Forty-six seconds! That’s all it took for Italian boxer Angela Carini to make the heart-wrenching decision to walk away from her match against Algerian fighter Imane Khelif just moments into the first round. Both Carini and Khelif were seasoned Olympians, but this year seemed to be Khelif’s lucky charm. Khelif secured a victory in her opening Olympic bout, while Carini’s early exit marked a rare and unexpected twist in Olympic boxing.

Khelif, a seasoned amateur who clinched a silver medal at the International Boxing Association’s 2022 World Championships, has had her share of ups and downs. The same organization pulled the rug out from under her last year, disqualifying her just before her gold-medal match over alleged elevated testosterone levels. With the IBA out of the picture at the Olympics, Khelif’s chance to compete reopened. Yet, her recent victory was clouded by a fresh storm of controversy that erupted in the wake of the match.

Learn why Angelina Carini abandoned her boxing bout against Imane Khelif

On August 1st, Imane Khelif of Algeria claimed victory in her first Olympic boxing match as her opponent Angela Carini, abandoned the fight just 46 seconds in. Carini’s withdrawal came after enduring two powerful punches from Khelif, a rare occurrence in Olympic boxing. Despite the excitement in the North Paris Arena, the match ended abruptly, leaving spectators baffled by the sudden turn of events. The brief encounter saw Carini throw her headgear to the floor and exclaim, “This is unjust,” before stepping out of the ring.

The initial punch knocked her chinstrap loose while the second one connected squarely with her chin causing blood to stain her shorts. Carini confided in her coach, Emanuel Renzini about the pain, in her nose that prevented her from continuing. Despite Renzini’s encouragement to complete the round Carini decided to stop the fight after another hit expressing both her frustration and the intensity of the pain she was experiencing. Following the fight, she declined to shake Khelifs hand and broke down in tears, inside the ring when Khelif was declared the winner. This highlighted the impact of the punches she had endured.

In a post-fight interview, Carini described the pain she felt as unprecedented. “I’ve never been hit so hard in my life. It’s up to the IOC to judge,” she stated. Reflecting on her choice to step down she described how the second blow, especially caused pain, in her nose making it impossible for her to continue. Carini shared that drawing from her years of boxing experience calling off the match was the option leaving any further decisions to be made by the IOC. Despite this challenge, Carini didn’t allow it to dampen her spirits; she gave her all in the match. Demonstrated that she remains a fighter.

Carini is heartbroken but proud of her efforts

After the match, Angela Carini declined to shake hands with Imane Khelif dropped to her knees in tears, and swiftly left the ring.  “I have always honored my country with loyalty, but this time I couldn’t continue fighting,” she said.  Visibly affected by her departure from the bout with Imane Khelif, Angela Carini pondered the repercussions of her choice. Carini, known for her integrity and commitment conveyed regret, at being unable to carry on.

She stated, “I am in pieces because I am a fighter, they taught me to be a warrior. I have always tried to behave with honor, I have always represented my country with loyalty. This time I didn’t manage to because I couldn’t fight anymore.” Despite her commitment to the sport, the pain from Khelif’s punches proved too severe for Carini to endure. When questioned about the possibility of retreating before the battle Carini firmly stated, “I am not one that gives in easily. Even if they had said that we wouldn’t fight, I would never have accepted it. I have a warrior’s mentality.”

She stressed that, to her simply entering the ring is a triumph on its own regardless of the result. “It’s not a defeat for me. Just entering the ring means you’ve already won,” she said. Carini recognized that though she felt assured and stayed dedicated, to her objective the discomfort eventually led her to conclude the bout with grace.

When it comes to Carini’s decision it appears she made a choice. Opting to step with grace! What are your thoughts? Did Carini make the right decision by valuing her dignity and well-being over persisting in the battle?