Brazilian boxer Beatriz ‘Bia’ Ferreira has secured at least a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics after advancing to the semifinals in the lightweight (60kg) category. Ferreira defeated Dutch boxer Chelsey Heijnen in the quarterfinals by unanimous decision, with all judges scoring the bout in her favor.This victory marks Ferreira’s second Olympic medal, following her silver medal performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The Brazilian boxer, who is also a two-time world champion, dominated the match from the first round, effectively using her opponent’s low guard to land counterattacks.Ferreira’s semifinal match, scheduled for Saturday, August 3, at 17:08 Brasília time, will be a highly anticipated rematch against Irish boxer Kellie Harrington. Harrington defeated Ferreira in the final of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, and Ferreira has expressed her eagerness for this rematch, stating, ‘I want this fight and it will be Brazil’.If Ferreira wins the gold medal, she will make history as the first professional world champion to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing, as professional boxers were not allowed to compete in the Olympics before 2016. Ferreira, who has won 48 medals in 49 international competitions, is determined to achieve this goal, saying, ‘I want to win the gold medal and make my country proud’.In other Olympic boxing news, Mexican boxer Marco Verde advanced to the quarterfinals in the 71kg category after defeating Tiago Muxanga of Mozambique in a closely contested match. Verde will face Indian boxer Dev Nishant on August 3, with a chance to secure a medal for Mexico.
Key points
- Beatriz ‘Bia’ Ferreira secured at least a bronze medal in the Paris 2024 Olympics boxing lightweight category.
- Ferreira will face Kellie Harrington in the semifinals, a rematch of their Tokyo 2020 Olympics final.
- If Ferreira wins gold, she’ll be the first professional world champion to win an Olympic gold medal in boxing.
- Mexican boxer Marco Verde advanced to the quarterfinals in the 71kg category.