Jajaira Gonzalez was off to a good start in her 2024 Paris Olympics debut when she dominated 2016 Olympic gold medalist Estelle Mossley of France in their lightweight bout in front of the rowdy France crowd. However, things took a turn for the worse when she came face to face with Beatriz Ferreira of Brazil on Monday, whom she faced back in the 2023 Pan-Am Games semifinal in Santiago, Chile.

Like their previous encounter, Ferreira took home victory via a 5-0 unanimous decision on the judges score cards after a hard fought three rounds, which seemed more like a pro title fight and less an early bout in the Olympics. It was a close contest, yet former world champion Mikaela Mayer alluded to an opposite result in the fight had the 2024 Olympics been following the old scoring system instead of the new. 

Old vs. New: What are they?  

Earlier today, Mayer, who is coming off a split decision loss to Natasha Jonas in January this year, wrote, “I think I favor the old scoring for Olympic style boxing. Point system vs the 10/9 must”. It’s worth mentioning that Mayer participated in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics in the 60 kg category while representing Team USA.

The now 34-year-old defeated Jennifer Chieng before getting eliminated in the quarterfinals by losing to Anastasiia Beliakova of Russia. While she had won bronze in the 2012 World Boxing Championships, Mayer got involved in the 2024 Paris Olympics as a boxing analyst for NBCUniversal’s Olympic coverage. 

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Before the 2016 Rio Olympics, the scoring system in boxing resembled that of amateur boxing, where boxers were judged solely on the number of hits landed. However, a significant change occurred eight years ago, allowing professional boxers to compete in the Olympics and leading to the adoption of the 10-point must system.

Under this new system, each of the five judges scores each round individually on a 10-point scale, unlike in professional boxing where only three judges are used. The judge awards 10 points to the round’s winner, while the loser receives between 7 and 9 points, depending on their performance during the round. Regardless, what does Gonzalez have to say about her loss? 

Jajaira Gonzalez isn’t happy either

The 27-year-old made a remarkable comeback last year after four years of being on the sidelines. In fact, she was the first female boxer to qualify for the Games in Paris this year, but it appears she will have to try again in 2028 after her close loss to Ferreira. And it would be an understatement to say she was disappointed. 

Following her loss on Monday, Jajaira Gonzalez hopped on X to pour her heart out about the loss. “Obviously, I’m disappointed. I’m hurt”, she said while acknowledging the massive opportunity she got. Yet Gonzalez couldn’t shake the feeling that “I was set up from the beginning, man!” 

Though she thought she had done enough to tip the scale in her favor, after some reflection, Gonzalez suggested, “Everything happens for a reason”. And considering what she wrote in the caption of the post on X, it might not be game over for the 27-year-old, “5-0 was crazy! But I’m keeping my head up. They can’t stop me!!!”

Did Jajaira Gonzalez lose her bout because of the new scoring system? Hard to say! But all she could do from here on out is—start preparing for 2028 and hope for the best. Looking at her two fights this year, she stands a good chance of clenching a medal in the future. Do you agree? Or do you think the scoring system needs adjustment?