Featherweight Jahmal “Hard Rock” Harvey prevailed in his Paris debut, edging out his Brazilian opponent by split decision and advancing to the quarterfinals.
Jahmal Harvey defeated Brazil's Luiz Gabriel Oliveira to open the men's featherweight boxing competition at the Paris Olympics.
The 21-year-old from Oxon Hill, Maryland, entered Paris as the No. 3 overall seed in the men's 57 kg weight class, and he eked out an opening-round win with a 3-2 split decision. The bout left Harvey bloodied from a cheek injury, but that didn't stop his flow.
He will return to the ring on Saturday for the quarterfinals, where he will face either Munarbek Seitbek Uulu of Kyrgyzstan or Saidel Horta of Cuba. You can find the boxing schedule and live stream links here.
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Harvey punched his ticket to Paris after winning gold at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, in the fall of 2023.
He began boxing at 13 and told News4's Tommy McFly that his goal headed into the games is focusing on "just getting the job done."
Paris 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics
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