Mozambican boxer Tiago Muxanga will compete in the last 16 of the Olympic Boxing Tournament today at 9pm at the Arena Nord in Paris, in the 71 kg category, against 20-year-old Mexican Marco Alonzo Verde Álvarez, also known as "El Green".

Muxanga, who qualified for this stage after beating Germany's Magomed Elim Sultanovic Shachidov 4-1 on Sunday, became the first Mozambican boxer to win an Olympic tournament.

In a Challenge newspaperWhen asked if he knew his Mexican opponent, he replied with a round "no", adding with determination that "he doesn't know me either, but we'll get to know each other in the ring".

Coach Lucas Sinóia, for his part, said that, despite the victory, Tiago still needs some adjustments, revealing that in Sunday's fight he had to draw attention to the need to take advantage of "his opponent's openings to punch and score points".

Sinóia confessed that, at this stage of the competition, there is no longer time for training, but rather to work on small details that always make a difference in tournaments as demanding as the Olympic Games.

(Photo DR)