Cuban boxer Erislandy Alvarez electrified the Paris Olympics arena Wednesday, securing his nation's first boxing gold medal 🏅 in the men's 63.5kg division. The 23-year-old edged out France's Sofiane Ouhima in a nail-biting 3-2 split decision that left home fans groaning in disbelief.
Alvarez dominated Round 1 with slick footwork and sharp jabs, but Ouhima fought back hard in later rounds. 'I kept telling myself: This is Cuba's moment,' Alvarez said post-match, dedicating the win to his hometown of Camagüey.
Ukraine scored its first Paris boxing medal earlier when Oleksandr Khyzhniak 🥉 narrowly defeated Kazakhstan's Nurbek Oralbay in the 80kg category. The bout went to a split decision after Khyzhniak unleashed a masterclass in Round 3.
Meanwhile, heavyweight favorite Bakhodir Jalolov 👊 of Uzbekistan steamrolled Germany's Nelvie Raman Tiafack, setting up a final clash with Spain's Ayoub Ghadfa. Jalolov’s laser-focused strikes and Matrix-level dodges left fans chanting ‘Jalolov! Jalolov!’ – proving why he’s the one to watch in Saturday’s finale.
With these high-octane matches, Paris 2024 continues delivering the drama that makes Olympic boxing a global obsession. 💥 Who’s ready for the heavyweight showdown?
