BELFAST, Northern Ireland -- The United States had a rough start at the World Amateur Boxing Championships on Sunday, with two fighters losing and a third failing to make weight.

Light heavyweight DeAndrey Arbon of Youngstown, Ohio, lost 11-5 to France's John Dovi. Abron is the U.S. champion and a double Army title winner based in Fort Carson, Colo.

Before a crowd of 4,500, New York heavyweight Francisco Palicios lost 11-4 to Rustam Saidon of Uzbekistan.

Andre Dirrell, regarded as the most accomplished boxer on the 12-man team, was out before the opening bell. The 17-year-old featherweight from Flint, Mich., was unable to meet the weight limit and was disqualified from the tournament.

Cuba, expected to dominate the medals, also had a tough time. Russia's Evgueni Makerenko beat Cuba's Johan Hernandez Martinez 11-8 in a light heavyweight bout. Makarenko, a left-hander, floored Hernandez during the four-round fight.

Cuba's other fighter, heavyweight Odlanier Fonte Solis, won comfortably, beating Kerston Manswell of Trinidad and Tobago 14-2.