Boxing 2024 Paris Olympics Review

Men’s 51kg

This was one of the weight divisions, where the draw produced an early showdown between the two gold medal favourites. Hasanboy Dusmatov (Uzbekistan) defeated Saken Bibossonov (Kazakhstan) in a thrilling quarter final, in one of the better bouts at Paris. Billal Bennama (France) was the opposition in the final, surviving some tight bouts, that included two 3-2 split decision victories over Roscoe Hill (United States) and Alejandro Claro (Cuba). In the final, Dusmatov's precise punch-picking earned him a clear victory. Amit Panghal (India), considered a strong medal contender, faced a nightmare matchup with Pascal Chinyemba (Zambia) who was able to get the decision win. Chinyemba would lose in the following round to Daniel Varela de Pina (Cape Verde), who secured the first ever medal for Cape Verde. The second quarter was arguably the weakest one and Junior Alcantara (Dominican Republic) got the bronze medal. 

🥇Hasanboy Dusmatov 🇺🇿

🥈Billal Bennama 🇫🇷

🥉Daniel Varela de Pina 🇨🇻

🥉Junior Alcantara 🇩🇴

Prediction analysis; 2 medalists correct, 2 perfect prediction 

I got the final correct. I predicted Chinyemba to upset Panghal but did not see him being beaten. Alcantara was able to get the other bronze and I did point him out as a possible contender 

Men’s 57kg

The surprises came early as Makhmud Sabrykhan (Kazakhstan) fell to Jose Quiles (Spain). Jamahl Harvey (United States) edged past rival Luiz Gabriel Oliveira (Brazil) but was later beaten by Munarbek Seiitbek Uulu (Kyrgyzstan). In the semi final, Uulu came up against Javier Ibanez (Bulgaria), who had too much guile for Aider Abduraimov (Ukraine). Most observers scored the semi for Ibanez but it was Uulu who get the nod to come up against Abdumalik Khalokov (Uzbekistan). Khalokov dominated on all the scorecards, as he did throughout the competition, taking gold. 

🥇Abdumalik Khalokov 🇺🇿

🥈Munarbek Seiitbek Uulu 🇰🇬

🥉Javier Ibanez 🇧🇬

🥉Charlie Senior 🇦🇺

Prediction analysis; 0 medalists correct

I tried to pick a few surprises in Abduraimov and Sabrykhan but neither managed it. 

Men’s 63.5kg 

The standout story in the division was Erislandy Alvarez (Cuba), who lit up the tournament on his way through to the final. His willingness to trade endeared him to the French fans. On the way to the final he overwhelmed Lasha Guruli (Georgia) in the semi final. The final was a thriller as he won a split decision after a high-paced battle against Sofiane Oumiha (France). Oumiha made his way to the final quite comfortably, beating Wyatt Sanford (Canada) who upset Ruslan Abdullaev (Uzbekistan) in the quarter final. 

🥇Erislandy Alvarez 🇨🇺

🥈Sofiane Oumiha 🇫🇷

🥉Lasha Guruli 🇬🇪

🥉Wyatt Sanford 🇨🇦

Prediction analysis; 3 medalists correct, 0 perfect prediction 

The Alvarez on film wouldn’t have won this but he seemed to have come on leaps and bounds. I was surprised that Sanford beat Abdullaev but stylistically it was a tough matchup for him.

Men’s 71kg

This divison looked wide open, and when number one seed Aslanbek Shymbergenov (Kazakhstan) fell in round one to Zeyad Ishaish (Jordan), it seemed even more so. Ishaish then edged Sekon Okazawa (Japan) in a controversial decision before losing to Lewis Richardson (Great Britain) who won two split decisions to reach the semi final. His luck would run out as he fell in the semi-finals to Marco Verde (Mexico) by split decision. Verde had beaten Nishant Dev (India) to get there. In the final, he went down to the classy Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev (Uzbekistan) who had also beat Omari Jones (United States) and Nikolai Terteryan (Denmark) with his impressive reflexes and movement. 

🥇Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev 🇺🇿

🥈Marco Verde 🇲🇽

🥉Omari Jones 🇺🇸

🥉Lewis Richardson 🇬🇧

Prediction analysis; 2 medalists correct, 0 perfect prediction 

I think I tried too pick a few surprised in one of the more open divisions. My first draft before the draw I predicted Muydinkhujaev. I got cold feet with the draw, wanting to predict Terteryan to make the medal and watching him being hurt. I should have stuck to my guns. I also felt with a tough run Shymbergenov would lose but couldn’t work out who would beat him. 

Men’s 80kg

The highly anticipated showdown between Arlen Lopez (Cuba) and Oleksandr Khyzniak (Ukraine) was somewhat ruined by the draw, being only for the bronze medal. The pressure of Khyzniak wore down Lopez and he got a split decision win despite losing the first round 4-1. Nurbek Oralbay (Kazakhstan) came through the other side of the draw with a split decision win over the awkward Cristian Pinales (Dominican Republic). In the finals, it was the trademark pressure of Khyzniak overcoming Oralbay's punch picking to claim gold.

🥇Oleksandr Khyzniak 🇺🇦

🥈Nurbek Oralbay 🇰🇿

🥉Arlen Lopez 🇨🇺

🥉Cristian Pinales 🇩🇴

Prediction analysis; 3 medalists correct, 3 perfect prediction 

I pretty much nailed this. I thought the winner of Pinales v Jongjoho could beat Tanglaithan and win a medal but picked the wrong man

Men’s 92kg

The draw was turned on its head in the opening round. Julio Cesar La Cruz (Cuba) dropped a contentious decision to Loren Alfonso (Azerbaijan). Fellow favourite Aziz Abbés Mouhiidine (Italy) perhaps was dealt a harsher hand as he went down to Lazizbek Mullojonov (Azerbaijan) controversially. Those two would make the final and it was Mullojonov who won a clear decision. The other medalists came from Davlat Boltaev (Tajikstan), who proved too experienced for Jack Marley (Ireland) and Emmanuel Reyes (Spain), who outsmarted for Victor Schelatraete (Belgium).

🥇Lazizbek Mullojonov 🇺🇿

🥈Loren Alfonso 🇦🇿

🥉Davlat Boltaev 🇹🇯

🥉Emmanuel Reyes 🇪🇸

 

Prediction analysis; 1 medalists correct, 1 perfect prediction 

Given my result, I feel like this prediction wasn’t too bad. I felt the winner of Mullojonov vs Mouhiidine would win gold and they did. I still think the Italian deserved the decision. I also said La Cruz was not as strong and losing to Alfonso proved it. 

Men’s +92kg 

Another casualty of the draw was Teromoana Junior (Australia) who had to come up against Bakhodir Jalolov (Uzbekistan) before the medal rounds, despite looking like the second best boxer. He pushed Jalolov harder than anyone else, but faded in the third round to lose a decision.The Uzbek took gold, winning all bouts by unanimous decision with an air of ease. Ayoub Ghadfa (Spain) was the man who made the final but I felt he got lucky against Djamili-Dini Aboudou Moindze (France) who dropped him in the semi final. Elsewhere Nelvie Tiafack (Germany) impressed to win bronze before losing to Jalolov. 

🥇Bakhodir Jalolov 🇺🇿

🥈Ayoub Ghadfa 🇪🇸

🥉Djamili-Dini Aboudou Moindze 🇫🇷

🥉Nelvie Tiafack 🇩🇪

Prediction analysis; 2 medalists correct, 2 perfect prediction 

Jalolov was an obvious favourite, it was about picking who would make the medal rounds with him. Ghadfa was a big shock to me, whilst Tiafack was on my shortlist. 

Women’s -50kg

The top quarter of the draw always looked challenge but Wu Yu (China) navigated it with relative ease. Nazym Kyzaibay (Kazakhstan) caused an upset by beating Ingrit Valencia (Colombia) to reach the semi final. Buse Naz Cakiroglu (Turkey) advanced through to the final rather easily, not losing a scorecard in any of her bouts. Yu overcame Kyzaibay in the semi final and her fierce attacks were too much for Cakiroglu in the final.

🥇Wu Yu 🇨🇳

🥈Buse Naz Cakiroglu 🇹🇷

🥉Nazym Kyzaibay 🇰🇿

🥉Aira Villegas 🇵🇭

Prediction analysis; 1 medalists correct, 0 perfect prediction 

Yu was the obvious name to come through the top half but given its difficulty I tried to pick a surprise. Elsewhere there were a few surprises in who made the medal rounds. 

Women’s -54kg

It was another tough top quarter and Chang Yuan (China) was able to upset Stanmira Petrova (Bulgaria) to advance through. In the semi-final, Yuan faced Pang Chol-mi (North Korea), who had cruised through to theat point. Their clash was arguably the closest bout of the division, with Yuan winning a 3-2 split decision. The bottom quarter appeared weaker and Im Ae-ji (South Korea) progressed. She would face Hatice Akbas (Turkey) in the semi final, after Akbas edged Charley Davison (Great Britain) on a split decision. Akbas reached the final where she fell to the volume of Yuan.

🥇Chang Yuan 🇨🇳

🥈Hatice Akbas 🇹🇷

🥉Im Ae-ji 🇰🇷

🥉Pang Chol-mi 🇰🇵

Prediction analysis; 1 medalists correct, 1 perfect prediction 

Again, the original draft featured Akbas winning gold but I changed my mind with a tough draw. The other tough quarter was the first and I saw that wrong. 

Women’s -57kg

The tournament opened with a big upset as Irme Testa (Italy) lost to Xu Zichun (China) on a split. One of the stories of the games was the triumph of Lin Yu-ting (Taiwan) after facing controversy over alleged failed gender tests. She did not lose on a single score card, beating Svetlana Staneva (Bulgaria), Esra Yildiz (Turkey) and Julia Szeremeta (Poland). 

🥇Lin Yu-ting 🇹🇼

🥈Julia Szeremeta 🇵🇱

🥉Esra Yildiz 🇹🇷

🥉Nesthy Petecio 🇵🇭

Prediction analysis; 1 medalists correct, 0 perfect prediction 

This changed once Testa went out. I mentioned both Szeremeta and Yildiz as potential challengers in their quarters but didnt pick either 

Women’s -60kg

It felt like the real final actually took place in the semi-final as Kellie Harrington (Ireland) edged Beatriz Ferreira (Brazil). Again, it was a close bout and I preferred the pressure of the Brazilian as opposed to the sharp counters of Harrington. Aside from that wins over Yang Wenlu (China) and Angie Valdes (Colombia) were relatively straight forward for the double Olympic champion.

🥇Kellie Harrington 🇮🇪

🥈Yang Wenlu 🇨🇳

🥉Beatriz Ferreira 🇧🇷

🥉Wu Shih-yi 🇹🇼

Prediction analysis; 3 medalists correct, 1 perfect prediction 

I did think the semi should have gone the other way but the real shame was that it was not a final.

Women’s -66kg

The biggest boxing story of the Olympics was undoubtedly Imane Khelif (Algeria). After controversy surrounding allegations of faliing a gender eligibility test, she beat first opponent by Angela Carini (Italy) by abandonment. The wins would continue to pile up, with Khelif not dropping a single scorecard on her way to the gold medal. Her path was made slightly easier as Busenaz Surmeneli (Turkey) went out to Janjaem Suwannapheng (Thailand). Surmeneli had beaten Aneta Rygielska (Poland) in a tight bout, who herself had beaten Rosie Eccles (Great Britain) in a close contest.

🥇Imane Khelif 🇩🇿

🥈Yang Liu 🇨🇳

🥉Chen Nien-Chen 🇹🇼

🥉Janjaem Suwannapheng 🇹🇭

Prediction analysis; 2 medalists correct, 2 perfect prediction 

I got the bottom half correct but Surmeneli losing caught me off guard

Women’s -75kg 

The tournament delivered some big surprises in the opening round. Tammara Thibeault (Canada) was stunned by an aggressive Cindy Ngamba (Refugee). Aoife O’Rourke (Ireland) controversially went out to Elzbieta Wojcik (Poland) in a decision many, including myself, disagreed with. Sunniva Hofstad (Norway) showed flashes but was ultimately not good enough to beat Lovlina Borgohain (India), who later fell to Li Qian (China) in the quarter final. Caitlin Parker (Australia) used her movement to defeat Khadija El-Mardi (Morocco). Qian would beat Parker to make the final. On the other side of the draw, Atheyna Bylon (Panama) landing bigger shots to get the victory over Ngamba to make the final with Ngamba becoming the first refugee medalist. Bylon was no match for Qian, in the final, who took gold. 

🥇Li Qian 🇨🇳

🥈Atheyna Bylon 🇵🇦

🥉Cindy Ngamba 

🥉Caitlin Parker 🇦🇺

Prediction analysis; 1 medalists correct, 0 perfect prediction

I thought O’Rourke and Thibeault were the top two in the division so both going out changed the shape of the draw. After watching the opening round I did think Parker would beat El-Mardi