There really isn’t an easy way to lose weight for a boxer these days. The usual remedy for dropping pounds late in the losing weight game involves intense training, lots of trash bags and maybe, just maybe, an index finger down the throat. US medal hopeful Gary Russel Jr. found out the hard way that denying yourself water will leave you shriveled and drier than a date fruit hanging from a palm tree in Indio, Ca.

The two-time national champion was found unconscious and severely dehydrated early Friday morning, U.S. coach Dan Campbell said. Russell’s roommate, light flyweight Luis Yanez, alerted the American coaches shortly after Russell returned from a run in a final effort to reach his 119-pound weight limit.

Medical personnel at the athletes’ village rehydrated Russell. The 20-year-old boxer wasn’t hospitalized and rested Friday, unable to participate with his teammates in the pre-Olympic weigh-in. “We became alarmed a couple of days ago when we saw he wasn’t sweating like he should,” Campbell said after Friday’s draw. “When these kids try to make weight, sometimes they cut corners. What we believe is he did not increase his fluid intake after we told him to.”

That’s a good guess. Also, those plastic bags you strapped around him with duct tape could have been taken off during twilight hours. We sweat naturally during sleep anyway, ya know? The real tragedy is that this kid won’t even get to compete in the games he struggled so hard to get to. Good thing the Olympics in Beijing will probably suck and Gary can get to prepping up for fights that will make him millions. Just think about the millions, brah.

Bantamweight Russell fails to make weight, out of Olympics [ESPN]
Image [USA Boxing]