Julio La Cruz adds his name to the rich history enjoyed by Cuba at the Olympic level, particularly in the heavyweight division. A masterclass boxing performance was offered by La Cruz in his heavyweight final with Muslim Gadzhimagomedov (ROC), becoming a two-time Olympic Gold medalist following a decision win Friday afternoon at Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo.
Keyshawn Davis began 2021 not of the belief that he would not join the U.S. boxing team in Tokyo. He is now the nation’s best shot at a Gold medal. The blue-chip prospect and number-one ranked American lightweight edged Armenia’s Hovhannes Bachkov to advance to the men’s lightweight final Friday afternoon at Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo.
Lauren Price once again found a way to turn a potential loss into a win over Nouchka Fontijn. Their fifth career meeting came with a shot at fighting for Gold at stake in the Tokyo Olympics. The opportunity goes to Great Britain’s Price, who defeated Netherland’s Fontijn by split decision in their women’s middleweight semifinal Friday afternoon at Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo.
Duke Ragan will bring a Silver medal home to Cincinnati. The inspiration featherweight representative for the United States came up one fight short of bringing home Gold, following a split decision loss to Albert Batyrgaziev (ROC). Ragan won 29-28 on two cards, overruled by scores of 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 for Batyrgaziev who is the first featherweight from the Russian Federation since 1992 to win an Olympic Gold medal.
Oleksandr Khyzhniak has not lost since failing to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics. The 61-fight win streak and a shot at Gold nearly disappeared in an instant, but the middleweight representative for Ukraine dug deep to outlast Philippines' Eumir Marcial in an all-out slugfest. Khyzhniak won on three (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) of the five judges to position Ukraine for a shot at first-ever Gold medal at middleweight.
Great Britain's Galal Yafai and Philippines' Carlo Paalam will fight for the Gold medal on August 7.
Kellie Anne Harrington and Beatriz Ferreira will vie for Gold on August 8.
By Cliff Rold - Almost anyone born in the post-Atari age knows the term well. Boss battle. It’s the end of the line, either for a particular level to a game or, finally, the ultimate nemesis, the big boss, to be overcome. By the time most read this, the world will know whether or not US featherweight Duke Ragan was able to overcome Russia’s Albert Batyrgaziev to end a gold medal drought stretching back three Olympiad’s to 2004. For the Tokyo Games, he is Ragan’s final boss.
Arlen Lopez earned his second Gold medal in as many weight divisions, outboxing Great Britain's Benjamin Whittaker to win out the light heavyweight division at the Tokyo Olympics. Lopez won on four of the five scorecards to deliver Cuba its second consecutive Gold medal win at light heavyweight.
Richard Torrez Jr. continues to perform like a team captain. The southpaw slugger from Tulare, California puts USA in the Gold medal round at Super Heavyweight for the first time since 1988 following a third-round stoppage Kazakhstan's Kamshybek Kunkabayev.