TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Controversy erupted as Taiwanese boxer Huang Hsiao-wen (黃筱雯) lost to Bulgaria's Stanimira Petrova in the women's 54kg round of 16 at the Olympic Games. Many social media users blamed a referee's alleged misjudgment for Huang's defeat, which dashed her hopes of advancing to the quarterfinals.
Huang fell with 12 seconds left in the third round after Petrova stepped on her foot. The referee counted it as a knockdown, ending Huang's chances of advancing. Liu Tsung-tai (劉宗泰), Huang's coach, expressed regret but maintained that Huang remains competitive in international matches.
The match saw both fighters attacked and defended from the start. By the end of the first round, only one judge favored Huang. In the second round, Huang's aggressive punches earned the approval of four judges. The third round was critical; despite Huang's powerful punch that dislodged Petrova's mouthguard, she slipped after stepping on Petrova's foot and was counted down.
Huang ultimately lost with a score of 1-4 and failed to advance to the quarterfinals. "Boxing has always been criticized for its lack of protest mechanisms in the decision, whether it is a deduction of points on stage, countdown, or scoring off the stage. It is a pity that the decision was made," coach Liu said, according to ETtoday News. "The punch was clearly not landed, and even the local audience thought she would win."
Despite the loss, Liu noted that Huang had not reached retirement age and remains highly competitive in international competitions. He urged the public to continue supporting and encouraging her.