Wendell Stanley made short work of his first opponent in the men’s light-middleweight boxing competition.
Stanley, looking sharp and strong, got on top in the first round against Eswatini boxer Thabiso Dlamini and won the fight when the referee stopped the contest after Thabiso took a standing count in the second round.
An indication of some of the variations that can occur in boxing judging was the scoring in the first round. Of the five judges, one gave the 21-year-old New Zealander the round 10-8, indicating a very dominant round, often including a knockdown, and three gave it to him 10-9. However, one judge gave the round to the Eswatini fighter.
Stanley, from Half Moon Bay in Auckland, now moves into the quarter-finals.