2024 Olympics Males’s Boxing Preview: Schedule, seeding, medal picks

The Olympics are again! And which means Olympic Boxing protection is again! Unhealthy Left Hook will as soon as once more have full reside protection and recaps of all 14 days and 236 fights throughout the lads’s and ladies’s tournaments.

Right here’s a division-by-division primer of the lads’s match that may have you ever following alongside like a scholar.

Beneath, you’ll discover the schedule for each session in each division, the eight seeded fighters for every weight class, predicted medalists, and a handful of enjoyable details about every group of fighters. Something and every part you’ll have to impress and/or alienate your pals, who would all most likely reasonably be watching gymnastics.

Three vital notes

• Fighter seeds are NOT an goal rating of presumed expertise or potential. Due to the Worldwide Boxing Affiliation’s complicated and precarious state of affairs with the Worldwide Olympic Committee, this yr’s occasion is overseen by an advert hoc committee referred to as the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit. They decided the seeds for every division by random draw primarily based on the outcomes of the 5 2023 Continental qualifying tournaments. The 5 gold medalists had been randomly drawn for seeds 1-5, and the silver medalists from Europe, Asia, and the Americas had been drawn for seeds 6, 7, and eight.
• Medal predictions do think about potential matchups amongst seeded fighters. For instance: Within the 92 kg division, Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine and Keno Machado would each be presumptive picks for medals in a blind draw. However, we already know they’d must face one another earlier than the medal rounds, and that’s factored into the medal projections. However, the ultimate draw for the total bracket gained’t be recognized till July twenty fifth. We don’t know what the trail seems like for the unseeded boxers but, and the outcomes of that draw will clearly render a few of these medal picks unimaginable.
• Lastly, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, after all, really occurred in 2021. Fairly than repeatedly typing one thing wordy and awkward like “the Tokyo Olympics held in 2021” when discussing outcomes from these video games, they’ll simply be known as “2020.”

Photograph by Al Bello/Getty Photos

92+ kg / 203+ lbs

Schedule:

• 7/29 – Prelims / Spherical of 16 – 6:36 a.m., 10:50 a.m., 3:20 p.m. ET
• 8/2 – Quarterfinals – 11:38 a.m., 4:08 p.m. ET
• 8/7 – Semifinals – 4:02 p.m. ET
• 8/10 – Remaining – 4:51 p.m. ET

Seeds:

1. Joshua Edwards (United States)
2. Scrumptious Orie (Nice Britain)
3. Mourad Kadi (Algeria)
4. Bakhodir Jalolov (Uzbekistan)
5. Teremoana Junior (Australia)
6. Abner Teixeira (Brazil)
7. Kamshybek Kunkabayev (Kazakhstan)
8. Mahammad Abdullayev (Azerbaijan)

4 picks for 4 medals

Joshua Edwards (United States), Bakhodir Jalolov (Uzbekistan), Kamshybek Kunkabayev (Kazakhstan), Nelvie Tiafack (Germany)

Observations and evaluation

• Jalolov is quick proof that seeding right here shouldn’t be a rating primarily based on anticipated outcomes.He’s in his third Olympics, incomes the gold in 2020 and shedding to Joe Joyce within the 2016 quarterfinals. He has 11 wins towards this yr’s area, and the one man right here that’s ever crushed him is Kunkabayev, who final achieved it in 2017 however misplaced to Jalolov of their 5 conferences since then. With Jalolov on the highest half of the bracket and Kunkabayev on the underside, it’s very attainable they’ll face one another but once more for the gold medal.
• Abner Teixeira is combating on an injured ACL, and delay surgical procedure to permit himself to compete in Paris. After qualifying by making the Pan Am Video games remaining final October, he withdrew and gave Edwards the gold medal there to keep away from worsening the damage. Teixeira gained a bronze medal in 2020, and he’d be a favourite for one more medal right here if he had been on two good legs.
• Joshua Edwards must face Jalolov within the semifinals, however a possible loss there would nonetheless be sufficient to safe him a bronze medal. Jalolov and Teixeira have crushed him earlier than, however neither may face him earlier than the medal rounds.
• Nelvie Tiafack is 10-2 towards potential opponents not named Kunkabayev or Teixeira, and the Teixeira loss predates the ACL damage. He’s 2-0 towards Orie, and a path to the semis that doesn’t run via Jalolov or Kunkabayev may lead to a medal.
• If the draw isn’t in Tiafack’s favor, control Diego Lenzi (Italy), who has wins over seeded fighters Orie and Abdullayev. He’s one of many shorter males within the weight class, however he’s had success towards a number of within the area.

Enjoyable details and various nonsense

• Scrumptious Orie’s father took inspiration for his son’s title from Scrumptious Kennedy of the 90s R&B group All-4-One. For many people, the sounds of “I Swear” and “I Can Love You Like That” had been simply the backdrop for center and highschool dances spent shuffling awkwardly, hoping no ladies would discover how sweaty our palms had been. However for Justin Orie, these songs impressed the title of a champion boxer.
• Teremoana Junior completed an apprenticeship and deliberate on being a plumber, however caught with boxing.
• Dmytro Lovchynskyi (Ukraine) is a graduate of Pereiaslav-Khmelnytskyi Hryhorii Skovoroda State Pedagogical College in Pereiaslav. Their mascot is an owl.

Photograph by Rodolfo Buhrer/Eurasia Sport Photos/Getty Photos

92 kg / 203 lbs

Schedule:

• 7/28 – Prelims / Spherical of 16 – 6:04 a.m., 10:02 a.m., 2:16 p.m., ET
• 8/1 – Quarterfinals – 7:08 a.m., 11:54 a.m., 3:52 p.m. ET
• 8/4 – Semifinals – 7:08 a.m., 11:38 a.m. ET
• 8/9 – Remaining – 4:16 p.m. ET

Seeds:

1. Ato Plodzicki-Faoagali (Samoa)
2. Davlat Boltaev (Tajikistan)
3. Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine (Italy)
4. Julio Cesar La Cruz (Cuba)
5. Olaitan Olaore (Nigeria)
6. Keno Machado (Brazil)
7. Jack Marley (Eire)
8. Han Xuezhen (China)

4 picks for 4 medals

Loren Alfonso (Azerbaijan), Julio Cesar La Cruz (Cuba), Keno Machado (Brazil), Aibek Oralbay (Kazhakstan)

Observations and evaluation

• La Cruz is a four-time Olympian and two-time gold medalist, profitable in 2016 and 2020, and shedding within the quarterfinals in 2012. There have been 5 different potential medalists I thought of for this writeup, and he’s already crushed 4 of them. He doesn’t seem to have ever fought the fifth (Oralbay).
• Machado was a troublesome name over his potential quarterfinal opponent, Mouhiidine. Each of them are able to making it via to a medal, however just one really can due to the seeding.
• Loren Alfonso was born in Cuba, however fights for Azerbaijan now. He gained a bronze medal in 2020 at 81 kg, shedding to eventual gold medalist Arlen Lopez.
• Aibek Oralbay has a twin additionally combating on this Olympics at 80 kg. Keno Machado as soon as beat his brother, and I suppose we have now to at the least think about the chance that it may need been Aibek in some type of Mother or father Entice scheme gone incorrect. Aibek has misplaced to Mouhiidine earlier than, in order that matchup may very well be an issue if he will get a nasty draw.
• If Oralbay does get an unfavorable consequence, one other contender to observe is Enmanuel Reyes (Spain). Reyes made the 2020 Olympics, shedding within the quarterfinals to eventual gold medalist La Cruz. He’s 31, which is younger sufficient to compete, however sufficiently old to comprehend this may very well be his final shot at a medal. I might have picked him to win one outright if not for a loss in his solely earlier struggle with Oralbay.

Enjoyable details and various nonsense

• Adam Olaore actually likes describing himself as “a hunter.” He’s been via just a few nicknames, however proper now he’s generally known as “Huge Future.” His function mannequin? Himself in 5 years.
• Patrick Brown (Nice Britain) trains out of a firefighter health club.
• Ato Plodzicki-Faoagal left college at 16 to concentrate on boxing. He actually preferred rugby, however his dad made him give up.
• Jack Marley (Eire) met Katie Taylor after her 2012 Olympic triumph, when she visited his elementary college.

Photograph by Ou Dongqu/Xinhua by way of Getty Photos

80 kg / 176 lbs

Schedule:

• 7/27 – Prelims / Spherical of 32 – 11:38 a.m. and 4:08 p.m. ET
• 7/30 – Prelims / Spherical of 16 – 5:48 a.m., 10:18 a.m., 2:32 p.m. ET
• 8/2 – Quarterfinals – 11:06 a.m., 3:36 p.m. ET
• 8/4 – Semifinals – 6:52 a.m., 11:22 a.m. ET
• 8/7 – Remaining – 4:51 p.m. ET

Seeds:

1. Tuohetaerbieke Tanglatihan (China)
2. Arlen Lopez (Cuba)
3. Oleksandr Khyzhniak (Ukraine)
4. Abdelrahman Abdelgawwad (Egypt)
5. Callum Peters (Australia)
6. Wanderley Pereira (Brazil)
7. Eumir Marcial (Philippines)
8. Gabrijel Veocic (Croatia)

4 picks for 4 medals

Oleksandr Khyzhniak (Ukraine), Arlen Lopez (Cuba), Nurbek Oralbay (Kazhakstan), Tuohetaerbieke Tanglatihan (China)

Observations and evaluation

• Lopez is defending consecutive gold medals from 2016 and 2020, and he’s already crushed proficient professionals like Christian Mbilli, Bektemir “Bek the Bully” Melikuziev, and Ben Whittaker to earn them.
• Khyzhniak is likely one of the finest professional boxing prospects in any division, with a relentless attacking fashion that makes for entertaining viewing, and may translate very nicely to the skilled ranks. He took silver in 2020 in a surprising final spherical upset stoppage. Khyzhniak continued pressuring Hebert Sousa within the gold medal match regardless of main on all playing cards, and bought caught with a hook for his braveness. A possible semifinals matchup between Khyzhniak and Lopez is likely one of the most mouthwatering potentialities in any weight class, and must-see viewing if (doubtless when) it occurs.
• Tuohetaerbieke (generally known as Toqtarbek Tanatqan) was a 2020 Olympian, shedding within the second spherical to eventual gold medalist/Khyzhniak slayer Hebert Sousa. He’s 7-2 towards opponents on this division, with each defeats (and one victory) coming towards Nurbek Oralbay, all by cut up choice.
• Eumir Marcial (Philippines) was honored with a postage stamp after he gained bronze in 2020. However, this yr’s seeding would have him within the quarterfinals towards Khyzhniak, who eradicated him within the 2020 semis. One other probably nice struggle on this division, however sadly one prone to get rid of Marcial wanting the medals this yr.
• Nurbek Oralbay is the second, lighter twin brother of the Kahzakh Charlos. Khyzhniak is the one man within the area he’s confronted and never crushed, together with a 2-1 report towards #1 seed Tuohetaerbieke. So long as Oralbay doesn’t find yourself on the nightmare aspect of the bracket with Lopez, Khyzhniak, and Marcial, he’s a really sturdy medal contender.

Enjoyable details and various nonsense

• Abdelrahman Abdelgawwad (Egypt, generally known as Abdelrahman Oraby) is 36, which I consider makes him the oldest man in any division this yr. He’s in his third Olympics, shedding in Spherical 1 in 2016 and Spherical 2 in 2020.
• Pylyp Akilov (Hungary) is a Ukrainian refugee who solely obtained Hungarian citizenship a few yr in the past. His home was bombed along with his dad and mom close by, and his dad needed to have shrapnel surgically faraway from his again.
• Hussein Iashaish (Jordan) can also be combating within the Olympics for the third time, shedding within the quarterfinals in 2016 (to Tony Yoka) and 2020. His brother is combating within the 71 kg division this yr, however they aren’t twins just like the Oralbays, which makes them barely much less attention-grabbing to me.

Photograph by RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP by way of Getty Photos

71 kg / 157 lbs

Schedule:

• 7/28 – Prelims / Spherical of 32 – 5:32 a.m., 9:46 a.m., 2:00 p.m. ET
• 7/31 – Prelims / Spherical of 16 – 5:32 a.m., 10:18 a.m., 2:48 p.m. ET
• 8/3 – Quarterfinals – 10:02 a.m., 2:32 p.m. ET
• 8/6 – Semifinals – 3:30 p.m. ET
• 8/9 – Remaining – 3:30 p.m. ET

Seeds:

1. Shannan Davey (Australia)
2. Marco Verde (Mexico)
3. Sewonrets Okazawa (Japan)
4. Nikolai Terteryan (Denmark)
5. Omar Elawady (Egypt)
6. Vakhid Abbasov (Serbia)
7. Jose Gabriel Rodriguez (Ecuador)
8. Kan Chia-wei (Chinese language Taipei)

4 picks for 4 medals

Okazawa, Aslanbek Shymbergenov (Kazahkstan), Verde, Terteryan

Observations and evaluation

• Arguably three of the 4 medal favorites are all seeded on one aspect of the bracket. The one with the clearest medal path is Marco Verde from the No. 2 seed. The one man within the unseeded ranks he’s misplaced to is India’s Nishant Dev. He’s 7-0 towards each potential opponent he’s confronted already, and the most secure choose to make it via to the semifinals.
• Sadly, Sewon Okazawa and Vakhid Abbasov can’t keep away from one another within the quarterfinals, and just one can probably advance to the medal rounds. Give the slight edge to Okazawa, a 2020 Olympian who additionally had the misfortune of operating into two-time gold medalist Ronel Iglesias within the second spherical in Tokyo.
• Aslanbek Shymbergenov is the oldest man on this division, and one of many tallest. Past expertise and dimension, he’s additionally very succesful, splitting a pair of fights with Okazawa and profitable towards everybody else within the weight class he’s confronted earlier than. If the draw places him within the high half of the bracket, pencil him in for a medal. And if he finally ends up on the underside aspect with Verde, Okazawa, and Abbasov, be sure to tune in for the preliminary rounds, as a result of an excellent struggle should occur early.
• Nikolai Terteryan has a really favorable seeding draw. The one one within the area that’s crushed him earlier than is Abbasov, and so they can’t meet till the gold medal match. Terteryan has been the scourge of the English talking world, tallying wins towards No. 1 seed and potential semifinal opponent Shannan Davey from Australia, Nice Britain’s Lewis Richardson, and Group USA’s Omari Jones.
• Aidan Walsh (Eire) gained a bronze in 2020, however his report towards opponents on this yr’s match isn’t nice. A positive draw into the highest aspect of the bracket could be sufficient for him to repeat as a medalist, although.

Photograph by Zhijian Liu/Getty Photos

63.5 kg / 140 lbs

Schedule:

• 7/27 – Prelims / Spherical of 32 – 11:06 a.m. and three:36 p.m. ET
• 7/29 – Prelims / Spherical of 16 – 5:48 a.m., 10:02 a.m., 2:48 p.m. ET
• 8/1 – Quarterfinals – 6:52 a.m., 11:38 a.m., 3:20 p.m. ET
• 8/4 – Semifinals – 6:36 a.m., 11:06 a.m. ET
• 8/7 – Remaining – 4:34 p.m. ET

Seeds:

1. Wyatt Sanford (Canada)
2. Lai Chu-en (Chinese language Taipei)
3. Jugurtha Ait Bekka (Algeria)
4. Sofiane Oumiha (France)
5. Harry Garside (Australia)
6. Bunjong Sinsiri (Thailand)
7. Lasha Guruli (Georgia)
8. Miguel Angel Ramirez (Mexico)

4 picks for 4 medals

Ruslan Abdullaev (Uzbekistan), Lasha Guruli (Georgia), Sofiane Oumiha (France), Bakhodur Usmonov (Tajikistan)

Observations and evaluation

• Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have two of the most effective beginner boxing programs on the earth, and Ruslan Abdullaev skilled in each of them. He’s unseeded as a result of he misplaced in his Continental qualifying match, however the man who beat him there failed a drug check. Abdullaev has gained his share of different tournaments, and a number of gold medals in aggressive regional tournaments are a great indicator of Olympic potential.
• The random seeding course of will deny both Sofiane Oumiha or Harry Garside an opportunity to repeat as an Olympic medalist. Oumiha had a disappointing 2020, operating into Keyshawn Davis within the Spherical of 16. However he had nice success in 2016, beating Teofimo Lopez within the opening spherical on the way in which to a silver medal. Garside gained the bronze in 2020, shedding to Andy Cruz within the semifinals. The potential quarterfinal matchup is a coin flip struggle; Garside most likely has the higher skilled prospects, however Oumiha feels barely extra prone to advance and declare one other medal.
• Lasha Guruli misplaced to Oumiha within the finals of the 2023 European qualifying match, however they’re on reverse sides of the bracket right here. He has a notable win over Garside, and an excellent report towards the unseeded fighters.
• You could possibly argue a medal case for unseeded fighters Bakhodur Usmonov and Erislandy Alvarez (Cuba). I’d favor Usmonov, who fought within the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and gained a head-to-head matchup with Alvarez again in March.

Enjoyable details

• No. 1 seed Wyatt Sanford is married to a different Olympian, diver Jennifer Ware. They each competed in 2020, and Ware additionally dove? dived? doved? dovved? …jumped off a bouncy board into water in Rio 2016.

Photograph by JAVIER TORRES/AFP by way of Getty Photos

57 kg / 126 lbs

Schedule:

• 7/28 – Prelims / Spherical of 32 – 5:16 a.m., 9:30 a.m., ET
• 7/31 – Prelims / Spherical of 16 – 5:00 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m. ET
• 8/3 – Quarterfinals – 9:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m. ET
• 8/8 – Semifinals – 3:30 p.m. ET
• 8/10 – Remaining – 3:47 p.m. ET

Seeds:

1. Abdumalik Khalokov (Uzbekistan)
2. Javier Ibanez (Bulgaria)
3. Jahmal Harvey – USA
4. Charlie Senior (Australia)
5. Dolapo Omole (Nigeria) (Omole has withdrawn resulting from damage)
6. Saidel Horta (Cuba)
7. Shudai Harada (Japan)
8. Jose Quiles (Spain)

4 picks for 4 medals

Jahmal Harvey, Javier Ibanez, Abdumalik Khalokov, Carlos Palaam (Philippines)

Observations and evaluation

• The random seeding really gave us a fairly good bracket! Khalokov is a worthy No. 1 seed, with an extended string of match gold medals and his report towards the sector making him arguably this yr’s gold medal favourite. Ibanez was born in Cuba and began his youth profession there, and I’d have given him the identical No. 2 seed the random draw delivered. Harvey is broadly thought of Group USA’s finest likelihood at a boxing medal, and he already beat potential quarterfinals opponent Saidel Horta on the Pan Am Video games.
• Carlos Palaam was a 2020 silver medalist, shedding to Galal Yafai within the finals. He additionally bought a stamp in his honor within the Philippines, and a made-for-TV biopic celebrating his efficiency. Khalokov eradicated him on the Asian Video games, and Sweden’s Nebil Ibrahim may very well be a banana peel primarily based on Ibrahim’s win again in January. Past that, Palaam has a strong historical past towards this area, and an excellent likelihood to repeat as a medalist.

Enjoyable details

• Brazil’s Luiz Olivera is the grandson of Brazil’s first ever boxing medalist, Servílio de Oliveira, who gained a bronze on the 1968 Mexico Metropolis Olympics.

YURI CORTEZ/AFP by way of Getty Photos

51 kg / 113 lbs

Schedule:

• 7/28 – Prelims / Spherical of 32 – 5:00 a.m. ET
• 7/30 – Prelims / Spherical of 16 – 5:00 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m. ET
• 8/2 – Quarterfinals – 10:34 a.m., 3:04 p.m. ET
• 8/4 – Semifinals – 6:20 a.m., 10:50 a.m. ET
• 8/8 – Remaining – 4:34 p.m. ET

Seeds:

1. Billal Bennama (France)
2. Hasanboy Dusmatov (Uzbekistan)
3. Patrick Chinyemba (Zambia)
4. Junior Alcantara (Dominican Republic)
5. Yusuf Chothia (Australia)
6. Thitisan Panmot (Thailand)
7. Samet Gümüs (Turkey)
8. Michael Trinidade (Brazil)

4 picks for 4 medals

Saken Bibossinov (Kahzakstan), Alejandro Claro (Cuba), Hasanboy Dusmatov (Uzbekistan), Amit Panghal (India)

Observations and evaluation

• Hasanboy Dusmatov already has a gold medal from Rio 2016. He didn’t compete in 2020, however he’s again, nonetheless simply 31 years previous, and needs to be the favourite to take gold but once more.
• The bracket draw for unseeded boxers will resolve the medals right here. Bibossinov gained the bronze in 2020, shedding within the semis to gold medalist Galal Yafai. Panghal bought a style of the Olympics in 2020, shedding within the second spherical, and beat a number of on this yr’s area on the way in which to qualifying for Paris. Claro is a little bit of a riskier choose, however he’s bought at the least one notable win towards a robust contender this yr.
• On that observe, robust crowd for Billal Bennama this yr. Bibossinov knocked him out of the 2020 Olympics within the Spherical of 16. Panghal beat him within the qualifying cycle for Tokyo. Claro beat him in a struggle earlier this yr. Bennama is superb, but it surely’s robust to see a medal path for him that doesn’t run via somebody that’s had his quantity earlier than.

Enjoyable details

• 29-year-old Roscoe Hill (USA) was actually baptized by George Foreman. He give up boxing in highschool, however was impressed to take it up once more watching Shakur Stevenson within the 2016 Olympics, making him maybe the one individual ever to see a Shakur struggle and in some way need extra. He completed third in US qualifying for 2020, and at last earned a spot this yr.
• Thitisan Panmot certified for Tokyo as a 19-year-old, however tore his ACL and needed to withdraw.
• Omid Ahmadisafa (IOC Refugee Group) was an Iranian kickboxer earlier than defecting to Germany in 2021. He beat No. 7 seed Gumus within the qualifying cycle for Tokyo, so he may need higher prospects right here than the standard invitational qualifier.
• 18-year-old Juan Manuel Lopez (Puerto Rico) is the son of two division WBO champion Juanma Lopez. He goes by “Juanmita.”
• Rafael Lozano Serrano (Spain) is the son of Rafael Lozano — coach of the Spanish nationwide staff. Papa Lozano was a three-time Olympian and two-time medalist (1996 bronze and 2000 silver).