IRELAND’S JACK MARLEY has suffered a split decision defeat in his heavyweight quarter-final bout at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Tajikistan’s Davlat Boltaev won 4-1 on the judge’s scorecard.
The winner was guaranteed at least a bronze medal by progressing to the semi-finals in Paris, and Marley fell short after a gallant effort against the elusive Asian champion.
“A bitter pill to swallow,” 21-year-old Marley told RTÉ as he bowed out of his first Olympics.
“I misheard the corners. I thought I was up in the first, down in the second and I thought it was all level going into the last — and I thought I done enough there to win it.
“We won’t moan about it. It is what it is, it’s a privilege to be here on this top international stage. I’m 21 years of age, I have to pinch myself to remind me. It’s gonna be a hard one to swallow over the next few days, but… I left it all in there.”
'We won't moan about it. It's a privilege to be here on this top international stage at 21 years of age' - Jack Marley speaks after his quarter-final exit at the hands of Davlat Boltaev#RTESport #Paris2024
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Marley bounced out to the North Paris Arena, with an Irish roar behind him.
The Dubliner made a decent start, Olé olé soon ringing out. He landed two of three quick-fire left hooks at one stage, but Boltaev was more clinical as he moved through the gears.
As Marley went for the jugular, he left himself exposed and the Tajikistan capitalised.
Boltaev won the first two rounds 4-1, as per the judge’s cards.
In the second, Marley continued to work extremely hard but the number of shots not connected ultimately outweighed those landed. His flow was interrupted by a stoppage owing to a cut over his right eye with 45 seconds to go. The RTÉ commentary team said the referee said it was a punch, but it appeared to be a clash of heads.
Marley made a good start to the final round, but Boltaev again showed his class as he proved elusive. The Sallynoggin man gave it everything, and the judge’s cards were 3-2 in his favour for round three.
Ultimately, it ended in disappointment following his round-of-16 win over Poland’s Mateusz Bereznick.
“It feels a bit weird,” Marley added on becoming an Olympian, though he wouldn’t be drawn on plans for LA 2026.
“I wasn’t overwhelmed. I probably built it up a bit too much in my head because I qualified a year before, so I had plenty of time to be imagining it. I really adapted well, enjoyed it, and losing to the Asian champion on such tight margins, it is what it is.”
