Bulgarian national Javier Ibanez qualified for the quarterfinals in the category up to 57 kilograms at the Olympic boxing tournament in Paris, BTA reported.
Second-seeded Ibanez, champion of the European Games, won his debut match of the competition over Ukrainian Ayder Abduraimov 5:0 (30:27, 30:27, 30:27, 30:27, 30:27, 30:27) judge's voice. The naturalized Cuban showed his class and did not give many chances to his 20-year-old rival, who is a two-time European junior champion from Budva 2021 and Sofia 2022.
Thus, Ibanez needs one more victory to guarantee at least a bronze medal. His next opponent on August 3 after 21:16 Bulgarian time will be the number 7 vice-champion from the Asian Games in Huangzhou 2023 Shudai Harada (Japan), who a little earlier also managed a unanimous decision with the experienced 31-year-old Ilmar Gonzalez Landasuri (Colombia) in another round of 16 match.
Ibanez became Bulgaria's third quarter-finalist at the Olympic boxing tournament after Stanimira Petrova in the women's 54-kilogram category yesterday and Rami Keuan in the 75-kilogram category earlier today.
He stated that he did not struggle much in his debut match.
„I give my best in every match and I promise to continue chasing victories in the remaining matches. The Ukrainian did not make it difficult for me at all. We train very hard and it's not a problem for me to keep the matches at a high pace for all three rounds. I played aggressively in the first two parts, but in the third I had to be a little more careful not to end up in an arcade, because I have new tough battles waiting for me,” said the 28-year-old Ibanez, who is the current champion from the European Games in Krakow 2023.
The next opponent of the naturalized Cuban on August 3 after 21:16 Bulgarian time will be the number 7 runner-up from the Asian Games in Huangzhou 2023 Shudai Harada (Japan).
„I know my opponent from Japan and I know what I have to do – I will try to block him and throw more shots”, commented Ibanez.
He is the youth Olympic champion from the Nanjing Games in 2014, when he also became the world junior champion, but in Paris he is ambitious to win the men's Olympic title as well.
„I came for the gold. I became a youth Olympic champion ten years ago and I dream of becoming a men's gold medalist as well. But I'm going step by step, because first I have to win the next fight to guarantee at least a bronze, said Ibanez.