RIO DE JANEIRO: An Olympic boxer whose former trainer killed his sister and then himself will have to make do with Rio Games bronze after heartbreaking defeat in his flyweight semi-final on Friday.
Venezuela’s Yoel Finol, 19, lost on unanimous points to Shakhobidin Zoirov despite a brave showing and gamely kissed his Uzbek opponent on the top of the head when the decision came through. Zoirov will go up against Misha Aloian in Sunday’s final after the Russian outpointed China’s Hu Jianguan.
Finol’s medal caps an extraordinary journey after he was lured into boxing by an uncle and then trained by his brother-in-law Edwin Valero, a two-weight world champion who was to later end his career and life unbeaten with 27 wins, all by knock-out. Despite being an unbeaten champion Valero’s life began to unravel in a blur of drink and drugs and in April 2010 he stabbed to death his wife Carolina – Finol’s sister.
Two days later, while in police custody, Valero committed suicide. In the aftermath of tragedy, Finol vowed to win Olympic gold but had to earn money the only way he knew how – fighting on the streets to earn cash to fund his ambitions.
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