Imane Khelif’s next opponent, Anna Luca Hamori, insists she’s ‘not scared’ to face the Algerian in their Olympics quarter final.
Italy’s Angela Carini called off her fight against Khelif after just 46 seconds on Thursday having taken a heavy punch to the face in the opening exchanges.
Khelif competed at the Tokyo Games in 2021 but was disqualified from the final of the Women’s World Championships last year for failing International Boxing Association (IBA) eligibility rules which prevents athletes with XY chromosomes from participating in women’s events.
The 25-year-old has been cleared to compete at her second Olympics as the competition is run by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has insisted that all boxers in Paris ‘comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations’.
After beating Carini, Khelif will now face Hamori of Hungary in the women’s 66kg quarter final at 4.22pm on Saturday.
And the 23-year-old, who has beaten Ireland’s Grainne Walsh and Australia’s Marissa Williamson to reach the last eight of the event, believes a win over Khelif would be regarded as a ‘bigger victory’.
‘I’m not scared. I don’t care about the press story and social media,’ Hamori said.
‘If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win.
‘I’m trying to not use my phone before the fight. I don’t want to care about the comments or the story or the news.
‘I just want to stay focused on myself. I did it before my last two fights, so I think this is the key, and we will see.’
Hamori also questioned Carini’s decision to withdraw from her fight against Khelif.
‘It was her choice,’ said Hamori
‘I don’t understand, because I thought every boxer’s mind is the same like mine, to never give up. But it was her choice. We don’t know what was the reason.
‘It’s her life, but I know I want to do this in my own life.’
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