Oleksandr Khyzhnyak won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games after being defeated by Brazilian Hebert Souza in the finals of the men’s middleweight boxing.
Khyzhnyak began with a convincing lead over his Brazilian opponent, confidently winning the first and second rounds of the match. The Ukrainian boxer’s luck changed, however, when he lost the third round, hitting the canvas after a knockout blow by Souza.
The Ukrainian boxer rose to continue the fight, visibly dazed. However, the referee called an end to the bout and awarded the match to his Brazilian competitor.
Competing in his first Olympic games, Khyzhnyak defeated Japanese boxers Yuito Moriwaki, Dominican Euri Cedeño Martinez, and Filipino Eumir Marcial to advance to the Olympic final.
The Ukrainian middleweight boxer has now earned Ukraine’s fifth silver medal at the Olympic games and its 16th medal overall. Khyzhnyak’s silver is Ukraine’s only medal for boxing won at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Khyzhnyak is a rising star in the boxing world. In 2017, Khyzhnyak became world champion, also winning the European Championship that same year. He had previously won bronze at the European Championship in 2015 and came first the European Games in 2019.
