Julio La Cruz loses split decision to Loren Alfonso, ending quest for third Olympic gold

Julio Cesar La Cruz’s quest to become the third Cuban boxer to win three Olympic gold medals came to an end Sunday at the hands of another boxer who was born in the island nation.

La Cruz lost a 3-2 decision to unseeded Cuba-born Azerbaijani Loren Alfonso in the 2024 Summer Olympics men’s heavyweight (92 kilogram) round of 16 at Arena Paris Nord in France. It was a stunning exit for the 34-year-old La Cruz, who won the light heavyweight gold in 2016 and heavyweight gold at the Tokyo Games...