Rio 2016: Five controversial Olympic boxing decisions

Michael Conlan not the only boxer to fall foul of highly questionable judging at Rio Games

Russia’s Evgeny Tishchenko won gold in the heavyweight competition after receiving a highly favourable judging decision against Vassiliy Levit  of Kazakhstan. Photograph: Reuters/Peter Cziborra
Russia’s Evgeny Tishchenko won gold in the heavyweight competition after receiving a highly favourable judging decision against Vassiliy Levit of Kazakhstan. Photograph: Reuters/Peter Cziborra

TISCHENKO v LEVIT:

Russia’s Evgeny Tischenko was given a unanimous decision win over Vassilly Levit of Kazakhstan in the men’s heavyweight gold medal match. Levitt had been the aggressor throughout and badly bloodied his opponent’s head in the final round. The decision — and the subsequent medal ceremony — was greeted with loud jeers.

CONLAN v NIKITIN

Russian bantamweight Vladimir Nikitin, already the recipient of a questionable verdict over Thailand’s Chatchai Butdee in the previous round, was fortunate again to win the verdict against Ireland’s world champion Michael Conlan after three fast and furious rounds. Furious Conlan called the judges “f****** cheats” in a live television interview.

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RUSSELL v GAIBNAZAROV

American Gary Antuanne Russell, younger brother of WBC featherweight champion Gary Russell Jr, appeared to dominate the first half of his light-welterweight quarter-final against Uzbek Fazliddin Gaibnazarov, even knocking his opponent to his knees at the final bell, but he dropped a split decision. US coach Billy Walsh said: "Uzbekistan are going to be the best team here. Even when you beat them you can't beat them"

ISHAISH v NISTOR

Jordanian super-heavyweight Hussein Ishaish appeared a highly fortunate victor of his preliminary round bout against the much more accomplished Mihai Nistor of Romania. The crude swinging Ishaish landed little — but still got the nod of the ringside judges. Amid boos, a furious Nistor branded the verdict “crazy”.

AKHMADALIEV v MELIAN

Uzbek bantamweight Murodjon Akhmadaliev floored Alberto Melian of Argentina in the first round of their bantamweight contest. Melian got to his feet and tried to tell referee Michael Gallagher that he did not have his mouth-guard in. Gallagher waved the contest off. "I tried to tell him about my mouthpiece and I know he understood me," said Melian.