FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wyatt Sanford Secures Quarterfinal Victory and Guarantees Bronze Medal in Paris

Paris, France, August 1, 2024 – Wyatt Sanford, representing Canada, triumphed in his second match of the 63.5 kg weight division quarterfinals at the Olympic Games in Paris. Sanford faced the 2023 world champion from Uzbekistan, Ruslan Abdullaev, in a high-paced bout during the afternoon session.

The first round was closely contested and taken by Abdullaev in the eyes of three of the five judges. Sanford made a strong comeback to narrowly win the second round turning three judges to his favour and tying up the match on points. His perseverance and strategic adjustments led him to secure the third round, ultimately winning the match with a score of 4-1. With this victory, Sanford is now guaranteed a bronze medal, marking a historic achievement for Canadian boxing who haven’t won a medal at the games since David Defiagbon won silver at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics.

Expressing his elation, Sanford stated, “Finally, after 28 years, we will be bringing a medal from boxing back home. Kennetcook wants the gold and I want to give it to them.”

Sanford elaborated on his strategy, noting, “We knew that my opponent would come throwing multiple shots with combinations. Once we figured that we had to cut off his jab with my right hook, he was not throwing as much as he was early on in the fight.” Despite his excitement about advancing, Sanford emphasized that his team will return to work immediately to prepare for his next opponent tomorrow morning.

Coach Vincent Auclair praised Sanford’s performance, saying, “Wyatt delivered a fight true to himself, with controlled pressure and a precise choice of attacks. He managed to counter his opponent and defeat the 2023 world champion.”

Coach Samir El-Mais shared that it was a ”spectacular win for Wyatt. He started to figure his opponent out in the 2nd round. He also adjusted well with his punches and knew that he had to finish with his lead hook and that he had to add the second attack. After the second round, Vincent & I knew we had the fight to finish on top. We just had to make sure we were defensively honest in the third round! Huge win for Wyatt and put Canada back on the map.”

Sanford’s next match will take place at 6:36am ET August 4th, where he will face the winner of the quarterfinals between Richard Kovacs (Hungary) and Sofiane Oumiha (France), who are set to compete later this afternoon.

For media inquiries, please contact Christopher Lindsay at [email protected]

About Boxing Canada: Boxing Canada is the national sport organization for the sport of Olympic Boxing in Canada. It provides leadership for national programming, teams, and policies in partnership with each province and territory’s sport organization. Thanks to the Government of Canada, Canadian Olympic Committee, Sting Canada, and all our national partners for their support. For more information on Boxing Canada, please visit BoxingCanada.org.

Posted on: August 1, 2024