In the 80kg category, Lopez defeated Uzbek Turabek Khabibullaev.
SAN LUIS POTOSÍ, Mexico.- Cuban boxer Arlen López, double champion Olympian, secured Cuba’s second medal at the Paris 2024 Games this Friday.
In the 80 kg category, López defeated Uzbekistan’s Turabek Khabibullaev in a fight that secured him bronze. With a score of 3-2, the boxer from the island won by decision of the judges, and thus advances to the fight for the silver medal.
The champion in Rio de Janeiro 2016 (75 kg) and Tokyo 2020 (81 kg) took the success in this fight with 29-28, 30-27, 28-29, 29-28, 27-30. “I felt good, confident of being prepared for any type of requirement,” he told the press official Lopez, after the fight ended.
“I am very happy because this is the first step towards my goal and it is my third time on the Olympic podium,” he said.
Cuban boxer Erislandy Alvarez guaranteed the first medal for Cuba at the Olympic Games Paris by beating Thai Bunjong Sinsiri by unanimous decision in the quarterfinals of the lightweight category (63.5 kg) on Thursday. With this victory, Alvarez advances to the semifinals, securing at least the bronze medal, since in Olympic boxing medals are awarded to all semifinalists. The winners of the final receive gold and silver, while the two losers automatically receive bronze.
In the fight against Sinsiri, Alvarez deployed a varied and fast punch, leaving his opponent with few options. The result of the fight was a clear 5-0. Alvarez, originally from Cienfuegos and world runner-up in Tashkent 2023, is making his debut at these Olympics. On his way to the semi-finals, he defeated Papua New Guinea fighter John Ume by technical knockout and won by unanimous decision against Algerian Jugurtha Ait Bekka.
Two boxers from the Cuban boxing representation said goodbye in their first fight. Julius Caesar the Crossa two-time Olympic champion and one of Cuba’s main hopes for gold, was eliminated by his compatriot Loren Berto Alfonso, who competes for Azerbaijan. Saidel Horta, in the 57 kg category, was also eliminated in his debut.
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