By Aadi Nair PARIS (Reuters) -Rio Olympics champion Hasanboy Dusmatov claimed the men’s flyweight boxing final after beating Billal Bennama at the Paris Olympics on Thursday, while Cindy Ngamba made history by winning the refugee Olympic team’s first-ever medal. Dusmatov’s win by unanimous decision over Bennama was especially crushing for French fans, coming a day after fellow Frenchman Sofiane Oumiha’s loss in the lightweight final. Junior Alcantara of the Dominican Republic and Cape Verde’s David de Pina took bronze after their semi-final defeats.
French fans flooded into Court Philippe Chatrier to support Bennama and loudly shouted “allez les bleus” ahead of the bout, while booing Dusmatov on his entry. The pair also faced off in the men’s flyweight final at last year’s world championships in Tashkent, which Bennama lost after being dropped to the canvas in the first round when he was struck with a firm right hand. European Games champion Bennama adopted a more cautious approach this time around, which appeared to be working in his favour early on until Dusmatov landed two big left hands to take the first round 3-2.
Dusmatov did not let up in the second round and despite facing a taller opponent, connected with a few overhand left hands to also take the second. With his gold medal hopes evaporating in front of his eyes, Bennama went all out in the final round and breathed some life back into a deflated crowd, but Dusmatov showed his experience by keeping .