Paris Games 2024: ‘Never been hit so hard’: Boxer furious after brutal 46 seconds

A boxing powder keg has exploded in Paris after Algerian intersex fighter Imane Khelif demolished Italy’s Angela Carini, who was reduced to tears after copping a punch that busted her nose. Khelif’s next opponent says she is ready for the challenge.

“If she or he is a man, I’m not scared. Let’s do it.”

With those fearless words, Hungarian Anna Luca Hamori took the fight to Algerian intersex athlete Imane Khelif as boxing’s biological powder keg exploded on Thursday at the Paris Olympics.

Hamori ended the campaign of Australian Marissa Williamson Pohlman at North Paris Arena, then vowed she would have no fear facing the Algerian at the centre of a gender firestorm. Khelif triggered a frenzied global debate after a first-round demolition of Italy’s Angela Carini, who was reduced to tears after copping a punch that busted her nose and left her fearing for her safety.

Italy’s prime minister lashed the IOC, calling for an urgent ban on intersex athletes from female competition. “I had to safeguard my life,” a shaken Carini said later, fighting through tears.

Algeria’s Imane Khelif and Italy’s Angela Carini fight in the 66kg preliminary round match. Carini pulled out after 46 seconds. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

Those six words – and the 46 seconds of brutality in the ring – left the IOC under siege as the Olympic boxing competition in Paris descended into a political farce.

There are fears a woman in the ring. Those close to Carini begged her not to fight. But a hungry Hamori couldn’t care less, vowing to punch through the red tape and failed sex-test scandal to knock Khelif out of medal contention.

“I’m not scared,” Hamori said after her disposal of Williamson Pohlman, who lost to Khelif two months ago in Holland.

“I don’t care about the story.

Hungarian Anna Luca Hamori took the fight to Algeria’s Imane Khelif. Picture: Mohd Rasfan/ / AFP

“If she or he is a man it’ll be a bigger victory for me if I will win.

“So let’s do it.

“It’s going to be a great fight and I hope I will win. I can’t wait.”

This is the IOC’s worst nightmare. It has become the most vexing issue of the Games _ and threatens to besmirch it.

The IOC sacked the International Boxing Association from running boxing at these Olympics following two decades of corruption that have left the sport fighting for survival for the 2028 Games.

But the IOC has Carini’s blood on their hands after allowing Khelif and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-Ting to fight against women in Paris _ despite the IBA banning the duo for failing eligibility tests at last year’s world championships.

Angela Carini of Team Italy reacts after abandoning the fight.

IBA boss Umar Kremlev said tests showed Khelif and Lin had “XY chromosomes” and were trying to fool other female competitors by pretending to be women.

His words came back to haunt the IOC as Khelif ruthlessly clobbered Carini to ignite the ferocious debate of whether athletes with “differences in sexual development” (DSD) should compete against women.

For a moment, this wasn’t boxing. This was madness. Confusion, chaos and high-octane gender debate raged at North Paris Arena on Thursday.

Less than a minute after the two touched gloves, Khelif pounded Carini with a powerful right hand. The Italian went to the corner and spoke to her trainers before the referee sensationally waved the contest off.

Shock fell over the crowd. A shattered Carini launched her headgear out of the ring. The Italian then fell to her knees and cried as Khelif was declared the winner, saying she was shocked by the Algerian’s power.

“I have never been hit so hard in my life,“ she said in between tears as more than 150 reporters scrambled to interview her.

The fight only lasted 46 seconds. Picture: AFP

“I have a big pain in my nose and I said, ‘Stop’. It’s better to avoid keeping going. In that moment, I had to safeguard my life.”

Asked about Khelif and whether the Algerian should be allowed to fight against women, Carini tried to stay out of the crosshairs of the IOC’s biological firestorm.

“I train with my brother. I’ve always fought against men, but I felt too much pain today,” she said.

“I am someone who doesn’t judge anyone. I am not here to give judgments.“

Italy boxing coach Emanuele Renzini, a policeman, said: “Many people in Italy tried to call and tell her: ‘Don’t go (in the ring) please. She is a man, it’s dangerous for you’.”

Khelif has failed biochemical tests in two consecutive years and boxing officials have previously said that she was a man masquerading as a female.

The 25-year-old has twice failed biochemical tests for testosterone. The female competitors say they don’t know the sex of Khelif and Yu-Ting.

Brought to you by

Australian boxing captain Caitlin Parker has called for XY chromosome athletes to be banned from female combat sports, worried a woman could be seriously hurt.

IOC spokesman Mark Adams told this masthead earlier this week to “dial it down” accusing reporters of conducting a witch-hunt and stigmatising people.

Italian PM Georgia Meloni said at Team Italy’s headquarters at the Olympics that she had been trying to explain “for years that, when taken to the extreme, these decisions risk impacting women’s rights”.

Australian boxing captain Caitlin Parker has called for XY chromosome athletes to be banned from female combat sports. Picture: Mohd Rasfan / AFP

”I think that athletes who have male genetic characteristics should not be admitted to women’s competitions,“ she said.

Famous author J.K.Rowling labelled the IOC a disgrace. Tennis great Martina Navratilova decried the scenes as “deplorable”.

Even the United Nations has weighed in on the issue, putting pressure on the IOC president Thomas Bach to intervene.

Yu-Ting fights Friday. Khelif returns to the ring on Saturday to face Hamori. The world is watching.

The IOC released a lengthy statement saying all boxers met its guidelness and the IBA had created an issue with an “arbitrary” decision about the boxers’ eligibility.