Harry Garside inconsolable after Paris Olympics defeat, disrespectful act

Aussie boxing cult hero Harry Garside’s Olympic dream has been shattered in nine minutes with his opponent committing a disrespectful act.

Harry Garside has been left inconsolable after a shock first-up defeat at the Paris Olympics that has dashed his dream in nine minutes.

There were heartbreaking scenes as Garside, the Tokyo Olympics bronze-medallist, broke down in tears behind the scenes following his first-round elimination in the men’s 63.5kg class.

The 27-year-old had sacrificed everything, giving up a professional career to return to amateur Olympic competition, but it was all over after nine minutes in Paris.

“It is crazy ... two decades dedicated to one dream and it is over just like that,” he told Channel 9.

“I feel pretty numb right now but I am sure that in the next month or two it will be quite a challenge. I fear for my mind gets the better of me, I feel like I’ve let myself down, and let a few people down but what do you do?

“Australia is such a sporting nation and I’m so sorry. Honestly, I feel like a failure right now ... I don’t even know what to say.”

Garside failed to win a round against his opponent, Richard Kovacs of Hungary.

To add insult to injury, Kovacs showboated in Garside’s face in the final round, knowing he had the win in the bag.

Harry Garside was mocked in the ring. Photo: International Olympic Broadcast Services.

The pair embraced in the ring as the scored were made official with Kovacs winning 30-27 on the judges’ scorecards.

Aussie boxing fans were left filthy at Kovac’s disrespectful antics.

The other emotions felt were sympathy and sadness for the defeated Aussie.

Main Event boxing commentator Ben Damon wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Absolute heartbreak for Harry Garside who goes down to Hungary’s Richard Kovacs by unanimous decision in a major upset”.

Harry Garside of Team Australia in the Tokyo ring. Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images.

Sports fan Mick O’brien wrote: “Hopefully the w***er that just beat Harry Garside gets a hole punched through him in the quarters …. What a w***er”.

It will be sheer heartbreak for Garside who previously opened up on his mental health struggles following his high profile Tokyo campaign where he won Australia’s first boxing medal since 1988.
The Aussie boxer announced to fans in May he was abstaining from sex until his competition ends in Paris.

Harry Garside sits on the ropes after his unanimous decision loss. Pic: Michael Klein.

Harry Garside punched by Richard Kovacs of Hungary. Pic: Michael Klein.

“Tomorrow is the day I cut out shooting my shot if you get what I’m saying until post Olympics,” Garside wrote on Instagram with a post that included a water drops emoji.

Garside said he employed the same tactic before he made history at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

The Victorian said recently he was prepared to go into personal financial debt to return from Paris with the gold medal.

“The reason – and I’ve thought a lot about it since 2021 – is that I went on the Olympic journey to win an Olympic gold medal and not a bronze medal,” he told Code Sports.

“I turned my back on myself because I turned professional thinking the bronze medal was OK.”

Garside first came to prominence when he won gold at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and then went viral for a classy act returning home from Tokyo three years ago when he gave his business class ticket to his coach for their return flight to Australia from Tokyo.

Originally published as Harry Garside inconsolable after Paris Olympics defeat, disrespectful act