Cuban Boxing Prodigy Secures First Medal

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published August 10, 2016 | 11:52 PM

RIO DE JANEIRO, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th August, 2016) : Brilliant Cuban light flyweight Joahnys Argilagos underlined his rich potential as he became the first boxer at the Rio Olympics into the semi-finals to guarantee at least a bronze medal. The 19-year-old Cuban prodigy and world champion had Kenya's Peter Warui running around in circles on the way to a unanimous points decision. Argilagos displayed the full array of his electric footwork, at one point ducking a haymaker from Warui, whose momentum took him tumbling into the ropes. The Cuban merely grinned back at his opponent and later delivered a sucker-punch while appearing to look in the opposite direction.

Argilagos faces Colombian Yurberjen Martinez -- who he has trained with in the past -- in the semis on Friday, after he defeated Samuel Carmona Heredia of Spain on a split points decision. "I felt more confident that in my first fight," said Argilagos, after delivering one of the most impressive boxing displays in Rio to date. "I knew I was going to bring joy to Cuba and I stuck to my tactical masterplan." "The Colombian is going to be a very tough rival," added Argilagos, also a former youth world champion and one of the hottest prospects around. "We have never fought but we have trained together and I know that he has some good weapons."