Nigel Paul aims to punch his way to medal at world champs

TRINIDAD and Tobago boxer Nigel Paul will aim to secure a medal at the International Boxing Association World Boxing Championships 2021 in Belgrade, Serbia, on Tuesday.

Paul will battle Berat Acar of Turkey in the super heavyweight +92kg quarterfinals in the afternoon session which begins at 7 am TT time. In the championships the four semifinalists in each category are guaranteed a medal, as there is no third-place playoff. The losing semifinalists will both go home with a bronze medal.

Paul and Acar will fight in the closing stages of the afternoon session in bout 434 of the championships.

Paul defeated Ayoub Ghadfa Drissi El Aissaoui of Spain in the round of 16, on Sunday. The TT boxer won the contest 4-1, as four of the five judges gave him the edge.

On Thursday, Paul won his opening fight against Nelson Hysa of Albania.

Paul, who represented Trinidad and Tobago at the 2016 Rio Olympics, is the only TT boxer still standing at the championships.

The other four fighters who represented TT at the championships lost their opening bout. They included 2020 Olympian Aaron Prince (middleweight 71-75kg), Blessing Waldropt (light-welterweight 60-63.5kg), Donnel Phillip (lightweight 57-60kg) and Anthony Joseph (featherweight 54-57kg).