European champion, Rami Kiwan, made an impressive debut by easily advancing to the 1/8 finals of the Olympic boxing tournament in Paris. Competing in the 71-kilogram category, the Bulgarian defeated Poland's Damian Durkacz with a unanimous 5:0 judges' decision.
Kiwan started the match cautiously, focusing on finding the right distance while Durkacz aggressively pushed forward, giving the Polish boxer a slight edge in the judges' cards during the first round. However, Kiwan effectively countered Durkacz's aggression in the second round, with the referee penalizing the Polish boxer for foul actions, deducting a point from his score.
Durkacz became increasingly frustrated, but Kiwan responded with precise hits, turning the match in his favor. In the third round, Kiwan maintained his confidence and control, while Durkacz continued his unsportsmanlike behavior, earning another warning and solidifying Kiwan's victory.
Kiwan is set to face the number 1 seed, Shannan Davey from Australia, on July 31 at 12:32 p.m. Meanwhile, another Bulgarian boxer, Radoslav Rosenov, will compete in the 63.5-kilogram category against top seed Wyatt Sanford tomorrow at 12:48 p.m.