Alvarez wins Cuba's first boxing gold at Paris 2024 in men's 63.5kg

Cuba's Erislandy Alvarez triumphed in the men's 63.5-kilogram boxing division to give his country its first gold medal in the sport at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, after defeating home favorite Sofiane Ouhima of France in a 3-2 split decision on Wednesday.

Alvarez was in a great form in the first round, fighting at distance and beating Ouhima to the punch on multiple occasions, to take the round on every scorecard. The second and third rounds were much closer, with the Frenchman chasing down the slicker Cuban. But much to the disagreement of the home crowd, Alvarez was able to outlast Ouhima through the third, winning three of the five judges' favor.

Ukraine's Oleksandr Khyzhniak claimed the bronze in another tight split decision over Nurbek Oralbay of Kazakhstan in the 80-kilogram event to win his country's first boxing medal in Paris.

The opening two rounds were very close, as neither was able to nullify the other's offense while remaining defensively secure. But in the third round, Khyzhniak showed his class and began to pick Oralbay apart, taking the round on all of the judges' scorecards and securing a bitterly close 3-2 split decision.

In the men's over-92-kilogram division, gold medal favorite Bakhodir Jalolov of Uzbekistan thoroughly outclassed Germany's Nelvie Raman Tiafack to claim a unanimous decision and reach the final.

Jalolov, who has been the standout heavyweight boxer, never looked under threat as he showcased keen head movements and precise strikes, while Tiafack began to wear down as the fight progressed.

The Uzbek boxer will face Spain's Ayoub Ghadfa in the final, after he defeated France's Djamili-Dini Aboudou Moindze.

Ghadfa led from the first round, and despite being knocked down and kipping-up immediately to impress the crowd and perhaps avoid being called for a knockdown in the third, closed out a somewhat close decision.