Head coach of the Ukrainian national boxing team Dmytro Sosnovsky commented on Oleksandr Khizhnyak's appearance in the final of the Olympics in Paris.
Yesterday, August 4, the Ukrainian boxer won on points over two-time Olympic champion from Cuba Arlen Lopez. He will face Kazakhstan's Nurbek Oralbay in the August 7 final.
- I immediately believed in victory. My first round was so doubtful. I didn't think they would give us 4-1. The round was so close, good.
Then he succeeded, we set him a task for the whole fight in tactical and technical terms. And he succeeded most of the time. Of course, it is difficult to box with such a master as Cuban, experience is great. He tried not to let him do what Sasha can do.
The first round was more hectic, there were a lot of punches on his hands. Then it was good that he listened. He can fight well at medium, close range and not necessarily just on the hands. He was told, as we say, look for where the holes are. He was looking for those holes and then he was hitting and the picture was different.
We had to force him to make mistakes when the boxer opens more, when he strikes. When the Cuban started to attack, there were a lot of good interceptions, especially in the second and third rounds.
- What was the danger from the Cuban boxer? What was it necessary to prevent him from doing?
- I think he is a very sensitive boxer. The task was to be close to him, to torture him. We understand that he is an age boxer, so that the load on him was all the time, pressure, pressure and already in this pressure to deliver his combinations, his punches and go to victory.
- Kazakhstan's opponent in the final. What can you say about him? Have you seen his fight against the Dominican? He is a little bit taller than Alexander.
- Alexander boxed with him at international tournaments, we know him. He's a good boxer, good level. We'll get ready.