Ok-Sung Lee: 2005 World Amateur Boxing Champion
Lee Ok-sung is a South Korean amateur boxer whose flyweight gold at the 2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Mianyang, China, became the defining result of his career. He beat American Rau’shee Warren in the semifinals and Cuba’s Andry Laffita in the final. Contemporary coverage from Korea JoongAng Daily and the championship results archive document the title run.
Lee also competed at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, where China’s Yang Bo defeated him in the flyweight quarterfinals, according to his amateur record. At the Beijing Olympics in 2008, Lee edged Warren 9–8 in the opening round, then lost to Tunisia’s Walid Cherif, 5–11. Olympedia’s event record lists both Olympic bouts.
A world champion in the 51-kilogram division
Lee’s Mianyang title came in the amateur flyweight category, contested at 51 kilograms. His victories over Warren and Laffita meant defeating opponents from two of international boxing’s strongest programs on consecutive stages of the tournament. The gold was a national-team achievement, separate from the professional sanctioning-body championships often associated with the flyweight name.
An early meeting of champions in Beijing
The Olympic rematch with Warren carried additional significance. Warren had become world champion in 2007, so the Beijing opening round paired the 2005 and 2007 world titleholders. Olympedia’s account notes that the Olympic tournament used an open draw without seeding, allowing such a matchup before the later rounds.
Lee survived that contest by one point but did not advance beyond his next bout. Laffita, his opponent from the 2005 world final, went on to earn Olympic silver in Beijing. Their different tournament paths illustrate the depth of the division and the challenge of converting world championship success into an Olympic medal.
Lee’s record is therefore anchored by both a world title and a competitive Olympic appearance. The 2005 gold remains the strongest result, while the Beijing bouts show his continued presence among international flyweights three years later.
Sources
Career records and reporting: olympedia.org.
Tags
Boxing, Boxing History
