“His jab never missed a beat,” he said in a statement. “He used his range and experience to overpower his opponent and win the unanimous decision.”
On Tuesday, Petanquey will face Armenia's Gurgen Madoyan, while Scarlett Delgado, 28, of Brampton, Ontario, will face Kenya's Amina Fakih in the last 16 of the women's 54kg division.
Canada's Victor Tremblay was underweight in his first bout at 57 kilograms and lost by walkover on Friday.
“Victor has shown extraordinary dedication and enthusiasm in representing our country on the international stage,” El Mais said, “but ensuring the safety and health of our athletes always takes priority. It was a difficult decision, but ultimately the right one.”
The 19-year-old from Montreal will remain with the team.
“I am disappointed that I will not be able to compete, but I understand the importance of maintaining my health and safety,” Tremblay said in a statement. “I will continue to practice hard and support my teammates in any way I can.”
Nine Canadians participated in the Bangkok Games with a shot at qualifying for the Olympics this summer.
Canada has already fielded two boxers in the Paris Games, which will feature 13 weight classes in total – seven for men and six for women.
The number of men's divisions in Olympic boxing has decreased by one since the Tokyo Games, and the number of women's divisions has increased by one. However, the total number of athletes will remain the same at 124 men and 124 women.
Middleweight Tamara Thibaut (75kg) and welterweight Wyatt Sanford (63.5kg) earned Olympic berths after winning gold medals at this year's Pan American Games. Both were members of Canada's five-man boxing team for the Tokyo Olympics.
The Bangkok qualifiers, which will run until June 3rd, will determine the final 51 spots (23 for women and 28 for men) for the Paris tournament.
Olympic boxing qualification is divided into several stages.
The first qualifier was the Five Continents Qualifier by the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile, covering the Americas, followed by the First World Qualifier Tournament in Busto Arzizio, Italy, from February 29 to March 12.
To qualify for the Olympics, a top four finish was required in Italy, although the numbers varied in some weight classes. Two Canadian fighters, Delgado and super heavyweight Alexis Barriere, finished in the top eight, but Barriere chose to focus on his professional career after that.
Just making it to the Olympics is a feat given the sport's popularity around the world and the fact that each country can only field one athlete per weight class. More than 75 countries took part in boxing at the Tokyo Olympics.
Competitors will again need to finish in the top four in Bangkok to book a spot in Paris, but that could change as hosts France are guaranteed up to six spots (three women and three men) and could still qualify through their weight classes even if they don't meet the qualifying criteria.
That means some weight classes may require athletes to finish in the top three to qualify for the Olympics, or even the top five if an athlete who has already qualified gets injured or suspended.
There will be no title matches at the Bangkok tournament, and matches in each weight class will end once the final Olympic spots have been decided.
Canada has won 17 Olympic medals in boxing (three gold, seven silver and seven bronze) but has not won a medal since heavyweight David Defiavon won silver in Atlanta in 1996.
The Paris boxing tournament will take place from July 27 to August 1 at Arena Nord and the Roland Garros stadium.
The Olympic qualification process was organised under the jurisdiction of the Paris 2024 Boxing Unit (PBU), a special body set up by the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee to oversee the qualification process and organise boxing events at the Olympic Games following the IOC's suspension and subsequent withdrawal of recognition from the International Boxing Association (IBA).
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 27, 2024.
Canadian Press
