Bakhodir Jalolov begins Olympic repeat bid with points win, Team USA goes 0-2

The “Big Uzbek” took a big step toward repeating as an Olympic super heavyweight gold medalist.

Bakhodir Jalolov of Uzbekistan used his range and southpaw to defeat Oman Shikha of Norway by unanimous decision on Monday, July 29 at the Arena Paris Nord in Villepinte, France.

Jalolov, who is also a 14-0 (14 KOs) professional boxer, had to go out of first gear in the round of 16, and now heads to the quarterfinals on Friday, where he will meet Australia's Teremoana Teremoana. . The two have met before, with Jalolov stopping Teremoana in two rounds in the 2023 World Championships final. The 6'6”, 270-pound Teremoana finished the job with a right hand above the ear that sent the Ukrainian to the canvas.

After starting the tournament 2-0, Team USA fell to 0-2 on Monday, with super heavyweight Joshua Edwards losing a 3-1 decision to Italy's Diego Lenzi in the round of 16 and women's 60kg boxer Jajaira Gonzalez losing 5-0. decision over Brazil's Beatriz Ferreira in the round of 16.

Edwards, 24, of Houston, Tex. looked sharp early on using his quick footwork to get in and out, and switch between stances with each exchange to block his opponent. Edwards continued to punch and jab in the second round, although Lenzi didn't stop coming. Edwards lost a point in the second round for putting his head down, although it is clear that Edwards never bent below Lenzi's waist. Edwards tried to make up for it with a big splash to end the round, but he looked annoyed on his way back to the corner.

Edwards rocked Lenzi with a right hand midway through the third, as he came out strong trying to regain the advantage. Lenzi appeared to be out of gas for much of the third round as he gasped and gave up as Edwards rushed. Even so, Lenzi managed to land his best fighting punches, alternating right and left.

One judge scored it even at 28-28 and the other one gave Edward a 29-27 win, and the three Lenzi won 30-26 on one card and 29-27 on the other two. Lenzi will face Nelvie Tiafack of Germany, a Cameroonian born in Germany who defeated Mahamad Abdullayev of Azerbaijan by unanimous decision, on Friday, August 2 in the super heavyweight quarterfinals.

Ferreira, the only senior world champion at the Olympics this year, earned a repeat of his unanimous decision win over Gonzalez in last year's Pan Am Games semis to advance to the quarterfinals. Gonzalez, 27, of Glendora, Calif. he didn't sleep easy, as he beat the aggressive Ferreira at times in close quarters. Ferreira, who won the vacant IBF lightweight title in April with a technical decision over Yanina del Carmen Lescano, stepped up in the second round, taking Gonzalez to uppercut counters and combining body punches in the main round. Recognizing the need for something surprising, Gonzalez was successful in the third round but Ferreira's superior accuracy helped the fight.

Ferreira, 31, of Salvador, Brazil will face Chelsey Heijnen of the Netherlands on Wednesday, July 31 in the quarterfinals.

Full Results

Women's cycle 60kg of 16

Yang Wenlu (CHN) 5-0 Thi Linh Ha (VIE)

Natalia Shadrina (SRB) 5-0 Dounia Khelif (ALG)

Maria Jose Palacios Espinoza (ECU) 5-0 Tyla McDonald (AUS)

Shin Yi Wu (TPE) W-DQ Cynthia Temitayo Ogunsemilore (NGR) (doping)

Kellie Harrington (IRL) 5-0 Alessia Mesiano (ITA)

Angie Paola Valdes Pana (COL) 3-2 Donjeta Sadiku (KOS)

Chelsey Heijnen (NED) 4-1 Ungyong Won (PRK)

Beatriz Ferreira (BRA) 5-0 Jajaira Gonzalez (USA)

Men 63.5kg round 16

Wyatt Sanford (CAN) 5-0 Radoslav Simeonov Rosenov (BUL)

Ruslan Abdullaev (UZB) 5-0 Miguel Angel Martinez Ramirez (MEX)

Richard Kovacs (HUN) 5-0 Harry Garside (AUS)

Sofiane Oumiha (FRA) 5-0 Obada Alkasbeh (JOR)

Erislandy Alvarez (CUB) 5-0 Jugurtha Ait Bekka (ALG)

Bunjong Sinsiri (THA) 5-0 Jesus Nazaret Cova Romero (VEN)

Lasha Guruli (GEO) 5-0 Malik Hasanov (AZE)

Bazarbay Uulu Mukhammedsabyr (KAZ) 3-2 Chu En Lai (TPE)

Men +92kg round 16

Diego Lenzi (ITA) 3-1 Joshua Edwards (USA)

Nelvie Raman Tiafack (AZE) 5-0 Mahammad Abdullayev (AZE)

Teremoana Teremoana (AUS) KO-1 Dmytro Lovchynskyi (UKR)

Bakhodir Jalolov (UZB) 5-0 Omar Shiha (NOR)

Djamili-Dini Aboudou Moindze (FRA) 4-1 Mourad Kadi (ALG)

Gerlona Gilmar Congo Chala (ECU) 3-2 Abner Teixeira da Silva Junior (BRA)

Davit Chaloyan (ARM) 3-2 Delicious Orie (GBR)

Ayoub Ghadfa Drissi El Aissaoui (ESP) 3-2 Kamshybek Kunkabayev (KAZ)