Shakur Stevenson (USA) will adavance to the bantamweight gold medal match via walkover and will become the first American to fight for bantamweight gold since the 1988 Seoul Olympics, when Kennedy McKinney won the gold. 

Vladimir Nikitin (RUS), Stevenson’s scheduled opponent for today, has reportedly planned to forfeit due to injury. As such, Stevenson advances via walkover, sources said to NBC Olympics. 

Stevenson himself confirmed the news to his followers on Twitter. 

Nikitin won a controversial matchup against Ireland’s Michael Conlan in a Tuesday quarterfinal, but suffered multiple face cuts during the match. 

 
A win by walkover (WO) is usually officially declared during the scheduled time of the match in question, but can be called in case of a boxer failing the daily weigh-in the morning of the sessions. 
 
Stevenson’s opponent in the final will be determined by the second bantamweight semifinal on Thursday: Robeisy Ramirez (CUB) v Murodjon Akhmadaliev (UZB).
Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox