Jajaira Gonzalez bowed out an Olympic Champion on Day1

The Paris Olympic Games opened with eighteen contests in the French capital and the Day1 delivered exciting preliminary challenges

Bulgaria’s Radoslav Rosenov won several European titles during his career and he looked highly confident against Tajikistan’s former Asian Champion Bakhodur Usmonov on their meeting. The Bulgarian light welterweight (63.5kg) boxer controlled this preliminary bout with his speed and he joined the last 16 in Paris.

Ecuador’s Maria Jose Palacios did not box since the last edition of the Panamerican Games but she exceeded all of the previous expectations with her strong performance today. She was not the favourite against Sweden’s No.1 Agnes Alexiusson but she won their meeting by 4:1 split decision in Paris, causing a surprise.

Italy’s Alessia Mesiano was World Champion still in 2016 and the veteran lightweight (60kg) boxer returned to the national team with an Olympic quota. The 33-year-old Italian had a difficult job against Turkey’s Gizem Ozer but she managed to beat her younger opponent with nice combinations.

Kosovo’s Donjeta Sadiku was their first ever medallist in a World Championships and she set up plenty of records during her career. The Kosovan lightweight (60kg) boxer had a tight contest in her opener but due to her stamina, she was able to beat Thailand’s Thananya Somnuek in the Round of 32.

United States’ Jajaira Gonzalez won junior and youth world titles in the middle of the last decade but she was not able to earn similar results among the elite boxers until today. The US lightweight (60kg) boxer shocked one of the French favourites, the Rio Olympic Champion Estelle Mossely and Gonzalez eliminated a top local hopeful.

The Cuban team has five boxers in the Olympic Games and among them the World silver medallist Erislandy Alvarez opened his campaign firstly. The Cuban light welterweight (63.5kg) boxer dominated the first round against Papua New Guinea’s John Ume and his punches were decisive in the second to win the bout by RSC.