Spanish boxer Enmanuel Reyes Plá won the bronze medal in the -92 kg category of boxing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, after losing by split decision (1-4) in the semi-finals against Azerbaijani Loren Alfonso, in a duel in which the judges did not reward the greater initiative of ‘The Prophet’, compared to the passive approach of his rival.
‘The Prophet’ will not be able to fight for gold at Roland Garros, although he will be awarded the bronze. A defeat, not without controversy due to the judges’ scores, against the Azerbaijani, bronze in Tokyo and who he already beat in the pre-Olympic in Italy a few months ago, wakes him from his dream. Alfonso was the executioner of the Spaniard, although with a much more stingy approach, against an active and initiative proposal from Reyes Plá.
As expected, it was a very tense fight from the start, with the Spaniard setting the pace in the centre of the ring, with a good guard position and landing good hands from the start. Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani and his pose with his arms down, seemed more contemplative and less active, something that harmed him in the eyes of the judges.
Reyes Pla takes bronze after losing to Azerbaijan’s Loren Alfonso – Photo: Peter CziborraThe man who won bronze in Tokyo is a good counter-puncher, and forced Reyes Pla to be very attentive to his left hand. The Spaniard, who ended the first round with a tremendous right hand to the face, lost that initial encounter for the judges, by a tight 2-3 against.
Reyes Pla, after that somewhat controversial score, was forced to come back and turn it around, maintaining his position of dominance in the ‘ring’, against an Azerbaijani who was very stingy in his approach, although perhaps somewhat more accurate. As in the first round, the Spaniard finished with a good blow with his right, but the judges again awarded the ’round’ to Alfonso in a somewhat surprising way.
‘The Prophet’ faced an impossible final round against an Azerbaijani boxer who even made the Spaniard hesitate in the final three minutes. Reyes Pla had to get him out of the ring to win, and that was not the case against Alfonso’s passive boxing. The Spanish boxer lost by split decision (1-4) and took home the bronze medal.