AMERICANS BEATEN TO THE PUNCH.(SPORTS)

Byline: TIM DAHLBERG Associated Press

SYDNEY, Australia -- For U.S. boxers once heralded as the best since the five-gold team of 1976, it is now this simple: three remaining shots at gold, and three chances to salvage some respectability in the new order of world amateur boxing.

If Jermain Taylor, Rocky Juarez and Ricardo Williams don't win today, the United States will go home without any boxing gold for the first time since 1948.

``The team hasn't lived up to my expectations,'' said Gary Toney, president of USA Boxing.

That thought could easily be echoed by Cuban boxing officials, though they tend to keep such things to themselves. Five …