Canada’s long wait for an Olympic boxing medal will come to an end, thanks to Wyatt Sanford’s standout performance in the men’s 63.5-kilogram weight class at Paris 2024. Sanford, the only male boxer representing Canada for the second consecutive Olympics, will bring home the nation’s first boxing medal since David Defiagbon’s heavyweight silver in 1996.
At 25 years old, the Kennetcook, Nova Scotia native has already secured at least a bronze medal. The big question now is: Can he upgrade to a silver or gold medal? Canada’s last Olympic boxing gold was won by Lennox Lewis in 1988.
Here are the current odds for the gold medal winner in the men’s 63.5-kilogram weight class:
| Boxer | bet365 | NorthStar Bets |
| Sofiane Oumiha (FRA) | -167 | -200 |
| Erislandy Álvarez (CUB) | 3/1 | +250 |
| Lasha Guruli (GEO) | +550 | 5/1 |
| Wyatt Sanford (CAN) | 10/1 | 10/1 |
Sanford made his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, where he was eliminated in the first round of the men’s 69kg event. Undeterred, he has been on a remarkable comeback trail, winning a bronze medal at the 2022 AMBC Continental Championships, upgrading to a silver in 2023, and ultimately claiming gold in the 63.5kg event at the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games—securing his spot at Paris 2024.
In Paris, Sanford has capitalized on his second Olympic opportunity. He dominated Bulgaria’s Radoslav Rosenov in the round of 16, winning the first two rounds unanimously, though Rosenov took the third round in a narrow 3-2 split. Sanford then faced a tougher challenge in the quarterfinals against Uzbekistan’s Ruslan Abdullaev. Despite a tight first round, Sanford rallied to win the second and third rounds, earning a 4-1 victory and a guaranteed place on the podium.
From a betting perspective, Sanford’s victory over Abdullaev was a significant upset. Abdullaev, with an impressive 44-4 record, was among the favourites with 3/1 odds for gold before the Games, while Sanford, listed at 30/1, entered the bout as a +350 underdog. Since then, Sanford’s odds have improved considerably, but he still faces a steep challenge in the semifinals.
On Sunday, August 4, Sanford will go up against France’s Sofiane Oumiha, the tournament favourite. Oumiha, 29, is competing in his final Olympics and comes with an impressive resume, including three World Championship titles (2017, 2021, 2023), a gold medal from the 2023 European Games, and a silver medal from the 2016 Olympics. However, like Sanford, Oumiha was also eliminated in the first round of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, hinting that the gap between them might not be as wide as the odds suggest.
Wyatt Sanford Gold Medal Winner – Men’s 63.5-kg Boxing
10/1
The other semifinal match features Cuba’s Erislandy Álvarez and Georgia’s Lasha Guruli. Álvarez was the runner-up to Oumiha at the 2023 IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships. The 24-year-old has shown dominance in Paris, with a TKO win in the opening round and consecutive unanimous victories leading up to the semifinals. Guruli, 27, has also been impressive, securing a unanimous decision win over Azerbaijan’s Malik Hasanov and a split decision over Kazakhstan’s Mukhamedsabyr Bazarbayuly.
While Oumiha, Álvarez, and Guruli have entered each bout as favourites, Sanford has fought his way to the semifinals as an underdog in both of his matches. This a position he will once again embrace in his quest for gold. If Sanford defeats Oumiha on Sunday, he will fight for gold on August 7th.
