The boxing quarter-finals between Amine Khelif and Anna Luca Hamori became one of the most important events on 3 August. Not only because Khelif had qualified for the semi-finals and secured an Olympic medal, but also because Khelif's presence at the Paris Games had been highlighted. The bout was evenly matched at the start, with Hamori coming out bold, but Khelif soon took the lead. She dominated the centre of the ring and her punches overwhelmed the Hungarian. 

The referee gave Hamori a break as she tried to fend off Khelif's offensive, but the Algerian secured a unanimous 5-0 victory, taking control of the fight. Dominating both long and short distances, she progressed to the next round, keeping her Olympic journey alive.

Khelif's participation has been notable not only for her victories but also for the controversy that her eligibility has stirred. After her Delhi disqualification by the International Boxing Association because she alegedly failed to meet the required gender criteria, her matches have been closely watched, evoking strong reactions far beyond the ring.

The build-up to the Algerian-Hungarian quarter-final was also contentious. The Hungarian Boxing Federation claimed to have protested to the International Olympic Committee and the Hungarian Olympic Committee about the match. In Paris and around the world, the complex gender issue has sparked more discussion than the sport itself.

Despite the ouside noise and initial doubts, Hamori ultimately stepped into the ring to face Khelif. Hungarian media also reported an appeal against Khelif's participation. 'It makes me very sad that a scandal has arisen and that we have to discuss an issue that is not compatible with sport. It is unacceptable and scandalous", said Lajos Berkó, a member of the executive board of the Hungarian Boxing Federation.

The Hungarian boxing federation plans to "express our indignation and ask the IOC to reconsider its decision, which has allowed an athlete who was previously banned from the World Championships to enter the IOC competition system," Berkó complained.

Both Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting were disqualified from the 2023 World Championships after failing unspecified gender eligibility tests, according to the IBA. The IOC subsequently granted them permission to compete with a special permit.

Hamori is the first Hungarian female boxer to compete at the Olympic Games and, after reaching the quarter-finals in the 66kg division by defeating Australia's Marissa Williamson Pohlman, she was ready to take on Khelif. "I am not afraid," said Hamori.

Khelif's first opponent in Paris, Italian Angela Carini, retired after 46 seconds. Her tearful exit was widely reported and sparked online abuse. After her initial reaction in which she declined to congratulate her opponent, Carini decided to apologise to Khelif. "I want to apologise to her and everyone else. I was upset because my Olympic Games were gone," the Italian told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

Carini expressed her sadness at the controversy and reiterated her respect for the IOC's decision to allow Khelif to compete in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, "I also feel sorry for my opponent. If the IOC's decision is that she can take part, I have respect for that decision," she told Spanish newspaper AS. The Algerian will now face Thailand's Janjaem Suwannapheng in the semi-finals on Tuesday for a place in the final.

Khelif was born in a poor village some 300 kilometres from Algiers and had to overcome obstacles in a conservative country where women are considered unfit for sport. The 25-year-old, with her braided hair and powerful 5-foot-9 frame, told her story to Canal Algérie television a month before the Games began.

"Our village was about 10 kilometres from the centre (of Tiaret, 280 kilometres south-west of Algiers). I moved from the village to the town. I moved from the city to the capital. From the capital to abroad," she narrated, revealing that her physique allowed her to beat the boys at football, which led to fights, which led to boxing.

Her father disapproved yet ended up becoming her biggest supporter and told AFP that his daughter was "an example of the Algerian woman, a heroine of Algeria".

Khelif's boxing success began with her participation in the lightweight division at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, where she finished fifth.