Khelif faced Italian boxer Angela Carini, who stated that she chose to accept the loss after being pounded harder than she had ever been punched in her career.
Khelif is under fire for previously being found to have XY chromosomes; the Algerian fighter was barred from competing at last year’s IBA World Championships for failing to meet gender standards.
The Algerian will now face Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary on Saturday. According to the New York Post, Hamori is the first Hungarian boxer to compete in the Olympics.
Despite the uproar, publicity, and what many consider a biological disadvantage, Hamori remains unconcerned.
“I am not scared. “I don’t care about the press story or social media,” she told reporters, according to the Post. “If she or he is a man, it will be a bigger victory for me if I win.”
Hamori and Khelif have never sparred, but they have competed in the same event previously. Hamori has often stated that she is not paying attention to the controversy because it is merely a deterrent to her desire for gold.
“I’m trying to not use my phone before the fight,” Hamori told me. “I don’t want to worry about the comments, the narrative, or the news. I simply want to stay focused on myself.
