SUMMER GAMES SPOTLIGHT : BARCELONA ’92 OLYMPICS / DAY 13 : CURSES! GRIFFIN FOILED BY REFEREE?

Two days after U.S. light-heavyweight Montell Griffin lost a controversial quarterfinal fight to world champion Torsten May of Germany, it was learned that Griffin angered the referee by cursing May during the bout.

Griffin, of Studio City, lost a 6-4 decision in the quarterfinals Tuesday, in a match some thought should have been stopped and awarded to Griffin because of May’s severe eye cut.

Also, three of May’s points resulted from Argentine referee Osvaldo Bisbal’s warning to Griffin for ducking too low, with 64 seconds remaining. Griffin had been cautioned twice for the infraction earlier.

On Thursday, a USA Boxing official requesting anonymity said Bisbal, who speaks English, had told him after the bout that Griffin had cursed May early in the third round.

Griffin upset International Assn. of Amateur Boxing (AIBA) officials earlier in the tournament by showboating in the final seconds of his victory over a South Korean. After his decision loss was announced, Griffin jumped out of the ring and ran up the arena tunnel.

Did cursing May have anything to do with the low-ducking warning, which gave May three points and cost Griffin the decision?

“Bisbal seemed to be very upset with Griffin after the bout, but he didn’t tell me that’s why the ducking warning was called,” the U.S. official said. “The point is, Montell went out of his way to cause problems for himself here.”

This a daily roundup of Olympic-related items from reporters in Barcelona from the Los Angeles Times, Newsday and Baltimore Sun, all Times-Mirror newspapers.