Former opponent of Olympic boxer in gender eligibility controversy speaks out: 'Her blows hurt me a lot'

Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s participation in the 2024 Paris Olympics despite being disqualified in the 2023 World Championships over gender eligibility concerns raised questions at the start of the Summer Games.

The International Olympic Committee cleared Khelif to compete, but that did not stop Olympic viewers from expressing outrage on social media on Tuesday. A video of Khelif’s fight against Mexico’s Brianda Tamara Cruz Sandoval in December 2022 raised the temperature.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Oshae Jones of the United States, left, exchanges punches with Brianda Tamara Cruz Sandoval of Mexico during the Women's Welter (64-69kg) on day four of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Kokugikan Arena on July 27, 2021 in Tokyo. (Ueslei Marcelino - Pool/Getty Images)

The video of the 66-kilogram fight in the WBT Golden Belt Series showed Khelif pummeling the Mexican fighter. Tamara told The Telegraph she never felt the way she felt after the fight during her boxing career.

"When I fought her I felt very out of my depth," Tamara added. "Her blows hurt me a lot. Thank God that day I got out of the ring safely, and it’s good that they finally realized."

Khelif is set to square off against Italy’s Angela Carini on Thursday, but the cloud of controversy hangs over the ring.

Khelif was disqualified from the 2023 World Championships, sanctioned by the International Boxing Association, after a test found a high level of testosterone, according to Reuters.

Oshae Jones of the United States, left, fights Brianda Tamara Cruz Sandoval of Mexico during the Women's Welter (64-69kg) on day four of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games