Oleksandr Khyzhniak was one minute away from winning an Olympic gold medal three years ago when he was rocked by one miraculous punch from an inferior opponent. The fearsome Ukrainian boxer spent three years waiting to make it right, and he finally got his epic redemption in Paris.
Gold medalist Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak celebrates on the podium during the medals ceremony for the men’s 80 kg boxing at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Paris , France. Ukraine’s Oleksandr Khyzhniak reacts after defeating Kazakhstan’s Nurbek Oralbay in their men’s 80 kg final boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2024, in Paris , France.
When Khyzhniak’s hand was raised, the 29-year-old dropped to his knees in cathartic relief. Even though he is an obvious blue-chip professional prospect, Khyzhniak put any other chapters of his life on hold because he was determined to do what he couldn’t in Tokyo.
So Khyzhniak kept coming forward, and the artful Sousa floored him with what might have been just a flash knockdown in the pros but was enough to persuade the Olympic referee to stop the bout.After the loss, Khyzhniak devoted himself to an Olympic comeback, winning every amateur bout he took since Tokyo. When the Olympics eliminated the 75-kilogram division in which Khyzhniak fought in Tokyo, he even moved up to 80 kilograms — now called middleweight.
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