Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu LIVE: Updates as Algerian boxer fights for Olympic gold amid gender row
Imane Khelif will box for Olympic gold tonight, facing Yang Liu in the welterweight final at Paris 2024.
Khelif’s Olympic campaign has proven highly controversial, with the Algerian having allegedly failed a gender eligibility test in 2023 due to the presence of certain chromosomes. That test result led to Khelif’s disqualification from the World Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA).
The IBA previously ran Olympic boxing but was dropped by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) before the Tokyo Games. The IOC no longer recognises the IBA as a governing body due to concerns over the organisation’s finances and ties to Russia, and due to fears of corruption.
In Paris, Khelif found herself under intense scrutiny after her first fight, as Angela Carini withdrew after just 46 seconds. The Italian, who received one significant punch from Khelif, retired from the bout in tears and said she had “never been hit so hard” in her life. Carini later apologised, while Khelif went on to ease past Luca Anna Hamori and Janjaem Suwannapheng via unanimous decision.
Now, the 25-year-old faces China’s Yang, as both fighters chase Olympic gold. Also in Paris, Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting will box for gold while part of the same gender row as Khelif, having also been DQed at the 2023 World Championships.
Follow live updates and results below:
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: Olympic final LIVE
Imane Khelif boxes Yang Liu for Olympic gold in women’s welterweight final
Khelif’s Paris 2024 campaign has proven highly controversial, sparking gender row
Algerian, 25, allegedly failed gender eligibility test at 2023 World Championships
Khelif was disqualified from that tournament due to presence of certain chromosomes, IBA said
IBA was dropped by IOC before Tokyo Games due to fears of corruption and concerns over finances
Khelif has never identified as transgender or intersex, despite many baseless claims online
Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting also DQed at ‘23 World Championships; also part of gender row in Paris
Loren Alfonso and Lazizbek Mullojonov vie for heavyweight gold at Olympics
21:41 , Alex Pattle
Finally, it’s time for the heavies!
Here we go...
Olympics 2024: Boxing medal ceremonies
21:30 , Alex Pattle
More medals are being handed out before the action resumes!
Loren Alfonso and Lazizbek Mullojonov vie for heavyweight gold at Olympics
21:19 , Alex Pattle
Next up, it’s men’s heavyweight action between Loren Alfonso and Lazizbek Mullojonov.
Alfonso is representing Azerbaijan, while Mullojonov is another Uzbek standout from the Paris Games.
Olympics 2024: Some great photos from the first fight of the night
21:10 , Alex Pattle
Yu Wu beats Buse Cakiroglu to win light-flyweight gold at Olympics
21:07 , Alex Pattle
Yu Wu takes the gold! She fought a very good fight.
Cakiroglu’s corner seem a bit irked by that decision, but it was the right one.
Yu Wu faces Buse Cakiroglu for light-flyweight gold at Olympics
21:04 , Alex Pattle
A scrappy first round so far.
First, there’s a pause so Cakiroglu’s head guard can be adjusted.
Then the pair wrestle and half-fall through the ropes. Later in the round, Cakiroglu ends up between the ropes again, after some neat footwork and boxing on the angle by Yu.
Another stern right straight from Yu, who has used that punch so well tonight. And a right hook, just before the bell.
Yu should have this quite comfortably...
Yu Wu faces Buse Cakiroglu for light-flyweight gold at Olympics
21:00 , Alex Pattle
Nice right cross from Yu, and again Cakiroglu hits the mat – but she appeared to be shoved, in a sense. Again, it’s no knockdown.
Great uppercut by Yu, as Cakiroglu steps in with a slightly loose guard.
Cakiroglu hurls an overhand from southpaw, but it’s blocked, and then she eats a left hook.
Another spearing cross by Yu; both times she’s landed it, though, she’s actually switched her feet at the same time.
Stiff jab by Cakiroglu, that’s better from the Turkish fighter.
Yu Wu faces Buse Cakiroglu for light-flyweight gold at Olympics
20:56 , Alex Pattle
We now move to the women’s light-flyweight final, as Yu Wu fights Buse Cakiroglu; it’s China against Turkey.
Cakiroglu stands southpaw. She’s put onto the back foot by her orthodox opponent immediately. The Turkish fighter is trying to counter while stepping out to the side, but she’s eaten a few shots already – a risky strategy she’s using, clearly.
A better counter effort by Cakiroglu this time, before Yu charges her! Cakiroglu hits the canvas, but it’s ruled a trip (rightly, it seems).
A bit of wrestling now, as Yu grazes her arm across Cakiroglu’s face amid a clinch.
Cakiroglu blocks some shots upstairs, so Yu targets the body. Again Cakiroglu looks to reply to the flurry with a single counter shot.
Yu switches stances back and forth late in the round, a good frame for the Chinese boxer.
Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev wins welterweight gold at Olympics
20:48 , Jack Rathborn
Muydinkhujaev with a solid first two rounds against Verde Alvarez, outboxing the Mexican, who then rallies in the third and final frame – throwing the kitchen sink at the Uzbek and really going at him in search of the stoppage. Is it enough though?
Your winner... Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev!
The welterweight king at Paris, the Uzbek salutes a raucous crowd inside Philippe-Chatrier.
The Mexican Verde Alvarez just followed him for two rounds. It got tasty in the third, with both men swinging for the ropes.
But the classier Muydinkhujaev had too much, even with the Mexican pinching the third on all the judges’ scorecards.
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: First fight imminent
20:26 , Jack Rathborn in Paris
The volume has been cranked up here, we're almost ready for the first fight of the night.
The home of the French Open tennis, transformed into a night club. There are bright lights and booming dance music, fans jumping up and down with their national flags.
Amid all the controversy and poison on the edges of Imane Khelif's pursuit of Olympic gold, it should not be forgotten how boxing can bring people together from such diverse backgrounds.
This is a totally different environment to professional boxing, too.
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: First fight imminent
20:22 , Alex Pattle
The first fight of the night is just moments away! We’ll have round-by-round live updates for you shortly.
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: Full schedule tonight
19:53 , Alex Pattle
There are four boxing finals at Roland Garros tonight:
Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev vs Marco Verde (super-welterweight)
Yu Wu vs Buse Cakiroglu (women’s light-flyweight)
Loren Alfonso vs Lazizbek Mullojonov (heavyweight)
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu (women’s welterweight)
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: T-minus one hour until first fight
19:30 , Alex Pattle
Our Sports Editor, Jack Rathborn, is on Court Philippe-Chatrier in Roland Garros – the tennis venue that has been transformed into the location of the latter boxing rounds at Paris 2024.
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: Inside the Algerian’s tough childhood
19:14 , Alex Pattle
Childhood of boxer Imane Khelif as she faces accusations of being ‘biological male’
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: Chromosomes caused test failure
18:55 , Alex Pattle
After days of speculation, the IBA confirmed on Monday that chromosomes were behind the failure of Khelif and Lin’s failed gender tests in 2023.
The IBA did not specify XY chromosomes, but said to “read between the lines”.
Imane Khelif failed gender eligibility test due to chromosomes, says IBA
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: The atmosphere at Roland Garros
18:39 , Jack Rathborn in Paris
The long walk from Porte d’Auteuil down to Roland Garros is a quiet one in the muggy Paris conditions this evening. But as you get a peak of Court Philippe Chatrier, suddenly there is a brush of colour down the streets.
More than two hours before the session even starts, you can start to see the Algerian fans with football shirts and carrying flags. They’re queueing up to get inside the property.
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: Khelif’s Olympics in pictures
18:26 , Alex Pattle
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: What Khelif’s former opponents have said
18:00 , Alex Pattle
The latest defence of Khelif from a former opponent has come from Anja Stridsman.
The Australian said: “I do remember people saying to me: ‘Oh, she looks like a bloke,’ you know? ‘You’re fighting a bloke,’ which I think is quite ignorant and stupid.
“I remember not being very impressed with her, thinking that she wasn’t using her reach, you know? She didn’t have a good jab,” Stridsman said, before adding that Khelif has improved since they fought.
More here:
Former Imane Khelif opponent calls criticism of boxer ‘ignorant and stupid’
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: What Khelif’s former opponents have said
17:40 , Alex Pattle
Amy Broadhurst, who beat Khelif in the welterweight final of the 2022 Women’s World Championships, defended the Algerian on social media last week.
“Have a lot of people texting me over Imane Khelif,” Broadhurst wrote on Twitter/X. “Personally I don’t think she has done anything to ‘cheat’.
“I think it’s the way she was born and that’s out of her control. The fact that she has been [beaten] by nine females before says it all.”
More here:
Boxer who beat Imane Khelif in 2022 speaks out about Olympic gender controversy
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: Who are the IBA?
17:08 , Alex Pattle
Who are the IBA? Below is some useful background in the saga surrounding Khelif.
Here’s all you need to know about the controversial body, which has faced concerns over corruption, finances, and links to Russia:
Who are the IBA? Controversial boxing authority at war with the IOC over Imane Khelif
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: Algerian beats Anna Luca Hamori
16:45 , Alex Pattle
After beating Carini, Khelif defeated Hungary’s Anna Luca Hamori via unanimous decision.
Before the fight, Hamori said on social media: “In my humble opinion, I don’t think it’s fair that this contestant can compete in the women’s category.
“But I cannot concern myself with that now. I cannot change it, it’s life. I can promise you one thing... I will do my best to win and I will fight as long as I can!”
Hamori also said she was “not scared” of Khelif and shared a controversial image on Instagram, initially posted by another social-media account, of a cartoon monster facing off with a female boxer.
Tearful Imane Khelif given ray of light in victory amid dark Olympic episode
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: 46-second victory over Angela Carini
16:23 , Alex Pattle
The controversy really escalated after Khelif’s first match, which lasted just 46 seconds.
Her opponent, Angela Carini, withdrew from the bout after one significant punch from Khelif and soon broke down in tears.
Carini later said she had “never been hit so hard” in her life.
However, as the week progressed, the Italian did apologise to Khelif.
Boxer tearfully quits after punch by Olympic rival who failed gender eligibility test
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: How Olympic controversy began
16:05 , Alex Pattle
Before Khelif even stepped in the ring in Paris, there was scrutiny of her Olympic campaign.
The same applied to Taiwan’s Lin Yu-ting, who is in her own gold-medal match at featherweight this weekend.
Two boxers competing at Olympics despite failing gender test at World Championships
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: Algerian’s controversial Olympics explained in full
15:45 , Alex Pattle
Imane Khelif has fought her way to within one bout of Olympic gold, separated from glory by just nine minutes of combat in Paris. Yet she has been standing in the eye of a storm, as much as she has been standing in a boxing ring.
Some might have first felt the swirl last week, when Angela Carini withdrew 46 seconds into her fight with the Algerian, tearfully saying she had “never been hit so hard” in her life. But the cumulus stage played out long before that controversial contest, which drew attention to Khelif’s disqualification for allegedly failing a gender eligibility test at the 2023 World Championship.
The origin of this particular tempest can be traced back to 2022.
We take you back to the beginning, and explain how Khelif arrived at this moment, and what comes next...
How boxer Imane Khelif overcame a gender row to stand on the brink of Olympic glory
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: What time does welterweight Olympic final start?
15:20 , Alex Pattle
Tonight’s welterweight final between Khelif and Liu is scheduled for 10:51pm local time (9:51pm BST).
Khelif vs Liu is the fourth and final bout of the session (which starts at 9.30pm local time; 8.30pm BST) and follows the men’s heavyweight gold-medal fight – between Azerbaijan’s Loren Berto Alfonso Dominguez and Uzbekistan’s Lazizbek Mullojonov.
What time does Khelif fight? How to watch Olympic boxing final
Imane Khelif vs Yang Liu: Olympic final LIVE
15:02 , Alex Pattle
Imane Khelif will box for Olympic gold tonight, facing Yang Liu in the welterweight final at Paris 2024.
Khelif’s Olympic campaign has proven highly controversial, with the Algerian having allegedly failed a gender eligibility test in 2023 due to the presence of certain chromosomes. That test result led to Khelif’s disqualification from the World Championships by the International Boxing Association (IBA).
The IBA previously ran Olympic boxing but was dropped by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) before the Tokyo Games. The IOC no longer recognises the IBA as a governing body due to concerns over the organisation’s finances and ties to Russia, and due to fears of corruption.
In Paris, Khelif found herself under intense scrutiny after her first fight, as Angela Carini withdrew after just 46 seconds. The Italian, who received one significant punch from Khelif, retired from the bout in tears and said she had “never been hit so hard” in her life.
Carini later apologised, while Khelif went on to ease past Luca Anna Hamori and Janjaem Suwannapheng via unanimous decision. Now, the 25-year-old faces China’s Yang, as both fighters chase Olympic gold.
