August 23, 2004 -  U.S. Heavyweight Devin Vargas of Toledo, Ohio, and Super Heavyweight Jason Estrada of Providence, Rhode Island suffered defeats in their quarterfinal event.

On Sunday, Heavyweight Devin Vargas lost a tough bout to Vikter Zuyev of Belarus 36-27 on points.  On Monday Super Heavyweight Jason Estrada lost to Cuban Michel Lopez Nunez 21-7 on points. This only leaves two American boxers left in the Olympic games.

Light Heavyweight Andre Ward of Oakland,California will try to stop the American slump on Tuesday. Ward will face Russian Evgeny Makarenko in a quarterfinal match.

Middleweight Andre Dirrell of Flint, Michigan is the other American hopeful for a medal. Dirrell will face Cuban Yordani Despaigne Herrera in a middleweight quarterfinal match on Wednesday.

Most experts felt that Ward and Dirrell were the United State's two best hopes for a medal at this year's Athens games. Now Ward and Dirrell are the only U.S. hopes for a medal at this year's Olympics. On Tuesday and Wednesday, these two fighters will try to become the first Americans to reach this year's semifinals.

8-23-2004