Paris, France, August 8, 2024: Uzbekistan boxer Hasanboy Dusmatov achieved something special at Roland-Garros Stadium on Thursday night.
Not only did the 1.56-metre dynamo win the gold medal in the men’s 51kg final, he also won over the French crowd despite beating France’s top seed, Billal Bennama, with a unanimous 5-0 decision.
The 31-year-old Uzbek managed to tame his opponent and win over the fans with an all-action display of attack and defence, combining his speed of punching and movement with his natural boxing instinct and intuition. The French spectators could not help but to cheer him.
This remarkable ring craft had already won him Olympic gold at Rio 2016, and now he was back on the top of the podium, eight years later. He missed Tokyo 2020 having turned professional.
Dusmatov was asked about his future after winning his second Olympic gold medal but could only answer: "I don't know yet. I will take a break, relax and see."
The Uzbek boxer won gold at 49kg in Rio and was Asian Games champion at 51kg in Hangzhou last year, as the weight categories corresponded to the Paris Olympic boxing schedule and served as Asia’s official qualifying event.