site.btaJavier Ibanez Diaz Wins Bronze in Men's Featherweight Boxing Event in Paris

Cuban-born Bulgarian boxer Javier Ibanez Diaz won bronze for Bulgaria in the men's 57kg event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris on Thursday night. The Winner of the 2023 European Games men's featherweight event lost in a very contested semi-final match to Kyrgyzstan's Munarbek Seiitbek Uulu by 1:4 (28:29, 29:28, 28:29, 28:29, 28:29).

The first two rounds of the bout were very even, but Ibanez Diaz was behind on one of the judges' cards, while the other four judges gave a draw. The match had to be decided in the last third, in which Seiitbek Uulu again got a slight advantage but enough to win the match.

In the post-match Ibanez Diaz said he was not satisfied, since he believes he deserved a place in the final. He added: "I am happy with the game. My opponent and I have different styles. I gave my best, I listened to the coaches and I believe I won this match. I accept that the first round was 3:2 for him, but then the second should have been mine, and the third was definitely 5:0 in my favour. That is what I think. The crowd felt it too and I heard they were not happy, but the judges decided the other way."

While Ibanez Diaz was disappointed with the judges' decision, he wants to continue competing for Bulgaria as part of the national team and try again for Olympic gold in Los Angeles in 2028.