Flyweight (48-52 kilograms), Men

For the first time since the previous Tokyo Olympics in 1964, this division was the lightest of those contested, the light-flyweight division having fallen victim to the need for an increase in women’s boxing. With the light-flyweights moving up to compete at flyweight this gave a depth of talent in the division which was rarely matched in Tokyo.

The top seeded fighter was the Indian soldier Amit Panghal, a measure of the country’s improvement in the sport throughout the 21st century, though limited competition and a run of surprise results in what few tournaments that had taken place meant the seeding process was not always to be relied on. This was proved to be true as three of the four seeded fighters were eliminated immediately on entry at the round of 16 phase. That left Yosbany Veitía of Cuba, returning after disciplinary issues saw him suspended from the Cuban national squad for most of 2020, as the only remaining seed. Unfortunately for him he was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Galal Yafai of Great Britain.

Yafai rode his luck after a comprehensive victory in the first round, winning four successive split decision triumphs to take gold. The final was effectively decided when his opponent, Carlo Paalam of the Philippines, was sent to the canvas in the first round but Paalam recovered well to win the second round before Yafai imposed himself and won the final round on four of the five scorecards. The bronze medals were claimed by boxers from Japan, Ryomei Tanaka, and Kazakhstan, Saken Bibosinov.

Yafai, a former car factory worker who given up his job to chase his Olympic dream, was the younger brother of 2008 Olympian Khalid Yafai, who spent four years as a professional world champion and Gamal Yafai, a former European professional champion.