Olympics: Richard Torrez Jr. of U.S. pounds way to gold medal match
American super heavyweight Richard Torrez Jr. will be fighting for gold.
Torrez, seeded No. 3, dominated No. 2 Kamshybek Kunkabayev before their semifinal fight was stopped in Round 3 because of a bad cut on Kunkabayev’s nose at the Tokyo Olympics early Wednesday ET.
The more-experienced, slicker and taller Kazakhstani fighter tried to box Torrez from the outside but couldn’t dissuade the aggressive underdog, who forced his way inside and landed big shot after big shot.
A huge left hand put Kunkabayev down a split second before the bell to end Round 2, punctuating Torrez’s dominance.
Torrez won the first and second rounds, which gave him a 20-17, 20-17, 20-17, 20-17 and 19-18 lead going into the third. He could’ve cruised to victory but continued to push the action, which ended when one more left hand caused a gruesome gash near the bridge of Kunkabayev’s nose midway through the round.
Richard Torrez Jr (left) celebrates after stopping Kamshybek Kunkabayev to reach the super heavyweight gold medal match. Luis Robayo //AFP via Getty Images
The referee stopped the fight at that point, giving Torrez the victory and a chance to win a gold medal.
“That’s what we came for,” Torrez said as he left the ring after his victory.
The Tulare, Calif., fighter will face No. 1-seeded Bakhodir Jalolov of Uzbekistan in the gold medal match early Sunday ET. Jalolov is the reigning amateur World Champion.
If Torrez wins, he will be only the second American super heavyweight to win a gold medal. Tyrell Biggs was the Olympic champion in 1984, the first Games after the division was instituted.