Cuban champ, Argilagos stops Mungai in light-fly quarters

World champion, Joahnys Argilagos, was a bridge too far for Kenyan hopeful Peter Mungai Warui after the Cuban ran out with a unanimous 3-0 victory on Wednesday during their quarterfinals of the men’s light flyweight at Rio 2016 Olympics.

Two judges gave the Kenyan 27-30 (9-10, 9-10, 9-10) after three rounds with the third scoring 26-30 (9-10, 8-10, 9-10) as the 19 year-old who clinched the AIBA World title in Doha last year continued his quest to add the Olympics gold to his collection.

“I have missed a medal but I have learnt a lot on experience since this was my first Olympics. It motivated me a lot to be the second Kenyan to reach the quarters after 12 years.

“I wish the remaining Kenyan boxers success as I believe they will perform better for I have set the pace for them,” Mungai, 35, told Citizen Digital after losing to the talented teenager who was the 2013 AIBA Junior World Championships winner in Kiev.

Mungai out-pointed Chinese Lu Bin 2-1 on points to reach the quarter finals on Monday.

Focus now shifts to Thursday where Rayton Okwiri Nduku who will face Moroccan Mohammed Rabii in the round of 16.

The last time a Kenyan boxer won gold in the Olympics was in 1988 when the late Robert Wangila Napunyi claimed the coveted title in the Welterweight category.

He also became the only African outside South Africa to win a gold medal in boxing a record that still stands.