PARIS, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- Cuba's Erislandy Alvarez triumphed in the boxing men's 63.5kg category to give Cuba its first boxing gold at Paris 2024, defeating home favorite Sofiane Ouhima in a close split decision 3-2 on Wednesday.
The Cuban was comfortably best in the first round, fighting at distance and beating Ouhima to the punch on multiple occasions, winning the round on every scorecard. The second and third rounds were much closer, with the Frenchman chasing down the slicker Cuban. However, much to the disagreement of the French crowd, Alvarez was able to outlast Ouhima through the third, winning three of the five judges' favor.
Ukraine's Oleksandr Khyzhniak claimed bronze in a tight split decision over Nurbek Oralbay of Kazakhstan in the 80kg event to win his country's first boxing medal at Paris.
The opening two rounds were very close, as neither was able to nullify the other's offense while remaining defensively secure. However, in the third round, Khyzhniak showed his class and began to pick Oralbay apart, winning the round on all of the judges' scorecards and securing a bitterly close 3-2 split decision.
In the men's 92kg+ division, gold medal favorite Bakhodir Jalolov thoroughly outclassed Germany's Nelvie Raman Tiafack to win a unanimous decision and make the final.
Jalolov, who has been the standout heavyweight boxer, never looked under threat as he showed keen head movement and precise striking, while Tiafack began to wear damage as the fight progressed.
The Uzbek fighter will face Spain's Ayoub Ghadfa in the final, after he defeated France's Djamili-Dini Aboudou Moindze.
Ghadfa led the dance from the first round, and despite being knocked down and kipping-up immediately to impress the crowd and perhaps avoid being called for a knockdown in the third, closed out a somewhat close decision.
