Italian boxer breaks silence after abandoning Olympic bout against fighter in gender controversy

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An Italian female boxer who abandoned her Paris Olympics bout against an Algerian fighter caught in the middle of a gender eligibility controversy revealed why she walked away from her match.

Angela Carini stepped into the ring on Thursday to fight Imane Khelif in a 66-kilogram fight. However, 46 seconds into the bout, Carini went to her corner to call off the match. Khelif celebrated while Carini was left in tears.

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Angela Carini of Team Italy reacts after abandoning the Women's 66kg preliminary round match against Imane Khelif of Team Algeria in the first round on day six of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at North Paris Arena on Aug. 1, 2024 in Paris. (Richard Pelham/Getty Images)

Carini was seen going to her corner twice during the fight, once to get her headgear tightened after taking a punch to the face and the other to abandon the fight.

"I went into the ring to fight," she said, via Italy’s ASNA.

"I didn't give up, but a punch hurt too much, and so I said enough. … I'm leaving with my head held high."

Khelif will move on to the next round of the women’s 66-kilogram division. However, the win comes amid a week of controversy.

FORMER OPPONENT OF OLYMPIC BOXER IN GENDER ELIGIBILITY CONTROVERSY SPEAKS OUT: 'HER BLOWS HURT ME A LOT'

Algerian Imane Khelif, right, and Italian Angela Carini in tears. (Getty Images)

The Algerian Olympian was disqualified from the 2023 World Boxing Championships after the International Boxing Association determined Khelif failed gender tests. According to Reuters, Khelif was found to have elevated levels of testosterone.

IBA President Umar Kremlev