Tokyo Olympics: Five boxers to watch at the Games

Here are five boxers to watch at the Tokyo Olympics.

Julio Cesar La Cruz of Cuba (left), M.C.Mary Kom of India (middle), Lauren Price of Great Britain (right).

Five boxers to watch out for at the Tokyo Olympics:

JULIO CESAR LA CRUZ (CUBA)

La Cruz, who will be fighting at heavyweight in Tokyo, won gold in Rio Olympics and four amateur world titles at light-heavyweight.

 

La Cruz, who will be fighting at heavyweight in Tokyo, is always worth watching for the distinctive defensive technique that earned him the nickname 'La Sombra', or 'the Shadow'.

The elusive 31-year-old, who won gold in Rio Olympics and four amateur world titles at light-heavyweight, drops his guard and invites his opponents on before using his athleticism to swerve out of the way of the punches that come his way.
 

SHAKHOBIDIN ZOIROV (UZBEKISTAN)

Zoirov won flyweight gold as Uzbekistan topped the boxing medals table in Rio and after winning the 2019 world title and his first three professional fights he will be back in the Olympic ring to defend his title. Southpaw 'Shakho', who tries to emulate his hero Muhammad Ali with his footwork and ring craft, fires quick body-head combinations before making a swift exit out of range.

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M. C. MARY KOM (INDIA)

Mary Kom of India is one of the most decorated women boxers with a record of six world championship titles.

 

The face of the campaign to get women's boxing into the Games and flyweight bronze medallist at London 2012, the 38-year-old mother of four is set for her Olympic swansong.

The pint-sized boxer is one of the most decorated women fighters in the amateur game with a record six world championships titles, the last of which came in 2018. She has also won gold medals at the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.

EUMIR MARCIAL (PHILIPPINES)

Phillippines' Eumir Felix Marcial (left) and Uzbekistan's Israil Madrimov fight in their men's middleweight boxing semifinal at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.

 

The 25-year-old middleweight qualified for Tokyo last year and will be hoping to earn the Philippines its first ever Olympic gold medal.

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Marcial has inevitably drawn comparisons with his country's greatest boxer, Manny Pacquiao, and has been preparing under the tutelage of the multiple world champion's trainer Freddie Roach after turning professional last year.

LAUREN PRICE (BRITAIN)

Lauren Price of Great Britain is the reigning world and European Games heavyweight champion.

 

The reigning world and European Games heavyweight champion, Price is determined to follow in the footsteps of trailblazer Nicola Adams by winning boxing gold for Britain.

A former world champion kickboxer and international soccer player for Wales, the 27-year-old makes up for her relatively short stature by using clever footwork and fast hands to score points on the counter.