Team GB boxer Delicious Orie felt he ‘let everybody down’ after suffering a controversial defeat at the Paris Olympics.
The 27-year-old, who was inspired by former Olympic champion and heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, was expected to challenge for a medal after impressive at amateur level.
Orie celebrated gold medal success at the 2022 Commonwealth Games shortly after resolving his citizenship status to get a British passport, before winning the European Games in 2023.
Those results ensured Orie entered the Paris Games as the No. 2 seed but his participation at the Olympics ended prematurely courtesy of a split-decision defeat to Armenia’s Davit Chaloyan.
Orie dominated the first round before Chaloyan came back into the fight late on and progressed at the expense of the Team GB medal prospect.
‘I’ve let everybody down, I’ve let Great Britain down, I’m really upset,’ an emotional Orie said. ‘I just have to lick my wounds and carry on I guess.
‘I think I did just enough to win, but you can make an argument for Chaloyan I guess, but I need to watch it back.
‘He was a little bit busier in the third round, he scored the more eye-catching shots, the ones I shouldn’t have let through my guard but it happened.
‘The escalation has been great but unfortunately it’s come to a hard stop in my amateur career, it’s something I’m going to have to hold for the rest of my life.
‘At the moment I feel like it’s breaking me but in a few years I can be a mature enough individual to look back and think I gave it my all.’
Asked whether he felt extra pressure after Team GB’s poor start to the boxing in Paris, Orie added: ‘I guess I’ve been under a bit of pressure but that wasn’t the reason for what happened today.
‘I just let a few stupid shots in that I shouldn’t have and that was it. He’s a good level but I should be beating that type of level to achieve the things if I want to achieve.’
Orie’s shock defeat proved controversial on social media, with several fans of the opinion that he did enough to take the victory.
Popular boxing YouTube channel IFL TV posted on X: ‘Delicious Orie has just been robbed against Davit Chaloyan. That’s an absolute disgrace.’
Orie’s controversial defeat comes after fellow Team GB boxer Rosie Eccles was left in tears after another contentious loss in Paris.
The decision led to boos in the stadium and a tearful Eccles later said: ‘I knew I’d won the fight. I’m really, really shocked.
‘In my mind I won that fight. I don’t know what to say other than I am really grateful for everyone that helped me get here. I appreciate you all and I’m sorry I couldn’t get it over the line.
‘I knew she was a tricky opponent, but I felt I did the job. I stayed disciplined and kept to my game and I thought I had done enough.
‘I’ve devoted my whole life for an Olympic medal but unfortunately for me, and Charley as well yesterday, it wasn’t to be.’
BBC boxing pundit Steve Bunce was among those stunned by the decision, saying: ‘I’m genuinely shocked.
‘I really did think she’d [Rosie Eccles] get it. That was a brutal outcome. We’ve got independent judges here. They went with the one who got deducted a point and she actually fouled.
‘The two judges who had it even voted for the woman who had an infringement. I’m really annoyed. It’s a bad decision.’
MORE : Olympics star breaks world record in Paris – but it won’t count
MORE : Team GB star and BBC commentator convinced he was wrongly denied gold medal at Olympics
MORE : Tom Daley proudly gives new Olympics diving partner Noah Williams X-rated gift
