Rio Olympics: Russian wins unanimous decision heavyweight gold
Russia's Evgeny Tishchenko reacts as he win the gold medal for men's heavyweight 91-kg final boxing match against Kazakhstan's Vassiliy Levit during a men's heavyweight 91-kg final boxing match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. Credit: AP / Frank Franklin II
Russian Evgeny Tishchenko held off Kazakhstan fighter Vassiliy Levit by unanimous decision and won the heavyweight gold medal.
Levit appeared like he had the fight won, and battered Tishchenko in the head that cut him open and caused a lengthy stoppage in the third round. These are the first Olympics since 1980 where the fighters do not wear headgear.
But the judges thought Tischchenko did enough to survive and win the bout. Tishchenko won 29-28 on all three scorecards.
Levit seemed to control most of the fight and the decision was soundly booed by the fans. Tishchenko was booed out of the ring as the medal stand was assembled. Levit simply smirked and shook his head as he headed to the locker room.
The 25-year-old Tishchenko joins an elite lineage of Olympic champions at the glamour weight, including George Foreman, Ray Mercer and three-time Cuban champs Felix Savon and Teofilo Stevenson. Levit beat Savon’s nephew, Erislandy, to reach the final.
Savon, a Cuban fighter, and Uzbekistan’s Rustam Tulaganov are the bronze medalists.
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