Khyzhnyak becomes Olympic boxing champion (photos, video)
8 August 2024 01:14
Оlympics
Ukrainian Oleksandr Khyzhnyak won the title of Olympic champion in the final of the boxing competition in the 80 kg weight category at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine.
In the final fight, Khyzhnyak defeated Kazakhstan’s Nurbek Oralbay.
Khyzhnyak’s opponent Oralbay is the current world champion in the weight class of up to 80 kg. At the same time, in the only fight between the boxers, which took place in February 2023, the Ukrainian won (by a split decision of the judges).
Khyzhnyak reached the final of the 2024 Olympics with three victories. As reported, Khyzhnyak defeated Hungarian Filip Akilov in the 1/8 finals and Brazilian Wanderlei Pereira in the 1/4 finals.
In the last fight , the Ukrainian boxer defeated Olympic champion Arlen Lopez, turning the tide after losing the first round.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated the athlete on his victory at the 2024 Olympics.
“Another gold medal at the Paris Olympics for Ukraine! Boxer Oleksandr Khyzhnyak won first place. Thank you for your strength, for your confidence, for this important victory! We continue to support all our athletes. We support Ukraine, we support Ukrainians!” Zelensky wrote.
It should be noted that Khyzhnyak reached the final of the Olympic Games in the weight class of up to 80 kg for the second time in his career.
In Tokyo, the Ukrainian boxer was one step away from winning a gold medal: before the decisive third round, he led on points, but eventually lost by a controversial knockout.
As a reminder, Khyzhnyak won a silver medal in the 75kg weight category at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Khyzhnyak became the fifth Ukrainian to win gold at the Olympic Games. The last time Vasyl Lomachenko and Oleksandr Usyk managed to do so in 2012.
All Ukrainian Olympic boxing champions
- Wladimir Klitschko (1996) – over 91 kg
- Vasyl Lomachenko (2008) – up to 57 kg; (2012) – up to 60 kg
- Oleksandr Usyk (2012) – up to 91 kg
- Oleksandr Khyzhnyak (2024) – up to 80 kg
