Russia’s Yegor Mekhontsev won his country’s first boxing gold medal of the Olympics, beating Kazakhstan’s Adilbek Niyazymbetov on a tie-break in the final.
The fight finished 15-15, with Mekhontsev given the win on countback.
It was the second time in two fights that Niyazymbetov had seen his bout go to a tie-break after he reached the final on countback after a controversial 13-13 result against Oleksandr Gvozdyk in the semifinals.
In the first round, both Mekhontsev and Niyazymbetov landed good blows to the head with jabs, before the Kazakh fighter sent the Russia into the ropes with a hook to the side of the head.
The judges scored the first round 4-3 in Niyazymbetov’s favor.
Mekhontsev had the better of the second round, although the action remained fairly even as the Russian won 5-4.
Brazil’s Yamaguchi Falcao Florentino and Ukraine’s Gvozdyk took bronze after losing their semifinal bouts Friday.
Mekhontsev blitzed Falcao Florentino 23-11, while Niyazymbetov beat Gvozdyk on a countback tie-break after the fight ended 13-13.
