For all the barbs thrown at her and the humiliation she endured, Imane Khelif has finally made it to the finals. Now she stands before her destiny: the gold medal—the last barrier that will silence all the naysayers who doubted her journey. After many tumultuous challenges, the women’s 66 kg weight class is set to conclude. Tomorrow, August 10, at the Roland-Garros stadium, Khelif will meet an equally adept and skilled opponent, Yang Liu of China.

Both of these illustrious boxers have something to prove. Neither has won an Olympic medal in their distinguished careers. A win for Imane Khelif would secure a second gold for her country, Algeria. Conversely, if Liu triumphs, then it would be an honor for her country, to secure a second boxing gold. Before the two brilliant pugilists enter the ring for a final showdown, let’s check how they measure up against one another.

Imane Khelif vs. Yang Liu: The Stat Battle

Aïn Sidi Ali-born Imane Khelif turned 25 on May 2 this year. Records reveal that both Khelif and Yang Liu share a similar height of 5 feet and ten inches, or 178 centimeters. Unfortunately, details regarding the hands of both boxers remain unavailable.

As far as weights are concerned, given the strict adherence to weight limits at the Olympics, it is safe to assume that both Imane Khelif and Yang Liu meet the women’s 66 kg. stipulations.

Since debuting six years ago on October 12, Khelif has thus far participated in 50 fights in her eight-year-old amateur career. While she won 41 matches, she had to concede nine to her opponents. Six of her victories were secured via early stoppages, thus leaving her with a knockout-to-win rate of 14.63%. Notably, the Algerian boxer has one professional bout on her record. Last year, on November 23, she fought and defeated Thailand’s Suwanun Antanai via technical knockout in her debut match.

The Chinese southpaw, who turned 32 on May 20, is more experienced. She started her amateur career in 2015 and has participated in 32 fights. She emerged victorious 25 times but suffered reversals in the remaining 7. From her record, it appears Liu prefers going the whole distance with her opponents; she has to secure a knockout win.

Imane Khelif vs. Yang Liu: Who holds the edge?

Both Imane Khelif and Yang Liu will enter the ring on the backs of impressive international as well as national achievements. But before we dwell on their last few years’ performances, let’s check how both reached the finals. Khelif commended her Olympic campaign on August 1, where she faced Italian Angela Carini. The match, which subsequently sparked a major controversy, ended quickly as Carini withdrew from the bout merely 46 seconds after it started. Two days later, in the quarterfinals, she met Hungary’s Luca Anna Hamori. The Algerian boxer swept the match, winning all three rounds.

Her next fight was against an equally adept Janjaem Suwannapheng from Thailand. But Imane Khelif repeated his quarterfinal performance, not conceding even a single round to the Suwannapheng. At the opposite end, though, she defeated Mozambique’s Lucas Alcinda dos Santos in the round of 32. She followed it up with another convincing victory over Belgian Oshin Derieuw. Yang Liu rang into rough waters when she faced Chinese Taipei’s Chin Nien Chen.

Before she won gold medals at the 2022 Asian Games and became the world champion the following year, Liu grabbed her first international laurel in the 2019 Ulan-Ude World Championships. Interestingly, one of the closest rivalries she has shared in the past has been with Imane Khelif’s semi-final opponent, Janjaem Suwannapheng. The two met twice, with the Chinese boxer emerging victorious on both occasions.

Imane Khelif’s resume doesn’t fall short on any grounds either. A 2022 African and Mediterranean Games gold medalist, the Algerian boxer had to settle for a silver at the Istanbul World Championships in 2022. Last year, she honored her country with another gold at the Arab Games. Fans could expect Khelif to come out aggressively. Winning the first round might be her first priority. It may become challenging for Liu to stage a comeback if Khelif sets the pace early. Liu, however, might approach the match with characteristic patience, aiming to wear down her opponent.

Despite the controversy she faced, Imane Khelif has remained undeterred, staying focused and determined to prove her critics wrong. Now she faces the formidable ‘Chinese Wall’ in Yang Liu. Fans will be eagerly watching as Khelif seeks to clear the final hurdle to her Olympic glory.

Between Imane Khelif and Yang Liu, who is your pick for the win?