.875.

Cycling

Russia's Vyachesla Dzhavanyan won the opening event, the 77-mile road race, edging Britain's David Williams. Both were timed in 2:44:33.

Women's volleyball

Peru upset 1992 Olympic champion Cuba 3-2, the United States beat the Netherlands 3-0, Russia downed Germany 3-0, and China defeated Japan 3-0 in preliminary round matches.