Former world champion Johnny Nelson has labelled Delicious Orie’s hugely controversial defeat in Paris a ‘robbery’, warning a future generation of boxers will now consider giving up on their Olympic dreams.
Orie was considered one of Team GB’s biggest hopes for a boxing medal, hoping to follow in the footsteps of his hero and friend Anthony Joshua who won gold in the same super-heavyweight category in 2012.
But the 27-year-old suffered a defeat to Davit Chaloyan in his opening match on Monday night with judges scoring the fight 3-2 in the Armenian’s favour.
Follow Metro.co.uk’s live blog for updates from the Paris 2024 Olympics
The decision infuriated boxing fans with Orie distraught with the outcome. ‘I’m not a judge so I can’t really tell you which way it went,’ he said. ‘It’s too soon for me to start saying it’s unfair or fair, whatever it is. I do think I was a little bit hard done by, it was very close and I felt like I just did enough.’
Four of Team GB’s six fighters have now suffered early eliminations with Orie’s exit the latest in a string of controversial decisions that have privately exasperated the British boxing delegation.
Rosie Eccles and Charley Davison lost in contentious circumstances by the same margin in their respective weight classes to heighten the outrage with former cruiserweight champion Nelson accusing boxing’s Olympic authorities of allowing another scandal to erupt.
‘It is shocking and we have seen it before in the Olympics,’ Nelson told Metro.co.uk.
‘Anywhere else in the world might be thinking the Brits are being sore losers. But fair is fair, and right is right. This was wrong and unfair.
‘And there is no one being held accountable, no one who can stand there and explain these things when they happen. Judges aren’t going to come out and explain. It is people hide behind officials, behind departments, instead of standing up and being counted.
‘We are only a few days in and it is already a worrying trend to see. This might be one of those Olympics where you end up thinking, “wow this was a scandal”. We have to wait to see if it happens to anyone else.
‘I do think it was a robbery. It is a simple case of who hits who the most. You can look at styles of fights, but all you have to do is sit down and score it yourself. Watch it with the commentary turned down and ask how is it even possible?’
Tean GB returned with a record haul of six medals in Tokyo three years ago with Chantelle Reid and Lewis Richardson now the only remaining hopes.
Olympic success has been the springboard for fighters across generations, with legends of the sport making their name in that amateur environment before making inroads in the professional boxing ranks.
The future of boxing in Olympic Games is already in major doubt, with its inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 programme uncertain. Nelson fears decisions like those that saw Orie and Eccles robbed of their dream will ‘not inspire anyone’ to stay on that path.
‘This is killing the amateur game. If you’re a young fighter with aspirations of fighting in Los Angeles in 2028, everyone wants to be in that position. It’s historical. We are at the point where it might not even be in the Games next time. But what is happening now will not inspire anyone.
‘You want to get to the top, you want to represent your country. You want the chance to shine. And when the time comes to turn professional, it serves as a massive springboard. Fighters want to be in that position. It’s a real game changer.
‘But what happened with Delicious and Rosie had wrong written all over it. If you’re a casual observer and you see someone win when they shouldn’t have, you’ll be thinking, “I’m out of this.” Boxing has taken years to get out of this caldron of skullduggery. Things like this do us no favours at all.’
MORE : Mario & Sonic games cancelled thanks to Olympic Committee reveals source
MORE : Simone Biles embarrassed after ‘forgetting’ Olympics protocol in team final
MORE : Team GB’s Jack Draper fumes after having to drink ‘hot water’ during Paris Olympics heatwave
Share your story or advertise with us: Whatsapp: +2347068606071 Email: info@newspotng.com
