Alvarez and Khyzhniak are on the top at the Paris Olympics

Cuba and Ukraine earned the titles in the boxing event of the Paris Olympic Games today, delighting the huge crowd.

Poland’s Julia Szeremeta is a 20-year-old young talent but she had excellent defensive skills and counter-punches in the entire Olympic Games in Paris. The young Polish had difficulties only in the first round against Philippines’ Nesthy Petecio and her quick jabs decided this featherweight (57kg) semi-final today. Szeremeta will now meet Chinese Taipei’s World Champion Lin Yu Ting in the final of the weight class.

Spain’s European Champion, Ayoub Ghadfa is a tall and technician boxer at the men’s super heavyweight (+92kg). The Spaniard had a difficult road to the final of the Olympic Games and he controlled the first and second rounds against a smaller opponent, France’s Djamili Dini Aboudou Moindze. The French knocked down his neighbour in the third round but the athletic Spaniard had the stamina to win this semi-final bout therefore Ghadfa will now face Uzbekistan’s Bakhodir Jalolov in the final.

France’s Sofiane Oumiha had a very tough battle in the semi-finals of the men’s light welterweight (63.5kg) against Canada’s Wyatt Sanford but he marched to his second Olympic final. The French was not able to use hid speed and distance against Cuba’s Erislandy Alvarez and he had a disadvantage on the judges’ scorecards but he came back to the business in the second. Alvarez landed more clear punches in the third round and he bagged his first ever Olympic title in Paris beating the main favourite.

Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak had a surprise loss in the Tokyo Olympics final due to his tactical mistake but he learnt that lesion well to reach his career highlight in Paris. The Ukrainian recovered from an injury and he had the strong stamina against Kazakhstan’s lone finalist in the Games, Nurbek Oralbay, the defending World Champion. Khyzhniak was slightly better in the first and third rounds to win the Olympic title of the men’s light heavyweight (80kg).