Paris 2024 Olympics - Boxing - Men's 51kg - Prelims - Round of 16 - North Paris Arena, Villepinte, France - July 30, 2024. Rafael Lozano Serrano of Spain reacts after winning his fight against Yusuf Chothia of Australia. REUTERS/Maye-E Wong
PARIS (Reuters) - Most athletes at the Paris Olympics will have their friends and family cheering them on from the stands as they compete for medals on a global stage, but Rafael Lozano's father can be found sitting a great deal closer to the Spanish boxer.
Lozano junior, the son of two-times Olympic medallist and current Spain boxing coach Rafael Lozano, beat Australia's Yusuf Chothia 4-1 on Tuesday to progress to the quarter-finals of the flyweight division.
Throughout the bout, Lozano had his father in his corner screaming instructions in his ear, but the 19-year-old said he would not have it any other way.
"I'm proud to have him by my side. I always have extra belief with my father. I trust him a lot. He's one of the coaches I trust the most, because he's my father," Lozano said.
"I'm very happy that he's here. If he wasn't here, it wouldn't be the same. It's a great feeling. I was very nervous in the fight, but I did my best. I just had to keep going."
Lozano's father won bronze at the 1996 Olympics and silver at the 2000 Olympics and the youngster said there "would be no better feeling" than adding a third medal to the family's cabinet.
"Especially for my father. It's his work, as well as all the team's. He's doing a great job with the Spanish team," Lozano said.
"He did it as a boxer, and now as a coach."
Asked if it was harder being in the ring than being in the stands, Lozano senior said: "It's a bit hard for me. I have to have more control over myself and know what I want to do.
"But then, it's also harder to be outside than to be inside. Inside, you have control of the situation. We came here to get a medal. He wants the gold medal and I'll be very happy if he can get that."
Lozano next faces either Azerbaijan's Nijat Huseynov or Junior Alcantara Reyes of the Dominican Republic on Friday.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Paris; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
