‘I'm Hurt': Boxer Shakur Stevenson Gets Emotional After Taking Silver in Olympic Debut

"I don't like to lose," Stevenson says after he's defeated by Cuban boxer Robeisy Ramirez

Cuban boxer Robeisy Ramirez used a strong third round to finish off top American boxing prospect Shakur Stevenson and win Olympic gold in the bantamweight final Saturday. 

After the bout, Stevenson pulled his vest over his face and walked off to a railing to compose himself. With a towel over his head, Stevenson sobbed and was consoled by his family. 

In an emotional interview after the fight, the 19-year-old from Newark, New Jersey, gave “much respect” to his opponent. But he conceded, “I’m hurt."

When asked if he took solace in winning the silver medal, he could barely get out words.

“No," he said, with his voice breaking. "I don’t like to lose.”

The fight was even on the scorecards through two rounds. Ramirez, now a two-time Olympic gold medalist, won 29-28 on two scorecards. Stevenson won one card 29-28. 

Ramirez celebrated gold with a backflip in the ring. The 22-year-old was the 2012 flyweight gold medalist but competed this time in the 56 kg bantamweight division.

Stevenson, who had been cheered on by retired great Floyd Mayweather earlier in the tournament, reached the final after Russian semifinal opponent Vladimir Nikitin was ruled out with an injury.

It was the first time in his career that he lost an international bout.

Forty-seven American men have won gold in Olympic boxing. The group includes such icons in the sport as Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Muhammad Ali. 

The boxers competed Saturday in three, three-minute rounds. 

Earlier Saturday, Great Britain's Nicola Adams won the gold medal bout in the flyweight final to become the first two-time women's Olympic boxing champion. 

Adams, the first woman to win an Olympic boxing title at the London Games, made it back-to-back gold with a unanimous decision victory over French boxer Sarah Ourahmoune. 

Ourahmoune had a big rally in the second and third rounds to keep the fight a bit closer than expected. But Adams won the decisive fourth round on all three cards and thumped her chest and pointed toward the sky when the decision was announced.

In the final bout on Saturday, Arlen Lopez gave Cuba its second boxing gold medal of the day, beating Uzbekistan's Bektemir Melikuziev by unanimous decision in the middleweight final. 

Lopez swept the scores 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28. 

American Claressa Shields is set to defend her Olympic title in Sunday's middleweight final. She was the dark horse victor in London when she sprang on the scene four years ago. She returns to the Olympics now as the favorite. She will fight Nouchka Fontijn, of the Netherlands, a newcomer to the Olympics, but an experienced amateur in her own right.

This will be a rematch from the 2016 World Championships where Shields took home the gold by defeating Fontijn.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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