Jajaira Gonzalez of the United States defeated France’s Estelle Mossley, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist, Saturday night in the opening round of the boxing tournament.
“This might sound a little cocky, but I don’t fear anybody,’’ said Gonzalez, 27, who is making her Olympic debut. “I don’t care what they’ve won, what they’ve done. I just like to think that I’m the best. And, yeah, they may have won this or that, but I’m here now.’’
Not only did Gonzalez outpunch Mossley during their three-round bout, but she also quieted a raucous crowd that spent much of the bout chanting, singing, clapping and booing.
Gonzalez faced boos as she entered the North Paris Arena for the fight, and the crowd’s disapproval continued when the bout, contested at 60 kg (approximately 132 pounds), concluded. Gonzalez triumphed over Mossley by a split decision on points, despite Mossley’s professional record of 11-0-1 and her return to amateur competition in pursuit of additional Olympic glory.
Americans won two medals in street skateboard