Athens - Defending champion Mario Kindelan of Cuba gave 17-year-old Amir Khan of Britain a boxing lesson in Sunday's Olympic lightweight (60kg) final.
The 17-year-old Khan, bidding to become the youngest gold medal winner since Floyd Patterson won the middleweight title in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, gave everything but came up short against the best lightweight in the world, amateur or professional.
"He's the best boxer I've seen in a long time," said Khan of the Cuban champion.
"It's a shame I didn't beat him, but I tried my best and I thought I did well."
"Maybe next Olympics, I'll get the gold medal.
"It's been a brilliant two weeks, what I expected, and I won a medal for Great Britain."
Khan showed no fear, tracking the 33-year-old three-time world champion from the bell to win the first round 4-3.
The composed Cuban kept dancing out of distance and his sharp counter-punching gave him a crucial 14-9 lead after two rounds.
Khan was still unable to get close and left himself a huge eight point deficit, 14-22, to make up in the fourth.
He chased the Cuban around the ring in the fourth, trying to land his big right, but was relentlessly picked off by a man who has been fighting for 19 years.
It was Cuba's fourth gold medal in this tournament and they had another finalist still to fight on Sunday.
Kindelan has won every tournament he has entered since the Pan American Games of 1999, including Olympic gold in Sydney and three world titles.
If he had accepted the million dollars from American he could be living in a Miami penthouse now instead of dusty Havana.
The money is beckoning Khan.
British promoter Frank Warren has told British newspapers Khan might quit the amateur scene after the 2005 world championships in Beijing and 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia.
But three-time heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield, sitting at ringside, suggested Khan would be better advised staying amateur until the Beijing Olympics of 2008.
"He is a very mature 17, but 21 is a great age. I truly believe if you don't rush people in, their chances are better."
And he paid tribute to Khan's raw ability.
"It was a great performance - he's got potential," said Holyfield.
"How do you expect a 17-year-old to fight that great. He was up against the best."
But come Beijing, Khan would be just 21 and ready to assume Kindelan's mantle.
