Dominican boxer Yunior Alcántara advances to Olympic Quarterfinals

Francia.- Dominican boxer Yunior Alcántara secured a decisive 5-0 victory over Azerbaijan’s Nijat Huseynov in the 51-kilogram category round of 16 at the 2024 Olympic Games on Tuesday. This win advances Alcántara to the quarterfinals, joining fellow Dominican Cristian Pinales, who also triumphed in his match.

In the upcoming quarterfinals, Alcántara will face Spain’s Rafael Lozano, who recently defeated Australia’s Yusuf Chothia 4-1.

The match took place at the North Paris Arena at 9:30 am Dominican Republic time (3:30 pm in France). Alcántara showcased superior speed and a higher volume of punches throughout the bout, dominating Huseynov, a two-time European champion who had previously bested American Roscoe Hill, a world championship silver medalist, in the First World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Italy.

Alcántara maintained control in the first round with his quick pace and frequent punches. He continued to take the initiative in the second round, effectively using his left guard and speed, reminiscent of his gold medal performance at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games, where he qualified for the Paris Olympics.

In the final round, despite an aggressive push from Huseynov, Alcántara managed to fend off the attack, even after taking a direct hit to the face, and secured his victory.