Tear-drenched teenager Jai Opetaia came within a point of causing the biggest boxing boilover of the London Olympics before being pipped by Teymur Mammadov - the world No.1 in the heavyweight category.

Tied at nine-all heading into the last round against the hulking Azerbaijani, 17-year-old Opetaia was devastated when the judges handed the fight to his opponent 12-11.

Opetaia, the youngest boxer Australia has ever sent to an Olympics, appeared to have the better of exchanges in the final round.

But when he returned to gather his emotions, Opetaia refused to criticise the judges.

Instead he chose to look to the future and a shot at gold at the 2016 Games.

"I'm just devastated, devastated," Opetaia told AAP.

"I thought I fought really well, but it's up to the judges and they didn't give it to me.

"This is just the stepping stone to where I want to go - the next step is Rio.

"Four years - I've got four years to get faster, stronger.

"I'm going for the gold medal in 2016."

Mammadov, the 19-year-old who claimed silver at last year's world championships, was supposed to make easy work of the rookie fighter.

But Opetaia gave as good as he got but wishes he could have done more.

"Just that one point, losing by one point makes you feel like you could have pushed that extra bit," he said.