Olympic boxer aims to apologize to Rival Khelif after abruptly walking out of their Paris 2024 fight, which lasted only 46 seconds.
The recent Paris 2024 Olympics witnessed a moment of unexpected drama when Italian boxer Angela Carini left her fight against Imane Khelif after a mere 46 seconds.
This sudden exit left both fans and Khelif herself surprised and puzzled.
Olympic boxer Carini explained why she abandoned the fight against Khelif
Explaining her actions later, Carini admitted to feeling overwhelmed by Khelif’s punches.
Carini even described them as some of the hardest hits she had ever experienced in her boxing career.
“I put an end to the match because after the second blow, after years of experience in the ring and a life of fighting, I felt a strong pain in my nose,” she recounted in an interview.
Then I said ‘that’s enough’ because […] I could not bring the match to an end.
So I thought, maybe it’s better to put an end to the match,” she explained the moment she decided to abandon the fight.
Angela Carini wants to apologize to rival Khelif after walking out of the 46-second fight
Amid the heated debate surrounding the 46-second fight, Carini expressed her desire to apologize to Khelif for her actions.
“This made me sad,” Carini admitted.
She particularly regretted not shaking Khelif’s hand before leaving the ring.
“I’m sorry for my opponent, too. If the IOC said she can fight, I respect that decision,” she said
Following the bout, Carini reflected on the fallout of her decision.
She voiced her disappointment over the situation, acknowledging the impact it had on both herself and Khelif.
“It wasn’t something I intended to do,” Carini continued.
“Actually, I want to apologize to her and everyone else. I was angry because my Olympics had gone up in smoke,” Carini emotionally said.
At the end of an interview, Carini expressed her willingness to reconcile with Khelif if they were to cross paths again in the ring.
“If I meet Khelif again, I will embrace her.”
However, she still keeps her stance in abandoning the fight at the time, emphasizing that she needs to preserve her life.
“It could have been the match of a lifetime, but I had to preserve my life as well in that moment,” she shared.
Recalling the controversial fight between two Olympic boxers Khelif and Carini.
As soon as the opening bell, Khelif immediately gained the first point after delivering the first punch on Carini.
The Italian boxer Carini was seen asked to stop to adjust her headgear following Khelif’s first blow.
However, just following Khelif’s second blow, Carini seemed to be overwhelmed.
She was seen raising her hand, having her head guard inspected, and then delivering a single punch before unexpectedly exiting the ring.
Within a mere 46 seconds, she made the decision to end the bout after receiving two punches to the face.
This abrupt departure allowed Khelif to progress directly to the quarterfinals, as Carini opted to abandon the fight.
Despite Khelif’s gesture of trying to embrace Carini, it was met with a lack of response.
Why Olympic boxer Imane Khelif allowed to compete even though failing the gender eligibility test?
Imane Khelif faced disqualification from the 2023 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships after a DNA test revealed XY chromosomes, disqualifying her from the women’s category.
Despite this setback, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) permitted her participation in the 2024 Olympics, sparking debate after failing the gender eligibility test.
Khelif, who consistently identifies as a woman, was ineligible by IBA standards but received IOC approval.
The IOC, responsible for overseeing the 2024 Olympics, confirmed Khelif’s eligibility.
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams highlighted Khelif’s extensive sports background, indicating her long-standing involvement.
Despite the previous disqualification, Khelif has been granted the opportunity to compete in women’s boxing at the Olympics.
“All athletes participating in the boxing tournament of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 comply with the competition’s eligibility and entry regulations, as well as all applicable medical regulations,” they said.