Super-Heavyweight (>91 kilograms), Men

After being dominated by boxers from Cuba and the USA since the Second World War, the 21st century has seen a move towards European boxers winning Olympic medals. In 2016 the Cuban entrant got poleaxed in the quarter-finals whilst the USA didn’t qualify a boxer at either heavyweight or super-heavyweight. The semi-finals saw world champion Tony Yoka of France edge the hard punching Croatian Filip Hrgović in a close fight, whilst European Games winner Joe Joyce defeated Asian Games gold medallist Ivan Dychko in a similarly tight decision.

Yoka and Joyce had a shared history. The British fighter had defeated Yoka at the European Games in 2015 but the Frenchman had turned the tables on Joyce later in the year at the World Championships. Their third meeting at a major event was another close encounter. Yoka’s left jab being effective throughout the fight but Joyce landing the harder punches especially in the last round. One judge saw all three rounds for Yoka; another had Joyce 29-29 with the Ukrainian judge splitting the tie in favour of the Frenchman. This was the first French medal in the heaviest weight category for 96 years.

Yoka was engaged to be married to women’s middleweight champion Estelle Mossely. In March 2017 the couple announced they were expecting their first child. Joyce has a degree in fine arts from Middlesex University and is an accomplished painter.