Boxing

LIN YU-TING fights for Olympic featherweight gold on Friday.But the Taiwanese titan will have to defeat one of the most unorthodox opponents of her career to win Olympic gold.Lin Yu-ting is in the final of the women’s featherweight boxingCredit: RexShe faces Poland’s Julia Szeremeta in the gold medal matchCredit: RexSzeremeta has lit up the tournament with her showboatingCredit: AFPAnd her mid-fight jumping has gone viralStanding between the 28-year-old – who has been at the centre of a gender row along with Algeria’s Imane Khelif – and glory at Paris 2024 is Poland’s Julia Szeremeta.The 20-year-old has booked her place in the final with wins over Venezuela’s Omailyn Alcala, Australia’s Tina Rahimi, Puerto Rico’s Ashelyann Lozada and the Philippines’s Nestthy Petecio.And she’s done so in a less-than-orthodox style, which includes plenty of showboating.Szeremeta has showboated her way to the gold medal match, putting her hands down and even jumping up in the air in fights.READ MORE OLYMPICS NEWSBut she’ll do well to pull off her antics against the ferocious Lin, who entered the tournament as the No1 seed.She battered Turkey’s Esra Yildiz Kahraman with a cool and composed display of crisp technique and footwork to bag her third successive unanimous points win.Lin’s performances have been overshadowed by the fierce debate over her participation in the Games.Both Lin and Khelif – who is in the women’s welterweight final – are competing at the Games 18 months after allegedly failing gender eligibility tests.Most read in SportOLYMPICS FREE BETS – SIGN UP OFFERS AND DEAL FOR PARIS 2024Olympics gender controversyTHE International Olympic Committee (IOC) stirred up a huge controversy by clearing two women to box who had previously failed a gender test.Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting were disqualified at the Women’s World Championships in New Delhi, India, in March 2023.Lin Yu-ting was stripped of a bronze medal after failing a gender eligibility test.Khelif was disqualified in New Delhi for failing a testosterone level test.Officials found tests showed they had ‘XY chromosomes’ — which indicates a person is biologically male.Rare ‘intersex’ medical conditions, medically known as differences in sexual development (DSDs), can also mean outwardly female individuals can have ‘male’ chromosomes, or vice versa.The Russia-led International Boxing Association organised that event but is no longer recognised by the IOC.IOC spokesman Mark Adams said: “These athletes have competed many times before for many years, they haven’t just suddenly arrived – they competed in Tokyo.”The federation needs to make the rules to make sure that there is fairness but at the same time there is the ability for everyone to take part that wants to. That is a difficult balance.”In the end the experts for each sport are the people who work in that. If there is a big advantage that clearly is not acceptable, but that needs to be a decision made at that level.”Both Khelif and Lin competed at the delayed Olympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. Lin is a two-time winner at the Asian Women Amateur Boxing Championships.The IOC said all boxers in Paris “comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations”.The controversy follows the famous case of Caster Semenya.South African middle-distance runner Semenya has a condition which means her body naturally produces higher levels of testosterone than normal for women.She won gold in the 800m at London 2012 and Rio in 2016 but was unable to compete at Tokyo in 2021 after World Athletics brought in new rules independently of the IOC at the time.Tests conducted by the Russian-backed IBA are said to have determined the duo tested positive for male XY chromosomes.The duo were disqualified from the Women’s World Championships as a result of those tests.Lin Yu-Ting’s defeated opponent makes ‘double X’ gesture after losing to gender row boxer at Olympics 2024But the women were permitted to compete by the International Olympic Committee, who cast doubt on the reliability of the tests.The IBA, however, revealed this week that they WON’T be divulging details of the tests.During a farcical press conference on Monday, IBA secretary general Chris Roberts said: “It’s never been our intention to bring any of this about.”We’re not allowed to give any information, but you can read between the lines what it means.”We’re not in a position to share any results, but the IOC have seen them.”He added: “Yesterday evening and this morning, we’ve received letters from China and Algeria informing us we can’t disclose any info on boxers.”You can see what that means – again read between the lines.”Lin Yu-ting’s participation at the Games has been overshadowed by a gender rowCredit: GettySzeremeta isn’t immersing herself in the gender row and is focused solely on bringing gold back to her homeland.She said: “There’s no point talking about the silver medal. “I’m going for the gold,’ she said right after the fight.’Szeremeta added: “I’m not afraid of anyone; I don’t feel respect.”I go out and do my thing. I can’t wait for the final.READ MORE SUN STORIES”Another win gives me confidence, and I don’t feel any stress. I approach this like a regular tournament.”I don’t think it’s the Games. I box in a relaxed way.” More

FROM envelopes stuffed with cash to “crooked” judges – Roy Jones Jr was robbed of a gold medal in Olympic boxing’s greatest-ever scandal.Jones, just 19 at the time, eased his way to the 1988 light-middleweight final in Seoul to face home boxer Park Si-Hun. America’s Roy Jones Jr was infamously beaten by South Korea’s Park Si-HunCredit: GettyEven referee Aldo Leoni was stunnedCredit: RexAnd he looked to have made easy work of South Korea’s Park – landing 86 shots to the 32 against him. Two standing eight-counts should have cemented Jones’ win and Olympic gold – but the fix was in. Because only two of the five judges scored in favour of the American – to the disgust of those watching on. After the shock result was read out, Italian referee Aldo Leoni is said to have whispered to Jones: “I can’t believe they’re doing this to you.”READ MORE ON OLYMPICSBob Kasule of Uganda, Uruguay’s Alberto Duran and Morocco’s Hiouad Larbi all shamefully scored the bout to Park. And in a sensational confession straight after the bout, Moroccan Larbi admitted he gave it to Park on purpose to avoid a humiliating whitewash.Larbi said: “The American won easily; so easily, in fact, that I was positive my four fellow judges would score the fight for the American by a wide margin. “So I voted for the Korean to make the score only 4-1 for the American and not embarrass the host country.”Most read in BoxingLarbi, Kasule and Duran were all suspended for six months pending an investigation – but they were eventually cleared by the International Boxing Association (AIBA).Jones was awarded the Val Barker trophy as the best boxer of the 1988 Olympics – and the irony was not missed on him. How Olympics defeat sparked Floyd Mayweather’s unbeaten pro legacy while rival’s career went wildly different directionHe told Joe Rogan in 2020: “Well, that’s a contradiction. How is the best boxer here not winning a gold medal?” The IOC investigated the result and in 1997 they concluded that, while officials had been wined and dined, there was “no evidence of corruption in the boxing events in Seoul”. In the years after Jones’ heartbreaking loss – more damning evidence came to light. Because Karl-Heinz Wuhr -the general secretary of AIBA – also worked for the secret police agency of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).And when the Stasi’s secret files were released after the collapse of the Soviet Union, investigative journalist and author Andrew Jennings found allegations of outright bribery.Wuhr wrote: “They [the host nation] did not miss a chance to try to corrupt or influence me. I earned a gold medal that night in Seoul in 1988. Judges were crooked and I am sure they were not the only ones.Roy Jones Jr “They repeatedly attempted to persuade me to take back my decisions punishing judges they seemed to have an interest in. “There were always judges prepared to declare a South Korean boxer victor, even if this was completely ludicrous.”He alleged bribes had been paid to several judges, including three from Africa and one from South America.Ref Leoni – from Jones’ infamous bout – supported the allegations.He claimed an Argentine colleague had been offered an envelope stuffed with cash by the Korean boxing authorities.A stunned Jones questioned whether he would ever be able to box on in the aftermath of his Olympic devastation. But, it turned out to be a minor setback in an otherwise incredible career. ‘My life became gloomy’Jones went on to become boxing’s biggest star of the late 1990s and early 2000s while winning titles in four weight divisions. Park meanwhile lived to regret his tainted Olympic gold. He told AP: “I didn’t want my hand to be raised, but it did go up, and my life became gloomy because of that.“I keep thinking how my life would have been happier had I finished second.”The emotional stress was like like being hit with a hammer on the back of your head, again and again.“A gold medal is important, but isn’t any Olympic medal satisfying and glorious?”Park battled suicidal thoughts following the loss and contemplated moving country amid the backlash of a result he could not control. He retired from boxing after the controversy and spent 13 years as a high-school teacher before returning to the sport as a coach. Jones did actually stay in touch with Park years on from their infamous bout – but the sickening feeling of unfair defeat followed him. He said: “To see an opposition hand be raised by judges who were crooked, to have a wrong and injustice not being fixed.”I earned a gold medal that night in Seoul in 1988. Judges were crooked and I am sure they were not the only ones.”I can never forget that feeling, when they raised the Korean’s hand over mine.”Park returned to coach the South Korean boxing team from 2001. And Jones, 55, still continues to fight to this day, losing a decision to ex-UFC champ Anthony Pettis, 37, in April 2023.READ MORE SUN STORIESIn the years following his Olympic ordeal, he did receive a glimmer of redemption as two of the three judges were banned for life. Great Britain’s Richie Woodhall, South Korea’s Park Si-Hun and Roy Jones JrCredit: PA:Empics SportJones became one of boxing’s biggest ever starsCredit: ReutersJones and Park Si-hun remained in touchCredit: Maria Shvets More